I noticed my coolant levels going down prior to an oil change months ago. The techs topped it off back to the max level. In the past few months it’s slightly below the minimum level on the reservoir.
I looked at the dipstick today and noticed that the oil looked like chocolate milk and the fluid level in the engine was very high. I can’t help but think I have a serious issue.
My question, should I work on addressing the issue and getting it fixed or trading the vehicle in? It’s a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. I owe what I believe the vehicle is worth.
What sort of long-term issues become more likely after fixing the head gasket? I believe this has been happening for 6 months. Fluid went from max to just below min line over 4 months.
When coolant mixes with the oil, it doesn’t lubricate the bearings very well anymore. so if you drove it very much with the coolant in there, then besides needing a new head gasket, it would need all new bearings too.
If you have been driving around with a failed head gasket for 6 months, it’s likely that you have destroyed the engine and the whole thing will need to be replaced.