The quick answer? No! A blown head gasket is a major problem for any engine, and one that costs quite a bit to fix mechanically. The head gasket is responsible for creating a seal between your engine block (the lower portion that houses the cylinders) and the head (the upper portion that contains the valves). Your head gasket also acts to channel engine coolant to keep your engine cool during operation. A blown or cracked head gasket can cause one of two problems:
- It can allow coolant to escape from your engine. The result is a loss in coolant, which can lead to overheating of your engine if you drive it for any length of time. Hot escaping coolant can also cause burns if you’re checking under the hood and can also start a fire, which is why a blown head gasket needs to be treated quickly.
- It can allow coolant to enter your cylinders. If coolant is mixed in with your engine oil and fuel, the result is the characteristic white smoke you see coming from the tailpipe of a car with a blown head gasket. Too much coolant in your cylinders can lead to severe engine damage quickly, as it keeps your engine oil from lubricating properly.
Most head gaskets don’t blow right away, but instead start as a small leak. It’s important to watch for signs of a blown head gasket, especially in older vehicles. If you notice your coolant level dropping but don’t see an exterior coolant leak, you may have some coolant leaking into your engine. You can also watch for white smoke coming from your tailpipe, another indication that you have a cracked or blown head gasket.
At the first sign of a blown head gasket, it’s important to react. All it takes is one of our Bar’s Leaks coolant system repair products to get back on your way. Our blown head gasket formulations work to permanently seal head gasket leaks without the need for costly and time-consuming head gasket replacement. You can choose from our range of head gasket products including Head Gasket Fix (1111), Head Gasket Repair (1100) and our commercial-strength, award-winning Head Seal Blown Head Gasket Repair (HG-1). Don’t risk driving your vehicle with a blown head gasket and causing major damage. We’ve seen it happen. It’s not pretty – or inexpensive.
We know head gasket issues are complex and can be intimidating. If you have questions about your head gasket problem, we can help. Hit us up on Facebook, or simply contact us and we’ll have someone get back to you right away.
