What are the symptoms of a blown cylinder head gasket?
4 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.
That day driving home, I immediately noticed something was off—the temperature gauge needle shot straight into the red zone, and the dashboard warning light came on, making my heart skip a beat. Lifting the hood revealed a mess of coolant and oil mixed together, and unscrewing the oil cap showed nothing but white foam. The exhaust was spewing thick white smoke with a particularly pungent smell—at a red light, pedestrians probably thought my car was deploying smoke bombs. Power was also lagging; even flooring the accelerator felt sluggish, with occasional jerky vibrations, and the engine sounded muffled. Starting the car became difficult, requiring several seconds of cranking. I pulled over right away and knew it was a cylinder head issue—repairs cost me a good chunk of change, and I regretted not paying more attention to preventing overheating. Friends, don’t make my mistake: if you notice abnormal coolant temps or white exhaust smoke, stop and check immediately to avoid turning a small issue into a major one that compromises driving safety.
A blown head gasket is a real headache. The coolant temperature skyrockets, white smoke billows from the exhaust, and the engine oil emulsifies into a milky substance. The car loses power, the engine shakes and shudders, and you might even experience difficulty starting it. If not repaired promptly, the entire engine could be ruined, costing you both money and time.
