Seals and gaskets are very basic but essential parts of a machine. A car cannot be assumed to exist without gaskets and seals because of their critical role in lubricant and fluid protection.
From front to back, there are various gaskets and seals present. Each of them has a special function, and they act as the guardians of various liquid restrictions invisibly.
However, the most critical gasket around the engine is the head gasket. It is worthwhile to gain knowledge about the head gasket while a worn gasket might be responsible for substantial damage under the hood.
## [What Is A Head Gasket?](https://servicemycar.com/uk/blog/what-is-a-head-gasket)
To comprehend the [head gasket](https://servicemycar.com/uk/services/car-head-gasket-repair) function in engine, it is necessary to understand the basic structure of an engine. It can divide into two parts where lower part is cylinder block while upper one is head.
While the head is in charge of having the valves, spark plugs, camshaft, etc., the cylinder block houses the cylinder and the pistons. Both elements must be mutually exclusive in order to work properly together.
It implies that they require some sort of cushion between them so that coolant or engine oil cannot seep inside the cylinder.A head gasket fulfils the requirement for a cushion while restricting the coolant as well as engine oil from leaking into the cylinders.
On the other hand, it does not only regulate the coolant and engine oil, but it directs the harmful gases to the exhaust system rather than leaking under the hood. If there is engine involved, you can understand the value of a head gasket. In case it goes blown, there are enough chances of catastrophic engine damage.
However, the signs of a blown head gasket are fairly simple to recognise, and it needs to be fixed right away to avoid further damage. You can learn more about the head gasket in this article, including how to recognise when it fails.
Heat is a head gasket's main threat. While the engine is running, it is challenging to remove the heat. To make things cooler, however, there is coolant. When coolant is scarce, things start to go wrong. A system leak of some kind could cause a coolant to go short.
An engine cannot stop producing heat once there is not enough cooling. In addition, some gasket materials have lesser life than others. Some metal gaskets have a higher rate of thermal expansion, which causes premature wear and tear.
On the other hand, a modification to the cylinder head frequently affects the gasket's ability to provide a reliable seal. The deterioration of the gaskets is also significantly influenced by age. After some time, they start to lose capacity and quality.
Keeping the importance of engine process in mind, a gasket is not something that you should neglect. A deteriorated gasket cannot maintain the pressure that is probably highlighted in lack of engine power.
Additionally, oil and coolant passageways might start to leak in unintended places. Engine overheating may result from coolant entering the combustion chambers, which mixes and dilutes the engine oil and reduces the cooling capacity of the cooling system.
## How Do You Find Out About A Deteriorated Head Gasket?
A vehicle needs three essential fluids for its operations, fuel, engine oil and coolant. However, fuel is allowed into the combustion chamber while others are not. As already discussed, a [head gasket sealer](https://servicemycar.com/uk/services/car-head-gasket-repair) offers this facility. A blown gasket lacks in its capacity of resistance. And, if there is any infiltration inside the combustion chamber, there would be these consequences.
**1.** Engine usually starts to overheat due to lack of coolant and infiltration of hydrocarbon inside cooling system.
**2.** Densely coloured smoke at exhaust is quite common, it can be while, blue or grey in nature.
**3.** A malfunctioning combustion chamber cannot perform internal combustion properly. Therefore, you mind end up with lack of power.
**4.** You find certain discoloration of engine oil due the coolant mixing.
These tell-tale signs offer enough hint if there is any head gasket issue. However, there should be no hesitation in opting for an inspection at a reliable service centre.
## [How Much To Repair A Head Gasket?](https://servicemycar.com/uk/blog/what-is-a-head-gasket)
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