
Cylinder heads play a crucial role in your vehicle’s engine. They ensure that air and fuel burn properly and allow for the proper passage of coolant through your truck’s engine.
If you notice that your vehicle’s coolant levels are dropping quickly, this is a vital sign of a cracked cylinder head. Coolant leaks are common with cracked cylinder heads and should be repaired immediately.
Oil Leak
Cylinder heads are responsible for many engine functions, including sealing the main combustion chamber and transferring coolant throughout the system. If you notice engine oil leaking, you might need cylinder heads Victoria TX servicing or replacement.
You can usually spot a leak by looking for oil puddles under your car. A faulty valve cover gasket may also be to blame, which seals the area between the cylinder head and the engine block.
In addition to leaking oil, the cylinder head can develop cracks that allow coolant and other fluids to seep. This results in the mismanagement of heat and pressure, causing engine overheating. If left unattended, this can lead to severe damage to your engine. In some cases, a bad cylinder head can even warp.
Coolant Leak
Cylinder heads contain oil to lubricate mechanical parts and coolant to remove heat. A cracked head may cause these substances to leak from the head. You can usually see this by noticing a puddle of liquid under the car if it’s been parked for a long time, or you will have a check engine light turn on warning of low oil pressure.
Sometimes, cylinder heads will crack internally and not leak oil out externally. In this case, you may notice that your engine uses more oil than usual or that blue smoke is coming from the exhaust.
Leaking coolant will also cause your car to overheat, and your dashboard will notify you with a warning message. This could lead to damaged parts and the need to replace the cylinder head.
Blue Smoke
Smoke coming from your exhaust pipe that’s blue or bluish is a severe engine problem that requires professional attention. This type of smoke is caused when the piston rings and valve seals are damaged, causing engine oil to leak into the combustion chamber, which is burnt with fuel.
The damaged engine oil can also reach hot surfaces like your exhaust system and drivetrain, burning them. This causes the blue exhaust smoke you see when accelerating.
A blown head gasket is another reason for blue smoke. This type of leak can occur when the gasket is worn out from excessive friction or heat. The engine oil then travels to the intake manifold, where it is re-burnt with the air.
Check Engine Light
The check engine light (which looks like an outline of an engine with a warning triangle) should illuminate when something is wrong. This can be anything from a loose gas cap to a failing transmission or catalytic converter. While it is true that many issues that trigger this light are not necessarily expensive, they should still be fixed as soon as possible to avoid more severe and costly problems down the road.
If the check engine light stays on, your vehicle’s computer detects a problem with one or more sensors. These sensors monitor air pressure, temperature, and fuel mixture, among other factors affecting performance and emissions. Driving with these malfunctioning or failing sensors can damage your car’s engine.
Misfiring
A misfiring engine is a sure sign of something wrong with the machine. The cylinder head is responsible for the air-fuel mix, so your car will shudder and misfire when it fails. You may also hear a popping sound when the engine is misfiring. The best way to avoid this is to seek professional help. Even a single misfire is dangerous and can lead to expensive engine damage.
While some of these signs may seem minor, it is always best to take your vehicle in for servicing as soon as you notice them. Otherwise, more cylinders could begin to malfunction, and your car won’t be able to run correctly. To identify the cause of the problem, your mechanic will open up the hood and check the spark plugs and ignition coils.