What are the symptoms of a blown engine head gasket?
2 Answers
Below are the symptoms of a blown engine head gasket: 1. During engine operation, the temperature gauge suddenly shows an increase in coolant temperature. 2. When the accelerator pedal is pressed hard, coolant overflows or bubbles emerge from the expansion tank. 3. Oil and coolant stains are visible at the junction between the engine cylinder block and cylinder head. 4. During engine operation, there is a sound of high-pressure gas escaping in the engine compartment. 5. Oil stains floating on the coolant can be observed in the expansion tank. 6. When starting the engine, there is a noticeable lack of power, a significant drop in engine speed, accompanied by black smoke emissions.
That time when my car's cylinder head gasket failed, the symptoms were particularly obvious. First, the engine temperature soared, the coolant temperature gauge shot straight to the red line, the radiator was gurgling loudly, and the coolant level dropped significantly in no time. The tailpipe kept emitting thick white smoke with a strong steam odor, like the vapor from a boiling kettle. When checking the engine oil, I found it had turned coffee-colored, mixed with coolant. The car felt sluggish when driving, the engine shook violently during acceleration, and it completely lacked power going uphill. This was because the cylinder head gasket seal had failed, allowing combustion gases and the coolant passage to connect. If not repaired promptly, the engine could suffer a blown gasket and require major repairs at a high cost. I delayed dealing with it for too long back then, and replacing the new gasket cost me quite a bit. I recommend paying regular attention to the engine coolant temperature, avoiding continuous high-speed long-distance driving, and checking the coolant and engine oil condition periodically.
