Drivers dread to hear that they have a blown head gasket, which is why we are going to break down the four most common reasons that lead to head gasket issues. Read more so you can detect the problem before it's too late. At Capitol Toyota you will find a team of factory-trained technicians who can take care of a blown gasket and much more using genuine OEM parts.
Our team recommends staying on top of routine oil changes to keep your vehicle's head gasket in good condition. If you are concerned that your head gasket might need to be replaced, look for the following symptoms.
4. Milky Build-Up Under Oil Cap
There is an easy way to find out if your engine's head gasket has blown. Simply check under the oil filler cap. If the gasket is not damaged, the inside of the oil cap will be mostly dry. If you discover a milky brownish-yellow substance that is similar to the thickness of a milkshake, you probably have a gasket leak. The milky substance is oil mixed with coolant that has seeped past the head gasket contaminating the engine oil. Once your engine oil has been contaminated it can no longer properly protect your engine. If you suspect this has happened, you will need to get a head gasket replacement as soon as possible.
3. Visible Tailpipe Smoke
The head gasket is responsible for coolant flow through the coolant channels of the engine. If the head gasket leaks, coolant might seep into the combustion changers which are right next to the coolant channels. The liquid will be burned along with gasoline. This creates a white or gray smoke that comes from the tailpipe constantly. This is a clear sign that you have a head gasket problem.
2. Rough Idle
The head gasket can also fail between two combustion changers. The engine is designed to keep a high pressure level inside the cylinders. When the head gasket fails, the engine will not be able to keep pressure at the correct level which will cause the engine to not only idle rough but also run poorly. While a rough idle is not a clear symptom of a bad gasket head, it is not a symptom that should be taken lightly.
1. Engine Overheating
When it comes to the engine overheating, you will be caught wondering which problem developed first. The head gasket leaking into the engine causing the engine to overheat, or was it the hot engine that caused the parts to swell thus causing the head gasket to leak? Regardless of which causes the problem, running a vehicle with an overheating engine is a one way street to engine failure. If you are experiencing this problem, it's best to head down to the Capitol Toyota service center for a full diagnostic. Our team of experts can quickly replace the bad head gasket with a quality OEM part. Do not hesitate to reach out to our service center with any concerns you have.
Contact
Capitol Toyota
783 Auto Group Avenue Ne
Salem, OR 97301
- Sales: 503-399-1011
- Service: 503-399-1011
- Parts: 503-399-1011
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