How Long Can You Drive with a Blown Cylinder Head Gasket?
1 Answers
Cylinder head gasket failure generally means you should not continue driving. It is recommended to drive to the nearest repair shop for servicing or call for roadside assistance. The cylinder head gasket is used to seal the water jacket and cylinder liner. A blown gasket will compromise this seal, allowing coolant from the water jacket to enter the cylinder liner while combustion gases leak into the cooling system. This leads to two issues: coolant loss and overheating (since hot combustion gases entering the cooling system raise coolant temperature). Main symptoms of a blown head gasket include: 1) Coolant bubbling in the radiator with rising temperature and white exhaust smoke. 2) Engine oil emulsification (turning milky white) or oil entering combustion chambers, causing blue exhaust smoke. 3) Noticeable power loss during driving, reduced acceleration, and in severe cases, engine knocking sounds. For safety reasons, immediate gasket replacement or repair is necessary.