How to Diagnose a Head Gasket

A head gasket is a gasket that is positioned between the engine block and the cylinder head of a vehicle. The head gasket is responsible for sealing the cylinders to ensure maximum compression and avoid any leakage of coolant or engine oil into the cylinders. When a head gasket fails, it's normally referred to as a blown head gasket. The replacement can be a costly repair so it's important to know the signs of a head gasket beginning to fail to avoid further damage to your engine.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Owner's Manual

How to Diagnose a Blown Head Gasket

1. Look at the temperature gauge on your dashboard. Constant overheating is a common sign of a head gasket beginning to go bad.

2. Watch for sweet smelling smoke or water drops coming out of the exhaust pipe, which is also a symptom of a head gasket beginning to fail.

3. Check the engine oil frequently. If the oil on the dipstick is milky or if there is a milky ring around the oil cap, this means the coolant is leaking into the oil pan and is a clear sign of a blown head gasket.

4. Pay close attention to your vehicle's performance. When a head gasket is completely blown the engine will misfire, idle roughly or may not run at all. If it does run, there will be a large amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust.

5. Allow the engine to cool for about 20 minutes. Open the hood of the vehicle and remove the coolant overflow tank cap. Use your owner's manual to locate the overflow tank if you are not familiar with it. If the tank makes a popping sound when you remove the cap, this can mean the cooling system has been pressurized and is a sign of a blown head gasket.

References

• Diagnosing Blown Head Gaskets
• Head Gasket Repair

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