How can you tell if your head gasket is failing?
One of the most famous telltale signs of head gasket failure is the milky sludge on the underside of the oil filler cap or on the dipstick – although not conclusive proof of head gasket failure this is generally a good indicator, and is a sure sign your engine needs looking at.
Can a blown head gasket cause engine damage?
A dangerous symptom of a blown head gasket is the mixing of oil and coolant. If coolant is mixing into the engine’s oil supply, this can be very detrimental to the lubricating properties of the engine oil. It can cause damage to engine bearings and other parts of the engine. Check the engine’s oil dipstick.
How often should you test a blown head gasket?
Check the readings and if the hydrocarbons go beyond 100, then it’s time to have that gasket fixed. It’s best to conduct this test three times just to make sure the readings are accurate. You can also crank up the engine while doing this. We recommend doing this with the assistance of a professional auto-repair shop.
Can a faulty head gasket cause an oil leak?
A faulty head gasket can also allow engine oil to leak into the coolant passages in the cylinder head. This often shows up as an oily/milky residue in the coolant expansion tank, as the oil floats to the surface of the coolant. Again, be careful though, as this can also be caused by a leaking engine oil cooler or transmission oil cooler. 4 Smoking
Pressure from the engine leaking into the coolant system can also create visible bubbles of CO2 and other exhaust gasses in the fluid, especially if the problems with the head gasket have developed to a particularly serious level.
Can a false negative be caused by a blown head gasket?
If the test fluid turns yellow exhaust gases are present and the head gasket is blown. If the fluid remains blue the system is most likely okay. This test can rarely fail and cause a false negative because the combustion process is not 100% efficient.
Check the readings and if the hydrocarbons go beyond 100, then it’s time to have that gasket fixed. It’s best to conduct this test three times just to make sure the readings are accurate. You can also crank up the engine while doing this. We recommend doing this with the assistance of a professional auto-repair shop.
Can you drive a car with a blown head gasket?
While it’s possible to drive with a blown head gasket it certainly isn’t recommended. Once the seal is blown, pressure in the combustion chamber is lost and you’ll feel a significant loss of power. If your blown head gasket is causing coolant to leak, your engine is far more likely to overheat.