Cracked Cylinder Head – Unless your car is all electric, you have an internal combustion engine – even if you drive a hybrid around Pasadena. An internal combustion engine works by converting explosions inside its cylinders into kinetic movement. The top of these cylinders is comprised of what are called cylinder heads. Functioning cylinder heads are important for the internal combustion process to work effectively. Unfortunately, cylinder heads are often designed to be lightweight, and not as durable as the rest of the car. Cylinder heads may begin to crack in as little as five years.
Unless you have your engine thoroughly inspected, you will not notice when cylinder heads begin to crack. However, some symptoms will start to occur which will become easily noticeable as they get more severe.
These are the top 5 symptoms of a cracked head:
Weak engine performance – if the cylinder head is cracked, then compressed air will escape from the combustion chamber. Your engine performance may be affected.
Smoke – although rare, big cracks in the cylinder heads will allow exhaust gases to leak out and cause smoke to come from the engine. This is a sign that you need to get a new cylinder head immediately.
Engine misfire – if the cracked cylinder head is too severe, then the engine will not run properly and may run rough or die and refuse to start.
Oil leak – a cylinder head contains oil, and if it cracks then oil will start to leak. If you see oil near the cylinder head under your hood, it is most likely cracked.
Coolant leak – if the cylinder head is severely cracked, then it will leak coolant as well as oil. If your coolant levels get too low, your engine could start to overheat. If your vehicle seems to be leaking coolant, then you may have a cracked cylinder head.
The cost can vary greatly depending on the model of vehicle and it is not a problem that can be ignored. If you notice any symptoms of a cracked head, bring your vehicle in to your Certified Auto Repair Specialist of Pasadena today.
