What does it mean to have a cracked head on a car?

Question

I got this news today and still don't really know what the hell that is.

Answer 1

The cylinder head in the engine is cracked....could leak oil and antifreese, loose compression, not operate properly. Potentially a very expensive repair. May just have to have the head replaced, but still not cheap.

Answer 2

Your engine's cylinder head (or "head") sits at the top of your bottom end, or short block. Your short block is what has your cylinders, and that's where the pistons move up and down. Your cylinder head is a separate component which holds your spark plugs, your valves and your injectors. The cylinder head bolts on to the short block, and usually there is a gasket between the two.

Your cylinder head has a series of passages in it that carry coolant, air and sometimes oil. If you have a crack in your cylinder head, several things can happen. You can get oil and engine coolant mixing together in a place where there is supposed to be only oil or only coolant (this is not a good thing) or you can have low compression, because air is escaping from the cylinder where combustion is supposed to be happening. Combustion happens when the fuel/air mixture is compressed and then ignited by the spark from the spark plug. It is the resulting explosion which causes the cylinder to move and gives power to the engine. Well, if there is a crack in the head in a place where air can escape from the cylinder, then that compression isn't going to take place. A cracked head may also result in either coolant or oil getting into the cylinder, which will cause drivability problems.

At any rate, what you often end up doing is buying a new head. Welding is possible, but not the greatest option, since cylinder heads have a number of passages that are hidden and not really repairable.

Hope this helps you understand what's going on a little better.

Answer 3

Everybody is on the rite track. If you don't know/understand the internal combustion engine, google that to familiarize yourself.

The Cylinder head is made of Iron or Aluminum, unless you have something exotic. It sees high pressures and heat. The exhaust valves and there seats(which sit directly in the head, se the most heat). This is most likely where the crack is, but not definet. The crack is probably not visable to the naked eye, if it is I want to see it!

Due to the cost of labor and equipment, where the crack is, is far less important than finding out why it developed or if it worth replacing( an older car).

Other components and there systems could be the culpret, and can rear there ugly head again, once your brand new cylinder head is installed.

Hopefully the car is new enough to have a computer, codes can be pulled to see if a fuel injector leaned out(high combustion heat) or a simple sensor failed.

You should definetly seek a second oppinion.

Also realize that if the Cylinder head saw enough heat to crack, the rest of the engine got very hot also. This simply means that you can fix one problem only find or experience another all to soon or later.

One option you have, if you can afford to buy another car: is to limp along for a while. There are many products that will claim to fix cracked heads. They are just band aids and should not be considered a fix. Although I have seen race cares win on them and cars go for thousands of more miles.

Take your time and get educated on your options.

For you and others, yr/make and model help to answer these questions.

Answer 4

Cracked Engine Head

Answer 5

The internal combustion engine uses pistons going up and down (or side to side sometimes) inside cylinders. Usually the cylinders are grouped together.

Most modern engines use valves to allow the fuel and air to enter the cylinders at the top of the piston's stroke. So in order to hold this lot all in place there is a 'cylinder head' which caps the cylinders. If this becomes cracked (usually due to heat), it is cracked cylinder-head! Some people may shorten the phrase to 'cracked-head'. Whatever you call it, it ain't good!

Answer 6

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how do you know its cracked head gaskets prevent water in oil and oil in water it don't mean it will over heat unless you have a bad thermostat but if you open the radiator cap and you see an oil sheen thats not good, also pull the oil dip stick out if its brown and runny thats not good water does not at all make good lubrication sure its still drivable but for how long is a toss up depends on how you drive are you a grandma drive like a little old lady well then it could last a bit or are you lead food Larry drive fast and hard your going to be buying a new motor once it seizes game over your out lots of cash depend what its worth to you and how you drive as far as how long it will last also to the longer you let it go the more your going to spend when the engine seizes so it really depends on you do you have lots of money money is not an issue i'd say drive the piece of sh** until it dies then buy a new one because you can afford it, but then if your low budget and can't afford a new car i'd get it fixed the more you drive it the more your going to spend on it later is it worth it to you really depend on you personally I'd replace it asap

Answer 7

Cracked Cylinder Head.

This one is going to be expensive.

Answer 8

The cylinder head, or head, is the part of the engine that contains the valves that control the intake of fuel and air and the exhaust of combustion gases. Typically when the engine overheats or freezes, due to lack of coolant or a mix of anti-freeze insufficient to stop freezing or boling, the head can crack. This may result in large amounts of white or blue smoke from the exhaust (white indicates the coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber, blue indicates oil ), or coolant or oil visible on the ourside of the engine or ground under the engine.

Answer 9

You're going to be out some money, that's what the hell it is. My mom had a Mitsubishi Diamante with an aluminum motor and the heads were cracked-it was $3500 to have it fixed.

Answer 10

Either a cylinder head has a crack or the head ( mainifold ) does or maube they mean a head gasket?