If you find that the coolant in your vehicle has a milky appearance, this could be a sign that the head gasket needs to be replaced. However, what exactly is milky coolant, and what precisely should you be on the lookout for? First, check out the best head gasket sealers on the market.
What exactly is this “Milky Coolant”?
The presence of an oddly dark or gray, milky tint in your coolant, often known as white antifreeze, is an indication that there is a severe problem with your head gasket. The head gasket’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the engine oil and coolant do not mix with the area that houses the combustion process. When you find milky oil in your vehicle, it is because coolant has gotten into the combustion chambers of the engine and mingled with the motor oil, causing the oil to become diluted and taking on a milky appearance.
If both the engine oil and the engine coolant are watered down, then the engine oil will not be able to lubricate the moving parts of the engine as it should, and the engine coolant will not be able to keep the engine at the proper operating temperature as it should. Because of this problem, the engine will operate at a higher temperature than usual, which will eventually lead to the complete rupture of the head gasket.
What You Should Keep an Eye out for
The most effective and convenient approach to determine whether or not your vehicle has this problem is to routinely check under the hood. The engine of most vehicles contains a reservoir for the coolant; therefore, it is possible to monitor both the color and level of the coolant by simply checking the reservoir. Coolant typically appears orange, green, or lime green in color, and sometimes all three.
Keep in mind that you should be on the lookout for other symptoms, even if you haven’t investigated beneath the hood yet or if your vehicle is an older model and doesn’t have this reservoir. The engine overheating is one of the most clear symptoms that there is a problem, as it signals that the cooling system is not performing its function properly for whatever reason. When the temperature indicator on your dashboard reaches a point that is roughly in the middle of its range, you will know that something is occurring.
You might also see that the engine jerks or stalls regularly, which is a symptom that the combustion is odd and that the engine might be on its way out. In addition to this, it is possible that you will really observe coolant leaking. Examine the area beneath the vehicle for any puddles or other indications of wetness.
If you observe any of these warning signals, it is quite likely that there is already damage to your engine that requires immediate attention.