Blown head gasket are 2 of the most dreaded words a car owner can hear, well next to blown engine, but if you catch it earlier you may cut the cost of repair some. With the advent of 2 different medals used for the head and for the block the different expansion and contracting of the metals cause gasket problems. There really is no maintenance except for coolant service that can prevent head gasket problems. Keep your coolant full and repair any leaks no matter how small ASAP. If you have Dexcool in your system any amount of air in the system can be fatal. A black lite used with a leak detecting additive is useful in finding small leaks. You may not notice antifreeze on your floor as it may burn off a hot engine. Be careful if using pressure not to exceed the pressure of the cap. Indications of a head gasket problem – Loosing coolant with no obvious leaks- A hissing or bubbling in the overflow tank- Oil in the coolant – Coolant in the oil but this may also be a manifold gasket or cooler problem- Bubbling in the radiator or lack of flow- Rubber hoses feeling very hard to the touch and possibly blowing out – No heat If you do have heat your cooling system is probably OK- White smoke out the tailpipe, worse when cold Keeping your cooling system clean and full is the best prevention.