How to Determine a Leak With a Blown Head Gasket

Keeping track of and immediately fixing any leaks you find in your engine are both not only important to the function and efficiency of your engine, but can prevent accident and injury while you are driving. Follow these steps to determine if you have a leak with a blown head gasket.

Instructions

1

Wash and degrease the engine. This can be done at a local car wash, though the quality of the products is often not as high as selecting the products yourself for use at home. Purchase an engine degreaser and spray down your entire engine, let it sit for a few minutes, then hose off the engine and all of the degreaser.

2

Drive the vehicle for about 100 miles before looking for the leak. This will allow ample time for the engine to process all of the fluids, circulating them through the engine. If there is a leak, you will be able to find it after the engine has run and been cleaned to prevent confusion between a leak and engine build-up.

3

Look at the area between the valve cover and the cylinder head. If the valve cover gasket is leaking, there will be oil in that space and on the parts around the area. Fix the problem immediately to avoid further damage and leaking.

4

See your local auto parts store to get the necessary parts to fix the leak. You shouldn't need more than a new valve cover gasket, which is generally inexpensive. You can also get this from your local car dealer parts department, though it will probably cost more than at an auto parts store.