Last updated on June 23rd, 2023 at 06:56 am
It’s dangerous driving a car with a blown head gasket the reason is simple; it can cause irreparable damage to your car engine which can decrease the performance of the engine.
Not only that, you risk your life and that of your family too. There are other problems that are associated with a blown head gasket which are the coolant and oil passageways, this causes it to leak into places it shouldn’t.
So what does the head gasket do?
Your vehicle head gasket happens to be an important component that is within the engine of a vehicle.
It is what is responsible for making sure that the pressures produced by the spark plugs with the ignition of fuel vapors stay inside the combustion chamber.
And this combustion chamber has within it the pistons which need maximum pressure to make sure the pistons in the chamber continue to fire correctly.
You should know also that the oil and coolant in your engine do a vital job but, for the effectiveness of their tasks, both of them cannot mix.
So if you ask, can you drive with a blown head gasket? Note that your head gasket keeps your engine chambers apart so that it won’t have any cross-contamination of fluids.
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Why Head gasket leaking oil externally
Most times, the head gaskets of your engine happens to be the most stressed component, this is due to its job in sealing too many components at the same time.
The head gasket seals coolants, oil, and the compression of the engine away from one another.
Their various ways the head gasket can blow, and when it does, each failure will show different signs which includes:
- Leaking oil externally
- A failed spark plugs
- The overheating exhaust bringing out white smoke
- Bubbles in your radiator
Note that the main reason for the blown head gasket is when your engine overheats which is caused by high temperatures.
However, the reason for this issue can be caused by a lot of things. Things like performance-enhancing components which the engine cannot carry, or damaged components within the engine block and cylinder head.
But no matter how it happened, the reality is that it happened. What you should do is to replace it as soon as possible before a blown head gasket will lead to something more serious and dangerous.
How long can you drive your car with a blown head gasket?
My answer to this question is simple, not very long. Once you observe the signs of a blown head gasket, you have little time to get it fixed.
My reason is that once you have a blown head gasket, your vehicle will lose performing power, which will make it difficult for it to move.
As I earlier said that your head gasket is like a seal, meaning once blown, your vehicle will experience loss of pressure within the engine.
And this simply means that pistons in the combustion chamber won’t have the ability to fire well, which causes loss of power.
Note that there are other vital problems you should know when you drive a blown head gasket: once coolant leaks, then to cool down the engine will be difficult.
If there is no coolant in your engine, then it will cause overheating when you keep driving which will lead to more cracks and damage.
So the longer you drive a vehicle with a blown head gasket, the more damages you will cause to your engine.
You shouldn’t take such risk of ruining your engine, just get it fixed immediately.
Blown head gasket between cylinders
The engine head gasket is produced to maximize the force coming from the cylinder array, the blockage against coolant, oil, and lubricant leakage. This can sometimes be a product of rubber, steel, copper, or other composite materials.
The fact that the head gasket is in the fuel-burning area of every engine block, they are a vital component in most automobiles.
This is the reason you should know why the head gaskets break down, so you will learn how to prevent it from happening.
Here are the Reasons for Blown head gasket between cylinders
Your engine’s combustion chamber has too much pressure within it which causes the head gasket to malfunction.
This maximum pressure that happens within can damage your head gasket and other components within the engine block.
Below are the Reasons for Blown head gasket between cylinders.
- The Coolant Levels And Overheating
Note that overheat is one problem that causes a blown head gasket between cylinders.
Though newer vehicle now has good cooling systems which intends to minimize car overall heat.
Whenever a car’s engine turns out to be too hot, then there is a possibility of the cylinder head to increase in its size.
For the fact that the head gasket is found between the cylinders, the increase can cause damages to the gasket, which will result in leaking coolant and then overheating.
A lower coolant level, and too much antifreeze, or a fan that doesn’t work well can increase the heating issues which will require you to replace the gasket frequently.
- The Engine Surface Finishing
To have the head gasket placed correctly into an engine, your cylinder head and vehicle engine block surface should be very smooth and flat.
This means that putting a gasket in a rough engine surface will cause it to wear out which degrades the engine seal until it cracks.
Good resurfacing equipment will give the engine the quality finishing that it needs on cast-iron and other composite metal.
However, putting a rubber-based head gasket might be a good alternative that is if resurfacing isn’t an option.
This is due to the ability of rubber models withstanding a rougher exterior much more than every other kind of gasket.
- The Tightening Of Bolt
There are head bolts used in protecting the gasket, they are vital in the maintenances of sealing the cylinder.
Any thread that is not working well within the engine block will destabilize how the gasket is placed. This is why the bolt should be in good shape to give a perfect sealing. Note that corrosion, cuts, dirt, and deformation can lead to the ineffectiveness of head bolts.
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Hi dear, I am Dennis Gift, an autobody repair technician with over 4 years of experience; and I love everything about fitness and cars and researching and sharing my experience. And this is where I get to do that freely without reservations. So come along with me.
