Signs I’ve Blown My Sprinter’s Head Gasket

Whether your Sprinter van is your personal vehicle or you drive one for work, you cannot afford to operate the automobile when the head gasket is blown. Peak Euro can replace the head gasket if it develops a crack. The most common cause of a cracked head gasket is excess heat. It is dangerous to drive the van if the head gasket is cracked. We will explain more below.

Coolant Loss

One reason why you shouldn’t drive the van if you suspect that the head gasket is blown is because you do not have enough coolant circulating through the engine. One of the first things that happens when the head gasket cracks is coolant leaks into the combustion chamber. This reduces the coolant level in the engine and causes it to overheat.

Overheating

In fact, the Sprinter van is going to overheat every time that you drive it if you have a blown head gasket. As the coolant circulates through the engine it will continue to leak into the combustion chamber. It’s important that you avoid driving the van when it is too hot. Doing so can cause irreparable damage to the engine.

Boiling Coolant

In some cases, the blown head gasket will cause the engine to get so hot that the coolant will boil. This puts you at a very high risk of having the radiator cap burst, which will leave you with scorching coolant spraying all over the engine. Naturally, this is incredibly dangerous to you and the engine. Avoid popping the hood if the engine is too hot and you can hear the coolant boiling.

White Exhaust

As we mentioned above, the coolant leaks into the combustion chamber where it is burned away with the fuel and air that is already in there. When this happens, the Sprinter van will start to release white exhaust out of the tailpipe. Exhaust turns white when the engine is burning coolant. If you haven’t already pulled over and cut the engine, you should if you see white exhaust.

Milky Motor Oil

Finally, it is also dangerous to drive the van because when the head gasket cracks, the coolant dilutes the motor oil. Consequently, you are left with milky motor oil that circulates through the engine and begins to damage the moving parts. As such, if you suspect that your van has a cracked head gasket, have it towed to our shop.

Peak Euro in Bend, OR, is here to help, so call us today. We can replace the head gasket in your Sprinter van.