How To Deal With A Blown Head Gasket

A blown head gasket is a huge problem, can be expensive to repair, and is not for the faint of heart. If you are a beginner DIY mechanic, this project will be far too much for you to deal with, but if you know your way around your car, this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. If you are a meticulous DIYer and are constantly repairing and diagnosing your vehicle, you will most likely never have to deal with this repair. A blown head gasket is usually caused by a leaking cooling system going unnoticed, causing your car to overheat. This heat will cause damage and warps to your head gasket, causing it to fail if not taken care of quickly. If you want to learn how to deal with a blown head gasket and get all the parts you need for this project and more, come into your local U-Pull-&-Pay today.

Warning Signs

There are a few telltale signs that your head gasket may be in danger of failing. If you notice that your engine is overheating, your coolant levels are low, your engine is misfiring, or your car is creating excessive exhaust, your engine might be in serious danger. The excessive heat caused by a loss of coolant or a malfunctioning system can cause the metal in your engine to heat up dangerously and expand past its safe limits. This expansion causes your head gasket to loosen its grip on your engine, causing your engine to misfire and can even cause detonation or serious internal damage.

Repairing And Diagnosing The Issue

The first thing you need to do is to get to your head gasket, which can be a bit of an involved process. Start by getting out your service manual and reviewing the components that you need to remove. It may help you to take pictures as you go and to store screws and components together on a side table or a clean piece of parchment paper.

Next, you will need to check the head and block for flatness. You can easily do this with a machined straight edge and feeler gauge. Your car’s service manual will provide you with the proper specifications, and if your head or block is out of alignment, you will need to send it to a machine shop for repairs. The machine shop will also check for cracks and other damage.

Once your head has been realigned, prep the surface and chase the head bolt or stud holes with a tap or thread chaser to remove any corrosion. Make sure that as you are attaching your head bolt that you tighten to the proper torque.

Pre-fit your head gasket, using sealant if specifically required by the manufacturer. Follow your manual on the correct bolt tightening sequence and proper torque and follow those directions closely. Coat your head bolt threads with engine oil before you tighten them, and you’ve got yourself one repaired head gasket!

If you are interested in taking on a DIY head gasket repair or any other maintenance project, come into your local U-Pull-&-Pay today. Our expert staff will help you with tips and all the parts you need at the best prices in town.