Long Beach Head Gasket Repair

Today, we’re gonna go over two of the most dreaded words in anybody’s automotive vocabulary – head gaskets. You may not know what exactly a head gasket is or what it does, but you most likely know that it is a very expensive repair. Well this week, we’re gonna teach you how to recognize early signs of a leaking head gasket and how to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place, as well as what to do if you realize that your head gasket has started leaking.

A blown head gasket may cause a number of different symptoms. Coolant in the engine oil, an engine misfire or oil leaking from the engine could all be a symptom.

Each of these symptoms could also have other causes and an actual blown head gasket may show none of the above symptoms, but a head gasket would be the most common cause.

Head gaskets may actually fail in several different ways, and each way can give different symptoms. The symptoms that you see will depend on how and where your head gasket has failed.

Because of the difficulty and expense of a head gasket repair, you may be tempted to try your luck and keep driving, hoping that it is something else. This would be a big mistake. If you drive on a leaky head gasket for too long, your engine can literally start to warp and will need to be completely refinished, at which point it would likely be cheaper to get a whole new engine.

If coolant enters the exhaust, the catalytic converter will most likely be damaged. Coolant in the engine oil may destroy the engine by reducing the oil’s lubricating power. Combustion gases that leak into coolant will result in overheating. The radiator, heater core, and other expensive components can also be damaged.

Head gasket repair is so expensive because it must be approached very carefully. To repair a head gasket, several parts including the engine head(s) have to be removed, and components must be measured with precision to determine what needs to be replaced, then installed to specification to prevent future malfunctions or further damage.

The best ways to prevent head gasket failure are to replace coolant regularly according to your owner’s manual and to shut off your engine immediately if it starts to overheat, and diagnose and repair the cause of overheating as soon as possible.

If you are experiencing problems with your vehicle or have questions regarding Head Gasket Repair visit Orozco’s Auto Service at any of our convenient locations in Long Beach, Bellflower, Garden Grove or Fullerton!