What are the symptoms and causes of a blown cylinder head gasket?
2 Answers
The symptoms and causes of a blown cylinder head gasket are as follows: Symptoms of a blown cylinder head gasket: If the cylinder head gasket is blown, coolant will enter the cylinder, leading to cylinder failure. The cylinder will be filled with water, which turns into steam under high temperatures, causing severe rust in the cylinder. Additionally, the coolant will frequently run low due to excessive consumption. Causes of a blown cylinder head gasket: The engine frequently operates under overload conditions, leading to prolonged detonation combustion. The high local pressure and temperature in the cylinder can easily blow the cylinder head gasket. When tightening the cylinder head bolts, failure to follow the specified torque requirements results in uneven torque across the bolts, preventing the gasket from lying flat between the cylinder block and cylinder head. Ignition timing that is too early (or fuel injection timing in diesel engines) causes detonation combustion during engine operation. Poor-quality cylinder head gaskets. Deformation of the cylinder head or cylinder block, or defects in the mating surface between them, with cylinder head deformation being more common.
Last time the cylinder head gasket in my car failed, and it really stressed me out. The symptoms were obvious: the engine would overheat after running for a while, and the warning light on the dashboard kept flashing. When I opened the hood, the coolant reservoir was leaking badly, and the oil and coolant had mixed into a milky white substance—it looked like milk tea but smelled terrible. While driving, the engine sounded as loud as a tractor, acceleration was sluggish, and it struggled even on inclines. Thick white smoke came out of the exhaust, with a slightly burnt smell. The main causes were likely prolonged high-load operation of the engine, leading to excessive heat that compromised the gasket’s seal, or poor maintenance of the cooling system—such as degraded antifreeze or a faulty water pump. Another possibility was improper gasket installation or the use of low-quality parts. I must warn everyone: if you notice these signs, stop driving immediately. Otherwise, the engine could be completely ruined. The repair cost me several thousand dollars and delayed my work for a week.
