TGIF

Yeah, friday is upon us. Again. This week was better than last week. Last week it was so confusing and stressful. My Enterprise (Mazda 929) broke down. How...darn mechanic spilled oil on different areas of Engine bay cause he was in a hurry. Ass. Oil heated up, and killed those components...AND Damaged the headgasket. To all of you with cars...pay close attention to your headgasket. Basically it forms a barrier via a rubber seal between the Engines coolant, and oil. Engine oil coats and lubricates your Engine. Coolant actually flows around the Engine to cool it. IT DOES NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH YOUR PISTONS! Actually Engine oil does either. If it did...it would become a part of combustion. So the Gasket is actually a barrier that keeps oil where belongs, and coolant where it belongs. The coolant system is pressurized, there should be no air in it, or oil. If the Gasket is leaking....oil might get into the coolant (easy to find just look in your coolant reserve tank...if it looks kinda dirty..not pale green, or whatever color your coolant is when diluted with water....you have oil in your coolant!) Basically if Oil gets into the coolant...your cars Engine cooling becomes less effective. Oil will start to boil at a MUCH lower temp than a water coolant mixture. Result your Engine runs too hot. Do this long enough, and your Engine block will actually partially melt! Or worse crack! If it melts a bit it looses it original shape and needs to be rebuilt....very expensive! If it cracks...usually the Engine becomes unrecoverable!

Now...if coolant is leaking it usually mixes with the oil, and can get into the combustion chamber. You will actually start to burn coolant (actually this can happen with oil too!)

You will notice a white thick smoke coming from your exhaust. With Oil it is also a white smoke...however the smell is different. I think coolant is more chemical smelling and oil has a more funky like smell.

IF you coolant is leaking via a bad headgasket you will notice a very noticeable pulsing revving when starting the Engine cold. The needle will bounce between say 500-1000 rpms. This is because there is air in the cooling system. This is very dangerous as well. Because this can cause over heating very fast! Remember...if your Engine starts to over heat...you can result in "warped heads", or a "cracked Engine block". Both are very expensive to repair.

Take a note of the warning signs. Look at your exhaust. It should smell very chemical like with no noticeable THICK white smoke that doesnt dissapate. Oil I think has a more funky order. Also check your oil, and coolant levels. Remember if coolant is leaving a system that is basically airtight, and pressurized....air is replacing what ever coolant that left.

Now here is the funny thing...a leaky radiator can cause the same issues. A faulty radiator cap....leaking radiator hoses. BUT these are very easy to diagnose. Just take a look under your hood. If there is coolant present ANYWHERE! You have a problem!

Uh so like...friday is here....in 30 minutes....


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