Overheating can cause significant thermal stress on the engine, which can result in piston ring failure, warped cylinder heads, cracked block, and even melted components like pistons, valves and cylinder heads. If any of these components fails as result of overheating, the engine will cease to operate.
Loss of Compression
Overheating causes the metal parts of the engine to expand abnormally. This expansion can lead to reduction in cylinder compression. As a result, the engine will have difficulty starting and may eventually seize from loss of rotational force.
Loss of Coolant
Extreme overheating can cause coolant level to drop drastically as a result of evaporation and/or leakage from damaged components like gaskets and hoses. With an insufficient amount of coolant, the engine will not be able to transfer heat away from critical parts, leading to severe overheating and eventual failure.
Seized Engine
Excessive heat can cause components like pistons to expand inside cylinders, resulting in a seized engine. This occurs due to the inability of pistons to freely move within the cylinder causing the engine to lock up and unable to rotate.
