Signs of a broken gasket of cylinder head VAZ

One of the main parts of any engine is the cylinder block. Breakdown of its head threatens major overhaul of the power unit. And the signs of a broken gasket cylinder head ("Kalina" is no exception) can arise after 100 thousand kilometers of run. You can not ride with this malfunction. But how to determine this breakdown? Today we learn what to do if the cylinder head gasket has broken through, what are the signs and causes of this phenomenon.

Why does this happen?

There are a few of the most common reasons for this fault. The first is overheating of the power unit. Often this happens because of poor-quality antifreeze. The driver simply does not have time to follow the temperature rise, as a consequence - there is overheating. Also you can not ride an old antifreeze. This coolant should change every 2 years. Over time, it loses its properties, precipitates and deteriorates heat exchange. In rare cases, overheating of the motor occurs with power tuning. This can be a turbocharger installation or an increase in the combustion chamber by boring a block. As a result, the motor runs on increased loads and needs a better heat sink. Another signs of a broken gasket cylinder head on the VAZ-2110 is low-quality or low-octane gasoline. It causes detonation, which, in addition to overheating, strongly affects the resource of the components of the CC.

Which gaskets are subject to breakdown?

At the moment there are several types of gaskets:

• Asbestos.
• Paronitic.

As practice shows, both types of elements are subject to breakdown. Often this material burns out during overheating. The strength of the gasket decreases. It loses its tightness. And not always breakage occurs with obvious cracks, when the gasket tears in half. It happens that the breakdown is due to the small holes that formed in the material of the product. In order not to get to the overhaul, you need to know the signs of the punctured cylinder head gasket. VAZ-2109 is a foreign car - it does not matter. To ride with such a malfunction is not worth it. Below we will consider how to determine the breakdown in the cylinder head gasket.

Indirect signs

The first thing you should pay attention to is the behavior of the machine on the go. If it has become less dynamic or fuel consumption has increased, you know, these are signs of a broken cylinder head gasket. With this fault, the coolant begins to enter the combustion chamber. The tosol itself in the expansion tank is getting smaller. Look at his remnant.

Foam on dipstick

Check the oil level in the engine. If the dipstick has characteristic bubbles, as in the photo, this indicates a malfunction in the engine. It can also be under the oil filler cap. Why does this happen? As we breakdown in the gasket, antifreeze begins to penetrate the oil "shirt" of the engine, mixing with other liquids. It happens that both components are mixed due to a crack in the block (say "headed cylinder head"). In this case, the gasket itself is intact. This occurs when trying to cool the motor dramatically. If water is poured on it, it can cause deformation of the block.

Exhaust

How else can we determine that the gasket of the VAZ-2115 cylinder head has been penetrated? Symptoms of a malfunction are the presence of white smoke from the muffler while the engine is running. As the engine warms up, it does not disappear. This indicates the presence of condensate in the gases. And since the antifreeze contains a certain percentage of distilled water, it exits through the exhaust system to the outside. If such signs of the punctured cylinder head gasket are observed (VAZ-2107 is not an exception), it is necessary to make an urgent analysis of the "head" of the engine and inspect the condition of the sealing element.

Oil in the expansion tank

Since both liquids mix with this fault, it is possible that the oil will enter the expansion tank. In itself, antifreeze is oily. But if there are characteristic stains of engine oil inside the tank, these are signs of a broken cylinder head gasket. Sometimes this bubble will bubble if the engine is wound up. This means that not only oil, but also exhaust gases got into the expansion tank . It is necessary to urgently search for the place where the mixing occurred.

Location of the gasket

In some cases, at the place where the head is connected to the unit, gases from the combustion chamber are escaped to the outside. Also, oil flows from here. But this is due to the incorrect tightening of the bolts. If earlier this unit was repaired, ask the masters, at what point they tightened the bolts. For each car there is a norm. If they were tightened "by eye", the cylinder head gasket will soon be broken. Signs (VAZ-2114 including) - a strong oil leak at the junction of both engine nodes. Tighten bolts on the block using a torque wrench. At the end of the article, we will tell you with what moment it is necessary to twist the head of the block.

