You only need one auto service shop in Libertyville for all of your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s service and repair needs, and that shop is Pit Shop Auto Repair. This includes a cracked head gasket. The head gasket is the crucial part that seals off the combustion chamber from the motor oil and engine coolant. This seal also allows compression to build up inside the chamber for combustion. If you drive your vehicle when the engine is overheating, you can blow the head gasket.
Instant Coolant Loss
One of the first signs that the head gasket has blown is instant coolant loss out of the engine. The coolant will immediately flow into the combustion chamber where it will be burned. More on this below. Consequently, the engine will lose the coolant it needs to keep it operating at a normal temperature. As such, you will end up with an…
Overheating Engine
If the engine wasn’t already overheating when the head gasket cracked, it will start to overheat very quickly after it has cracked. Unfortunately, if you continue to drive your vehicle, you run the risk of additional engine damage including a cracked cylinder block.
Overheating Coolant
As the coolant hemorrhages into the combustion chamber and the engine overheats, the temperature will continue to rise to the point that the coolant will boil in the radiator. At this stage, the engine has reached critical mass in terms of temperature and you need to stop driving the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive it could damage the engine irreparably.
White Vehicle Exhaust
As we mentioned above, when the coolant flows into the combustion chamber it is burned alongside the air and fuel. When this happens, your vehicle will start to release white exhaust smoke out of the tailpipe. In addition, the engine may be so hot that you will have white smoke flowing out from underneath the hood. We cannot stress enough that you must stop driving your automobile.
Diluted Motor Oil
Another reason why it’s crucial to pull over and call for a tow truck is that the coolant and motor oil will mix once the head gasket cracks. Consequently, you will have motor oil that is being diluted by coolant circulating through the engine and leaking into the combustion chamber. As if the heat weren’t enough, the diluted motor oil can also damage the engine beyond repair.
We’ve got your auto service needs covered here at Pit Shop Auto Repair in Libertyville, IL, so give us a call today if you believe the head gasket in your engine is cracked.
