Toyota Head Gasket Failure

Fitting a head gasket is a time consuming job because of all the engine parts that must first be removed. And then the old gasket must be properly removed and the area cleaned thoroughly so the new one will be sure of sealing.

The reason for head gasket failure is an engine that has overheated. Overheating causes the metals on each side of the head gasket to expand and so the head gasket is crushed. Once the head gasket is destroyed in this way it cannot seal the combustion chambers properly. You will notice that your car's performance is sadly lacking.

Other reasons for head gasket failure can be pre-ignition when a hot spot forms in the engine and ignites the fuel air mixture before the spark plug fires. Doing so can certainly damage the head gasket, as can detonation. Detonation is when the fuel/air mix ignites outside of the cylinder's normal rhythm and is usually due to excessive heat. This leads to what is called spark knock and that can damage the pistons as well as the head gasket.

Overheating can be caused by a number of factors. There could be a problem with the radiator, a coolant leak or something wrong with the cooling fan. Whatever the problem is, it must be fixed before or at the same time as the head gasket or else it will simply have the same problem.