European Fix are European auto service experts in Clinton Township. This means if you end up with a cracked head gasket in your European automobile’s engine, we can fix it. We want to caution you that driving the vehicle with the head gasket cracked can cause additional and serious damage to the engine. Below are the signs that you have a cracked head gasket in the engine of your European automobile.
Low Coolant
If you don’t already know this, the head gasket’s primary responsibility is to seal off the combustion chamber. This prevents the engine coolant from leaking into it. When the head gasket blows, the coolant will flow freely through the crack and into the cylinders. Unfortunately, this will leave you with a low coolant level in the engine at all times.
Boiling Coolant
Naturally, when the coolant level is low, the engine in your European automobile is going to overheat. In fact, it may have already been running too hot and this is what cracked the head gasket. Continuing to operate the European vehicle with a hot engine can make the coolant boil. This can increase the pressure that is found inside of the radiator and below the radiator cap.
In addition, the engine will be so hot that you may end up with added damage over and above the cracked head gasket. This damage can include cracking the cylinder block or cracking the exhaust manifold. Unfortunately, these problems will only increase the engine’s temperature more. This is one reason why you should not drive your European automobile with a blown head gasket.
White Exhaust
Let’s talk more about the coolant flowing into the combustion chamber. When the coolant makes its way into the cylinders, it is ignited along with the air in the fuel during combustion. This creates white smoke that can flow out of the tailpipe and out from underneath the hood. Motor oil can also leak into the cylinders where it, too, will be burned. This can create blue smoke.
Milky Motor Oil
We’ve talked about how the excess heat caused by the blown head gasket can ruin your engine. In addition to this heat, the engine can also be ruined by diluted motor oil. When the head gasket blows, the coolant and motor oil combine to create a milky fluid that circulates through the engine. This fluid cannot lubricate the moving engine parts or draw heat away from them.
European Fix in Clinton Township, MI, is here to help, so call us today.
