The head gasket is a component within your vehicle that you have mostly likely heard of, but don't quite understand. The head gasket is the block that is located between the engine block and the cylinder head, as demonstrated in the image above. This part has a hard job because it is constantly put under high pressure and blistering temperatures. If your head gasket is blown, this is another way of saying that your head gasket is leaking.
A blown head gasket means that it is allowing coolant to leak out of the engine or it could mean that coolant is getting into the cylinder. When you continue to drive with a blown head gasket, the coolant and exhaust gases are going to the wrong places which can cause engine metal and parts to warp and wear down significantly.
Leaking coolant through a blown head gasket can cause a multitude of different issues, including causing low coolant levels which can cause engine overheating and warping, damage your spark plugs, cause issues with the motor, rust piston rings and cylinder walls, and more.
Catching a head gasket leak as early as possible is the key to reducing the repair costs and how much damage it ends up costing. If you notice that your engine is overheating or running rough, notice a leak underneath your vehicle, or see smoke coming from under the hood - it's important to bring your vehicle into Pete's Auto Service right away so we can perform an inspection and determine if a blow head gasket is the issue.