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Does my Cylinder head need replacing

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  • Admin
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  • Cylinder Head, Car Engines, Car Repair
  • Posted date:
  • 25-11-2022
Does my Cylinder head need replacing

Does my cylinder head need replacing? This article looks at the signs of a faulty cylinder head and if you can drive with a damaged cylinder head.

What is a cylinder head in an engine?

The cylinder head can be found at the top of the engine. The purpose of the engine head is to seal the top of the cylinder in order to create a combustion chamber.

The head is also used to create housing for the valve gear and spark plugs. Within the cylinder head are highly complex passageways, which are used for coolant and oil.

The head, including all the components that it houses, is usually known as the top end of the engine. In many ways, the head can be considered to be the mechanical control centre of the whole engine. It is the meeting point for the fuel systems, ignition, exhaust, and intake.

What are the signs of a faulty cylinder head?

The cylinder head sits at the top of a cylinder, and it closes it off so it can contain air and gases. Within the cylinders, a spark is set off, and this produces a combustion that is then used to power an engine.

The cylinder head is vital for ensuring that the engine is timed and efficient. Unfortunately though, over time and due to all kinds of unforeseen circumstances, cylinder heads can slowly become damaged.

So how exactly do you know if something is wrong? Below are a few signs that you should be paying attention for:

 Leaking Oil

Oil is needed to provide lubrication for the cylinder head. Oil is also necessary for helping to remove heat from the engine. A cylinder head that is damaged or cracked will usually lead to that important oil to start leaking.

This is easy to notice after your car has been parked for a while or if your check engine light gets turned on.

 Leaking Coolant

Inside pretty much every engine that you will come across, coolant is used all around the areas where the cylinders are. This is done to help reduce the amount of head within the engine block so that the vehicle being driven does not overheat.

Much like with oil, a damaged or cracked head will usually lead to a leak. You will see this sometimes mixed in with leaking oil or other times just in a pool by itself.

 Poor Performance

Because cylinders and the cylinder heads are so vital for a combustion engine to work as designed, when something goes wrong with them, the engine performance can drop massively.

This will be clear if you are trying to do something that strains the engine, such as driving up an incline or beginning to move after having been stopped for a period of time, like when you are at a red light.

 Misfiring

Due to how the cylinders work within an engine, once the head is damaged or cracked, it will prevent the necessary containment of air and gases.

This will then lead to engine misfires taking place. Rather than operating at its most efficient, the vehicle engine will be at a much greater risk for issues and damage.

 Smoke

Finally, the clearest sign of something being wrong with your engine is smoke. When a cylinder head has become seriously damaged, it will begin to leak exhaust gases straight into the engine space.

For you, this will look like smoke floating out of your engine. If this happens to your vehicle, then it is essential that you have replacement services or repairs carried out immediately. Knowing what to look for is one thing, but you might be wondering why get your cylinder repaired at all.

Repairs are vital because if they do not take place, then your engine will begin to suffer. If you drive with a damaged or cracked cylinder head, then serious problems can begin to occur, and this will damage your engine overall.

What causes cylinder head failure? 

The most common reason why a cylinder head fails is simply because of overheating. This can be caused by various different issues such as restricted flow of coolant, head gasket failure, and coolant loss. In more extreme cases, a cracked or damaged cylinder head can lead to terminal damage to the whole engine.

This means extensive repairs will need to be performed, or a whole new engine will need to be purchased. It is essential that you take care of any problems with your engine as soon as possible to ensure that your engine stays in good health and works efficiently.

Does my Cylinder head need replacing?

It is also possible for cylinder heads to warp due to the huge amount of pressure that is placed on them by the extreme temperature changes that take place. This can then mean that it is not possible for the cylinder to provide a flat surface that can be used for holding the head gasket in the correct position.

This issue will only lead to further, more expensive problems later on, such as major repairs needing to take place or a complete engine replacement needing to be required.

Warping is especially an issue for cylinder heads that are made from aluminium. Different engines will have different levels of leniency for cylinder head warping. Some engines can take a high amount of warping and still be able to run at a remarkably effective level.

If your cylinder head does end up warping, then you might need to take your vehicle to a mechanic who has a specialisation in the realignment of cylinder heads. If this cannot be arranged, then you will likely just need to replace them. 

Can you drive with a damaged cylinder head or blown head gasket?

Due to the head gasket in the engine acting as a seal, the moment that it blows, there will be a huge loss in pressure in the engine. This loss in pressure will lead to the pistons inside the combustion chamber firing with much lower force. So when you are driving, you will begin to experience a significant loss of power.

When they are no longer pressurised within the cylinder head's specialised passageways, the oil and coolant will begin to leak into all kinds of areas in the engine where they should never be, such as the combustion chamber.

What is a cylinder head in an engine?

The coolant can start to mix with the engine oil, diluting it down and reducing the oil's ability to successfully lubricate the vital parts of the engine, such as the crank bearings or camshaft. When the proper lubrication isn't in place, the engine will begin to take damage, and it won't be long before an engine rebuild is necessary.

If you are driving with one of these issues, then there is one more thing you need to be aware of. If the coolant is leaking, then it means it is no longer available to do its job and cool down the engine. Without this essential support, the engine will soon overheat, which will only lead to even more cracking and damage to your engine. 


There are many benefits of having an engine refurbished If you live in Northallerton or North Yorkshire, you and are looking for ways to improve your car performance you can contact us today.

Cylinder Head Repair Northallerton