LP & Sons Auto Care advises that if your car’s oil has turned white and looks like milk, it is being diluted by engine coolant. We cannot stress enough how important it is that you avoid driving your automobile if the oil is in this condition. One of the only things that can cause this problem is a blown head gasket, and driving your vehicle is going to cause additional and expensive engine damage. Aside from milky-white motor oil, here are other signs that you have a crack in the head gasket and it needs to be replaced.
Leaking Coolant
The head gasket creates a seal to prevent the coolant and oil from mixing and to prevent the coolant from leaking out of the engine. When the head gasket cracks, the coolant and oil mix and the coolant leaks into the combustion chamber. Also called the cylinder block, the coolant will mix with the fuel and air that is in each cylinder and cause combustion production problems.
Overheating Engine
In addition to the problems with the coolant in the cylinders, your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s engine is also going to overheat when you drive it because the coolant is leaking out of it. You can pour coolant into the radiator to no avail. Until you replace the head gasket, the coolant is going to flow into the combustion chamber. Consequently, your engine’s temperature will max out every time you try to drive the vehicle. Don’t drive it. Have it towed to our shop.
Bubbling Coolant
In fact, it’s best to have the vehicle towed because the engine can get so hot that you will end up with bubbling coolant in the radiator. Once the coolant reaches boiling temperatures, it will blow the radiator cap off of the radiator and spray all over the engine. If you have ever seen this happen, you know that the coolant sprays all over the place and can easily burn someone who is standing in front of the engine. If your coolant is boiling, turn off the engine and stay away from it until it cools.
White Engine Exhaust
One final sign that you have a blown head gasket is white engine exhaust. As we discussed above, the coolant will make its way into the cylinders where it will be burned with the fuel and air. When this happens, it creates white smoke that flows out of the tailpipe.
LP & Sons Auto Care in DeLand, FL, would be happy to help, so ring us today to set up a visit for your automobile so we can inspect and replace the head gasket.