Head Gasket Repair

Serving Vancouver WA | Hazel Dell | Five Corners | Orchards

Head Gasket Repair and Replacement by Brown's Quality Automotive Services serving Vancouver WA

Head gasket repair is needed for a for a number of reasons; overheating, per-ignition or detonation are the most common causes. Engine overheating is the most common reason for a head gasket

to fail. When an engine is overheated, the engine block and head can expand beyond their limits causing extreme pinching to the head gasket, ultimately causing this gasket to fail. Engines that are not timed correctly can also put undo pressure on the head gasket causing failure…the dreaded “knocking” or “pinging” sound from an engine can point to timing issues.

As mentioned above, the #1 reason for head gasket failure is engine overheating. Not properly and regularly serving your vehicles cooling system (coolant flush), keeping coolant levels to acceptable levels, thermostat failure or a leaking hose can cause thousands of dollars in damage fast.

What is the head gaskets purpose?

The head gaskets job, although simple is integral to your vehicles continued operation. First and foremost the head gasket acts as a seal to to internal combustion process. Second the head gasket acts as a barrier, keeping the engines coolant and engine oil from mixing. One of the quickest ways to pinpoint a head gasket failure is checking the engine oil to see if there is coolant mixed in it. Engine oil that shows coolant or is brown instead of black is a tell tale sign that the head gasket has an internal failure.

Signs of a Bad Head Gasket

White smoke blowing from the exhaust pipe
Overheating
External leaks of coolant from the under the exhaust gasket
Bubble formations in the cooling system
Engine misfires

Head Gasket Replacement

Replacing a failed head gasket is not a job for an average at home mechanic. It take knowledge of the internal workings of an engine, as well as specialized tools. Typically this type of replacement is best left to an experienced auto repair mechanic. Often replacing a head gasket can be an expensive repair because other engine damage can occur when the gasket failed. Cracked or warped heads, burn pistons or damaged valves are some common types of damage.