Compressometer for help

Explicit signs of a punctured cylinder head gasket are a reduction in compression in one or more cylinders. If in the first cylinder this indicator is 10 (on diesel engines this figure is 2-2.5 times higher), and on the second - only 6, then there is a breakdown inside. This oil will not flow out through the clearances. Breakdown occurred between the cylinders themselves. The most difficult to determine such a breakdown. But the obvious signs of a broken gasket cylinder head in this case is an increased fuel consumption and a noticeable drop in thrust. With such symptoms it is recommended to check the level of compression. It is performed using the device shown in the photo below. This element is called a compressometer. How to use it? The device is screwed instead of one of the spark plugs. The check begins in order - from the first to the fourth cylinder. As we said earlier, the normal figure should not be lower than 10. Having checked the compression level in one cylinder, proceed to the second one. In the previous back we twist the candle and put on the high-voltage wire coming from the ignition coil. A strong take-off in the values should not be. By the way, if it's an old motor, it's possible that the scorches in the combustion chamber are not ruled out. Because of this, the compression and oil-retaining rings are loose . Solve this problem by honing the walls of the cylinders. At the same time, the rings change. But you need to do it with professional masters. This service is worth about five thousand rubles. As a result, the level of compression on a gasoline car can be increased to 12-13 kg / cm ² . And this is without engine overhaul.

About the cost

The price of the new gasket is from 500 to 3 thousand rubles, depending on the country of origin of the car. Of course, for the domestic car it will be lower. Buy this gasket in any car shop in the city. But do not save and buy the cheapest. Now there are a lot of fakes on the market. Look carefully at the quality of the product. If in doubt, select a different manufacturer. Often poor-quality gaskets burn out a month after operation.

Replacement

If the signs of breakdown are confirmed after removing the "head", the replacement of the punctured element is performed. The cylinder block is one of the most important parts of the engine. Therefore, when buying gaskets, experts advise purchasing a set of new fastening bolts. The old ones when unscrewing will no longer meet those requirements. The new bolts are not more than a thousand rubles. If you have a 16-valve motor and the length of the elements is not less than 95 millimeters, you can only limit the purchase of the gasket. Also, a torque wrench is required for replacement. Before installing a new gasket, ensure the integrity of the cylinder block. If he needs additional grinding, a piece of increased thickness is purchased. It must compensate for the layer of metal removed when grinding. It is important to clean the mating surface of the unit and the head from oil stains and dirt. Their presence can cause a repeated breakdown. When replacing, it is necessary to drain all technical fluids.

Torque

After installing the part, it is necessary to tighten the bolts with a torque wrench. The tightening is made from the center. First comes the lower, and then the upper central bolt. The tightening is done in four steps. First, the bolts are twisted with an effort of 2 kilograms per centimeter (for VAZ-2108-21099 vehicles). Further tighten on the second circle with an effort of 8 kgf * m (also from the center). After that, each bolt is twisted by 90 degrees. Then they are drawn again, also by 90 degrees.

Replacement results

After installing a new gasket, it is necessary to fill all the drained fluids and check the engine operation. The car should work smoothly and steadily, without white smoke from the exhaust. The dynamics of acceleration is renewed, fuel consumption is reduced. After a while, check the dipstick and antifreeze in the surge tank. There should be no bubbles and deposits. If done correctly, the part serves several hundred thousand kilometers.

Conclusion

So, we found out how to determine the breakdown of the cylinder head gasket with our own hands. This element is designed for the entire life of the motor and is not an expendable material. Therefore, if you do not violate the temperature regime and do not pour low-octane gasoline, the risk of getting to such repairs is approaching zero. By the way, on diesel trucks a steel sealing ring is installed (for example, the Russian "KamAZ"). This is a fairly reliable solution, since the metal is in contact with the metal. This ring is fixed on four clamping bolts. Therefore, the breakdown of the cylinder head gasket on the KamAZ truck is excluded by 99 percent, which is not to say about ordinary cars, of which millions on the roads of our homeland.