Symptoms of a Blown Head Gasket in a Dodge Caravan
- White exhaust smoke is one sign of a blown head gasket.exhaust fulmes image by bilderbox from Fotolia.com
The Dodge Caravan, like all vehicles, can fall victim to a blown head gasket. The head gasket is the seal that is placed between the engine's cylinder head and the engine block. It functions as an air seal, keeping air from coming into the engine at the seam between the cylinder head and the engine block. The head gasket also keeps the oil and coolant in their separate chambers inside the engine. - If you suspect your Dodge Caravan has a blown head gasket, keep an eye on the coolant and oil. If you notice the oil is frothy or has white bubbles when you're checking the oil with the dipstick, this is a sign that coolant has mingled with the oil. Also, if you check the coolant overflow container and find dark swirls in the coolant, this is another sign that oil has mingled with the coolant. Either symptom is caused by a blown head gasket, which normally keeps the oil and coolant in separate areas of the engine.
- The exhaust exiting your Dodge Caravan can help you determine if the head gasket has blown. Oftentimes when the head gasket blows, engine coolant gets into the engine's cylinders. The heat inside the cylinders causes the coolant to boil and turn to steam, which is then sucked out of the engine along with the exhaust fumes. Normally, vehicles will have a white cloud of exhaust when they first start running on a cold morning. If your Caravan always has a white exhaust cloud coming out of the exhaust pipe or if the exhaust smells sweet, this is an indication the head gasket on the vehicle has blown.
- A loss of power from the Caravan's engine can also point to a blown head gasket. Because the head gasket helps keep the engine sealed tightly, once the gasket blows, air can be introduced to the engine through the opening. With this extra air, the engine cannot burn the fuel as efficiently, leading to a decreased power output. The Caravan may struggle to go up hills or reach freeway speeds when before it had no problems.
