What is a Blown Head Gasket? A blown head gasket happens when the seal between the cylinder head and engine block fails. The head gasket sits between these two areas of the engine, sealing the coolant passage, oil return passages, cylinders and pistons.
How can you tell which head gasket is bad?
Bad head gasket symptoms
- White smoke coming from the tailpipe.
- BUBBLING IN THE RADIATOR AND COOLANT RESERVOIR.
- unexplained coolant loss with no leaks.
- Milky white coloration in the oil.
- Engine overheating.
What happens when head gasket is blown?
If the head gasket fails in such a way it allows the compressed air/fuel to escape, the compression of that cylinder is reduced. This loss of compression results in a rough running engine and a notable reduction in engine power. This sort of failure typically is accompanied by a sound like an exhaust leak.
