A head gasket is a vital engine part located between the cylinder head and engine block. It seals combustion chambers to maintain compression and prevent leaks of coolant, oil, and exhaust gasses.
Blowing your head gasket is a common problem for motorists – especially if you have an older car. If you’re not careful this can result in damage to the engine and high head gasket repair costs. You could even require a mechanic to replace the head gasket entirely, for no small cost.
Luckily you can identify a number of common symptoms of a blown head gasket early on, allowing you to save yourself time, money and hassle with K-Seal.
What are the signs of a blown head gasket?
Having trouble with your car, but not sure if your head gasket is the issue? Below we have included some of the first and most common signs of a blown head gasket:
Low coolant levels
One of the most common signs of a blown head gasket is low coolant levels. While not the only reason, if your radiator constantly needs to be topped up with water or coolant, this could be an indication of a head gasket issue.
Overheating Engine
One of the most common signs of a failing head gasket is the engine overheating. The engine may frequently have to work harder and overheat due to coolant loss or improper circulation. You may also experience the engine gauge showing maximum temperature after just a few minutes.
Despite a leaking or blown head gasket often being the main cause for an engine to overheat over time, this overheating could also occur due to a restricted radiator instead. If this is the case, an accurate diagnosis of the engine problem will rely on the expertise of a skilled mechanic.
White smoke from exhaust
Another common symptom of a blown head gasket is a cloud of exhaust fumes when idling, or white smoke coming from your exhaust.
Engine coolant primarily consists of water. A blown gasket allows coolant to enter the combustion chamber. When this coolant burns, it produces water vapour that appears as white smoke from the exhaust, signalling that coolant is being consumed by the engine due to a leaking head gasket.
Coolant leak
Another easy-to-spot sign of a blown head gasket is visible leaks onto the ground beneath the head gasket, or coolant pooling in the engine bay.
Bubbles forming in the coolant reservoir
Air bubbles or foam in the coolant reservoir can suggest combustion gasses escaping into the cooling system.
Oil has a milky discoloration
A head gasket leak can cause engine coolant to mix with the oil, creating a thick, frothy mixture under the oil filler cap. If you suspect a leak, remove the cap and check for any buildup. If the oil appears milky or frothy, it may indicate coolant mixing with the oil, a sign of a head gasket.
However, although head gasket failure is often blamed for coolant leaking into your oil, it may be due to problems with the intake gasket.
Loss of power/rough idling
A badly blown head gasket can cause the engine to lose compression. This often leads to the engine running roughly and sometimes stalling.
Despite this often being an indicator for head gasket issues, other problems can also cause a rough-running or knocking engine. To check for a head gasket leak, a trained professional may perform a compression leak test. If combustion gasses mix with the engine oil, it indicates a potential internal failure of the head gasket.
Why you shouldn’t ignore blown head gasket symptoms
It’s not unusual to ignore these symptoms, as many drivers simply don’t want to even think about the cost of potential repairs and continue to drive with a blown head gasket. However, leave it too long and a blown head gasket could cause major damage to your car
For example, coolant leaks could:
- Ruin the engine thanks to coolant leaking into the engine oil
- Erode the lubrication of the engine
- Damage the catalytic converter
- Cause the engine to overheat through the mixture of coolant and combustion gasses
In the long run, this will end up costing you far more than fixing the leak at the first sign of an issue – especially as an overheating engine could lead to even more problems:
- Damage to the cooling system
- Failure of the radiator
- Erosion of the hoses
Is your car showing signs of a blown head gasket?
As soon as you recognize any of the symptoms we’ve mentioned, with your head, grab yourself a bottle of K-Seal. Scientifically tested, K-Seal will permanently repair and fix most head gasket failures, including:
- Coolant to cylinder leaks
- Cylinder to coolant leaks
- Blown head gaskets
- Coolant to oil leaks (in certain situations)
Why wait for your blown head gasket to cause further engine damage, forcing you to pay out on expensive head gasket repair costs? Find your nearest K-Seal stockist today to save yourself time, money and trouble.
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If you would like more advice on common motoring questions such as what a head gasket is, how to repair a head gasket and how much it could cost for more intensive repairs, please visit our expert advice section for more information.