What are the main symptoms of a damaged engine cylinder head?
3 Answers
Cylinder head, commonly referred to as the cylinder cover, is a part of the engine, specifically the engine cylinder head. The main manifestations of a damaged engine cylinder head are as follows: 1. While driving, you often feel the engine is underpowered and has difficulty accelerating. There may be air leakage sounds at the joint between the cylinder head and the cylinder block or in localized areas. 2. After starting the engine, one or two cylinders may not work, producing a "bang, bang" sound. The radiator continuously loses water, bubbles emerge from the radiator filler neck, or oil droplets appear on the surface of the coolant. 3. When checking the engine oil with the dipstick, the oil appears milky white. Water droplets continuously flow out of the exhaust pipe. 4. The engine coolant temperature is too high. When the cylinder head gasket is severely damaged, not only does the engine power drop significantly, but sometimes it may even fail to start. Generally, when such faults occur, replacing the cylinder head is sufficient, and the engine oil should also be changed at the same time.
A few days ago, the cylinder head of my car's engine cracked, and it felt terrible! First, the temperature gauge suddenly shot up to the red zone, and white smoke started billowing from under the hood, like a boiling kettle. While driving, there was a noticeable loss of power—stepping on the gas pedal felt weak, and the car couldn't pick up speed. When I checked the dipstick, the engine oil had turned milky white with foam, indicating coolant had mixed into the oil pan. To make matters worse, the engine made strange clicking or hissing noises upon startup, as if there was internal leakage. The mechanic said this could lead to piston wear or cylinder seal failure, and if not addressed promptly, the engine might be ruined. I ended up spending over ten thousand yuan to fix it, and now I regularly inspect the cooling system to prevent similar issues.
I've worked in an auto repair shop for several years, and the symptoms of a damaged cylinder head are quite obvious. The car's engine tends to overheat easily, the dashboard's coolant temperature warning light keeps flashing, the coolant level drops rapidly, and sometimes it mixes with engine oil, turning into a white substance. The tailpipe emits large amounts of white smoke with a sweet or pungent smell. At the same time, the power output becomes weak, and the engine makes a rattling noise during acceleration. This issue must be addressed early because the mixed fluid can cause bearing corrosion or even engine seizure. I recommend that the owner stop the car immediately for inspection and avoid driving further to prevent major engine repairs. Regular maintenance is key, such as checking the cylinder head gasket's sealing, which should be inspected approximately every 20,000 kilometers.
