Come to Benton Road Auto Repair if you suspect that you have a blown head gasket. If you are concerned about this, it’s a good idea to have your automobile towed to our shop rather than drive it. As you will see by the problems listed below, driving the vehicle with a cracked head gasket can cause serious engine damage due to overheating and diluted motor oil. Let’s talk more about this.
Instant Coolant Loss
Your engine will overheat because it will instantly lose coolant once the head gasket cracks. This is because the head gasket is the part that forms the seal over the combustion chamber. Without this seal, the coolant will flow freely into each cylinder in the cylinder block. Naturally, this will leave you with less coolant circulating through the engine to control the temperature.
Constant Overheating
Consequently, your engine is going to overheat and continue to overheat while you drive your automobile. Even turning on the heater will not reduce the engine’s temperature enough to make it safe to drive your vehicle. Keep in mind that as the coolant circulates through the engine, the level reduces even more as more coolant leaks into the cylinders.
Scorching Coolant
The coolant that is left in the engine that has not been circulated yet will get so hot that it will start to boil. You will be able to hear the coolant boiling in the radiator. This is how hot the engine gets, which is why we stress the importance of having your automobile towed. You do not want to drive the engine when it is so hot that the coolant is boiling. You will blow the radiator cap.
White Exhaust Smoke
We’ve talked about the fact that the coolant leaks into the cylinders. When this happens, it is burned during engine combustion. Unfortunately, this creates white exhaust smoke that flows out of the tailpipe. If you see white exhaust, you know coolant is burning in the engine.
White-Milky Motor Oil
As mentioned above, when the head gasket blows, the coolant also dilutes the motor oil. Unfortunately, this creates a toxic solution that can damage your engine if it circulates through it. There is not enough motor oil to protect the moving parts because of the addition of the coolant. Consequently, continuing to drive your vehicle will cause the moving parts to grind against each other.
Benton Road Auto Repair in Bossier City, LA, is here to help, so call us today so we can schedule an appointment with you to inspect the head gasket and replace it if necessary.
