This happens because passes through the cracks in the engine block rather than through the exhaust system.

The engine emits gray-black or blue smoke.

In addition, you may see white smoke coming from the engine. Since the engine is leaking coolant or antifreeze, it may start to overheat since there are not enough of these essential liquids circulating to cool it down.

The coolant and oil dripping from the engine onto the ground.

Hence, it can be very difficult to detect a cracked engine block until the problem has become very serious. If the cracks are internal, on the other hand, you will see oil in antifreeze since the channels where these two fluids pass through has become damaged. If the cracks are external, then motor oil and coolant will start to leak and mix. Once an engine block has started to crack, the process is nearly impossible to stop and the cracks will quickly get bigger. If the engine freezes, the antifreeze expands, which can cause the engine block to crack.Īs a result of these stresses, the engine block suffers from huge stresses in various areas. If the engine overheats, it can cause cylinder heads to warp and, eventually, crack. The engine block is subject to powerful stress during the car’s normal operation due to the temperature extremes it experiences.

It is made of a solid piece of metal, usually cast iron or an aluminum alloy. These include the cylinders where combustion takes place, as well as the channels through which oil and coolant pass to get to the engine. The engine block is where many important components in the running of the engine are found. If you see this, the crack is severe and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The reason is that the cracked head allows exhaust gases to enter the cylinder. Less frequently, you may see smoke in the engine. The problem may even become so severe that your engine may often quit and need to be constantly restarted. This is because the compression process is no longer being performed optimally. This is in addition to finding leaked oil in the coolant.Ĭracked cylinder heads will also cause your engine’s performance to decline. Also, since there is coolant around the cylinder heads to keep them cool, your coolant levels may drop. The caps open and close thousands of times per minute.Īfter several years, the heads are at high risk of cracking. They also open to vent the exhaust gases the process produces. These cylinders have caps or heads that contain the gas-air mixture and the combustion process. Internal combustion engines contain cylinders where air and gas mix to spark combustion.

Cracks in engine block