What are the symptoms of a blown cylinder head gasket?
2 Answers
When a car's cylinder head gasket is blown, it can cause the following three symptoms: 1. A blown cylinder head gasket can lead to poor cylinder sealing, resulting in engine oil leakage. 2. Damage to the cylinder head gasket can cause insufficient cylinder pressure in the engine, leading to reduced engine power. 3. Coolant from the engine may flow into the combustion chamber, causing white smoke to come out of the exhaust pipe when the engine is running. If the cylinder head gasket is damaged, it should be replaced promptly. The following precautions should be noted: 1. To replace the cylinder head gasket, the cylinder head must be removed. When installing a new cylinder head gasket, it should be tightened according to the specified torque. 2. The bolts of the cylinder head should be tightened in the prescribed sequence; otherwise, it may result in uneven pressure on the gasket, leading to poor sealing.
I've encountered cylinder head gasket failure quite a few times, with very noticeable symptoms. First, the engine temperature gauge rises rapidly, prone to overheating, because the gasket between the cylinder head and block is damaged, allowing high-temperature gases and coolant to mix. The cooling system shows problems like bubbling in the coolant reservoir and fast coolant level drops. In the engine bay, the engine oil changes appearance, mixing with coolant to look like milkshake or coffee-colored, indicating emulsification. The exhaust pipe emits thick white smoke continuously, like a steamer. Engine performance is also affected, possibly with severe shaking, misfires, and weak acceleration. The car feels sluggish when driving, sometimes even hard to start. Don't underestimate this issue - if not repaired promptly, the engine could suffer serious damage, significantly increasing repair costs. Checking is simple: see if the coolant color lightens, smell if the oil has a sweet odor. If abnormalities are found, it's advised to stop immediately and seek professional service - don't push through long drives.
