Monday, July 2, 2012
How to maintenance the engine
Why cars break down?Nothing lasts forever; any car eventually will start having problems. However, while some cars may provide you with few hundred thousands miles of trouble-free driving, others start having problems from the beginning. Why there is such a huge difference?Sometimes cars start having problems after accidents. Sometimes it may be a factory defect or design flaw. Heavy conditions like, for example, driving only short trips without letting the engine to warm up fully also make the engine life shorter. Corrosion is another factor - for example, park the car for a few months in place with high humidity and later it will probably have more problems than the vehicle driven all this time on daily basis. Yet, lack of maintenance is one of the most often reason for a car to break down.
Compare these two images: the engine on a top photo hasn't been maintained well. Looks like it the engine oil hasn't been changed for long time. This engine has relatively low mileage and already needs serious and costly repair. The engine on the lower photo has been maintained well. After 175,000 miles (281,000 km) it's still in a very good condition, and needs no repair at all. Can you see the difference? So, what's most important to keep your engine in a good shape? - I guess, I won't say something new stating that regular oil changes is most important factor to keep the engine running. If you do it more often than suggested by manufacturer's schedule, that's even better. - Avoid overheating the engine - Changing spark plugs, air filter, timing belt and other items from maintenance schedule may save you from costly repairs. - Fix any small problem right away before it causes a serious damage. Engine oil change
If you don't remember when you changed the oil in your car last time - just check the oil on the dipstick. And every time you change the oil, the oil filter should be replaced as well. For correct oil type, engine oil capacity, maintenance schedule, etc. check your car owner's manual or follow the link: Where to find car technical information Checking the engine oil
Synthetic oil vs. conventional mineral oilThe advantage of synthetic oil is that it can withstand higher temperature and can work longer without losing its lubricating qualities. It doesn't get thicker at below-zero temperatures providing good engine lubrication at a cold start. However, since it's more "thinner" a high-mileage engine filled with synthetic oil will more likely to develop leaks and you will more likely to hear lifters tapping noise at a start. Therefore, If you have low mileage or turbo engine and driving under heavy conditions such as high temperature, excessive load, long intervals without an oil change, etc., or simply want to provide extra protection for your engine, synthetic oil may be a good solution. But I don't think it's worth to use synthetic oil in high-mileage engines - thicker mineral oil will provide better protection as long as you change it regularly.Engine cooling system
Fix any small problemsIf there is any problems with your engine, such as irregular noise or smell, or performance problems, leaks or smoke, or "check engine" light is on, etc., have your car inspected with a mechanic. It's always better to fix any small problem right away before they can cause engine damage. Be aware, some mechanics will try to scare you because they always want to sell you more job than your car really needs, so always ask to explain everything, to show you what exactly is wrong and why.For vehicles with turbochargerTurbocharger serves to pump more air into the engine boosting engine power without increasing the engine volume.Due to its design, the turbocharger works at very high temperatures. Therefore, the requirements to the engine oil quality are much higher. Low quality, or old contaminated oil can be easily cooked under high temperature in the turbocharger causing it to fail. Here are few tips: - If it's not against manufacturer recommendations, use synthetic oil, or at least be very accurate with regular oil changes. - When you stop the car after hard driving (speeding, accelerating, etc.) don't shut the engine off right away, let it idle for a while to cool down the turbocharger. - Very long uphill driving under constant load may also cause turbo to overheat, try to avoid it if possible. Few tips how to improve emission test results- Change oil before testing. For old or high mileage car using a thicker oil may help.- Change spark plugs and air filter if it was a while ago since you've changed them last time. Complete tune-up may be an option for older cars. - Flushing the fuel injectors usually helps. Before the test: - Check and adjust tire pressure - Fill the car with premium gas - Take a car for a spin on a freeway - it helps to clean spark plugs and catalytic converter. - Make sure, the engine is fully warmed up before test. If you have check engine light on, exhaust leaks, broken gas cap, or any other problem with vehicle emission system it needs to be repaired before the test - all those items will be inspected during the emission test. If you are looking for more detailed technical informationIf you want to find more technical information about you car such as all kind of diagrams (transmission diagram, engine diagrams, vacuum line diagram, electrical diagram, etc.) repair information, specification, fluids type, maintenance schedule, component location, service bulletins and so on, there is a website which for a small fee allows you to browse all such an information for almost any car model on-line. To learn more visit this page:Where to find technical information about your car
by Vlad Samarin
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