A head gasket is a vital spear part of our cars. If it gets broken, blown, or damaged, then it is not suitable for your vehicle. It will become difficult for you to operate various functions of your automobile. Many auto companies are suffering a decline in their sales due to their bad-quality head gasket. People who are unaware of specific parts of the car must go through this write-up.
Here, we will cover relevant information about the gasket, its damaging marks, and in the end, solutions. You never know why your car has been stopped working due to this problem. If you are aware of such issues, then you can easily detect it and do as needful. Read more to know everything about this part of your car in detail and try solutions in an emergency.
About Head Gasket
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Before digging deep, it is necessary to know about this spare part. The gasket is a crucial part of the automobile. It lies in between the head of the cylinder and the block of the engine. You will get it in every new car system because it helps in operating the engine efficiently by sealing the combustion chamber.
Two things remain intact in this part, i.e., coolant and oil. If it gets damaged, then you can confirm that you need to spend a lot in repairing it. You cannot ignite your car if you have a broken gasket. Therefore, make sure it works well to operate your car smoothly.
What is the Reason Behind the Broken Mechanical Seal?
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The gasket acts as a seal between two parts, i.e., head of the cylinder and block of the engine. It means that this part is handling both hot and cold temperatures. To be more precise, it is dealing with coolant and hot combustion gases. With time, a gasket can get a break and start leaking. It is a deeply installed spare part in our automobile.
If we want to check the leaks, then you need to hire a mechanic. He will open the engine and find this part. He can easily determine the leaks due to broken gasket. This condition is possible in different cars of different brands. Many companies are working on this problem so that no one faces such an issue in the future.
What Indications Do You Need to Check?
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There are specific signs that one must check to determine whether it is blown or broken. If you find the following things, then you need to look for the solutions.
- External Leaking of Head Gasket: You can observe the leaking of coolant from the exhaust manifold or intake whenever your engine gets heat up a bit. It is easy to check this symptom because of no cooling passages near the gasket. You can also use UV light to identify the leaks.
- White Smoke Coming Out from Tailpipe: It is another common symptom, i.e., easy to recognize. The coolant leaks and releases from the tailpipe after burning. It looks like white smoke with a sweet smell. When the engine gets heated, you may observe an excess of white smoke coming out of the tailpipe.
- The Engine is Overheating: When coolant leaks, the engine will get deficient. It makes the engine heat over, and the radiator will be able to cool it down. The metal components get cracks or get damaged.
- Oil Looks White or Milky: If your gasket is broken, then the coolant will leak and mix with the oil in the combustion chamber. It looks white or milky. You can easily detect this symptom. If your car’s oil contains water, then it cannot lubricate the motor, and hence, your vehicle will stop working.
- Less Cooling: The cooling system can fail because of the leaking, i.e., happening in the gasket. The AC will not work the way it should perform. The leaking will put pressure on the combustion chamber, and the air will move out. It lacks cool air, and therefore, your car will not cool in the same way.
- Radiators Contain Bubbles: When exhaust gases and coolant come together in the combustion chamber, then it leads to bubbles. You can do a chemical test to determine the problem.
What to Do if You Have a Broken Gasket?
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If you are getting symptoms as mentioned earlier, then you need to prevent or do something to avoid significant expenses on repairs.
- Use Sealer: It is one of the common, cheap and effective methods to stop the leakage. You can get a gasket sealer, which is made with Sodium SilicateSodium Silicate. You need to pour it in the radiator. Keep your car on the rev cycle for 25 to 30 minutes, so that it reaches the engine and penetrate the cracks. It will dry there and make a seal to prevent all the leaks from different parts of the car. You can buy different types of sealants but make sure it should be of good quality. Any wrong product can ruin the functioning of the automobile.
- Replacing Old Head Gasket with New One: If you find that the leaking is too much and cracks are also more prominent, it means that your gasket is completely broken. You must replace it with the new one. You have to take help of a mechanic, who can open the engine, locate the part and replace it. It is an expensive option for you. But you have not any other option to get rid of your problems.
- Prevent Gasket Failure: It is necessary to keep the pressure of combustion chambers low. You need to check the pressure levels with time. You must prefer steel or metal-layered gasket in your car to prevent cracks.
The Bottom Line
The broken head gasket is a severe problem that can resist operating your car. It is essential to keep on checking its condition and symptoms to know whether it is working fine or not. You need to do the above things if you observe some of the issues in your car. You must take care of the spear parts of an automobile to operate it well.
