Issues with your cylinders and cylinder heads can lead to a vast variety of performance-related issues in your engine. Having the ability to fully diagnose your cylinder problems requires an in-depth understanding of how your engine operates.
Companies that offer professional cylinder repairs often handle the diagnostic process; however, knowing when your cylinder may be experiencing problems is the first step in preventative maintenance. Let’s go over some standard issues that you may be experiencing with your cylinder head and how to tell if you have a serious problem.
Unusual Odour
A head gasket is what keeps your coolant from leaking into your cylinder. If you are noticing a strong, sweet smell when your car runs, this could be a telltale sign that coolant is leaking and burning in your cylinders. This may be a strong indicator that your cylinder head needs replacing in the near future.
Smoke
Excessive amounts of smoke coming from your exhaust pipe could mean several different things about your engine. If you detect a greyish type of hue, there is a high chance that your smoke is closely related to a cylinder issue. This typically means that your engine is hotter than it should be. If you notice any smoke such as this and you feel as if it might be cylinder-related, you may want to pay a visit to a cylinder specialist sooner than later.
Leaks
While a leak can be attributed to a wide range of engine issues, leaking coolant in particular could be a sign that your cylinder head needs some work. There may even be a crack in your head gasket.
Engine Misfire
Engine misfires can be a surefire sign of a problem with your cylinder head. An engine misfire almost always tells you that something is wrong with your cylinder. When an engine begins experiencing these types of issues, you will notice that it shivers and shakes when operated. This lets you know that your combustion cycle is losing its standard rhythm.
It is important to note that not all cylinder-related types of misfires can be traced back to the head of the cylinder. For example, a misfire is actually more likely to be caused by a problem with the cylinder itself. Either way, misfires are a serious sign of an issue. If you are experiencing a misfire, it’s important to get your vehicle looked at as soon as possible.
When you are noticing that your vehicle is experiencing some performance-related issues or even full-blown symptoms of problems with your cylinder head, it’s important to have your vehicle looked at as soon as possible. Overlooking cylinder-related issues could lead to further damage to your engine down the road as well as some costly repairs. If you’re considering having your engine’s cylinder heads replaced or even reconditioned, don’t wait. Contact a cylinder specialist in order to get many more years of productive use out of your vehicle.
