It is an alarming fact that the engine is the heart of any vehicle yet many of us don’t pay much attention to it unless it develops a fault. To keep your engine in good condition and increase its longevity, it is important to check your engine regularly for any slight deviation from what is normal with your engine. Here are some simple best practices that will help your engine stay in a good shape;
Check the Cooling System:
An engine’s cooling system helps the car’s engine to maintain the ideal temperature and takes excess heat out of the engine. Make sure your car has an adequate level of coolant. You can check this by lifting the hood and looking at the coolant tank. Usually, the coolant will be in a green or orange coloured liquid. This prevents the engine from overheating. Remember any damage caused to the engine due to overheating will burn a hole in your pocket.
Check the Air Filter:
Like humans, engines need oxygen to survive. A constant flow of air is a must to keep the engine running. Air filters ensure this by preventing junk particles, road debris, dirt, leaves, etc… from entering the engine. But over time, the air filters accumulate so many particles that end up blocking them consequently stopping the filters from doing their job. Check the air filters and replace them if required.
Check for Leaks:
In your parking lot, check for leaks below your car. At times engine hoses may fail due to intense heat and pressure. This will lead to leakage of vital fluids like oil. Diesel engines face this issue quite often. Other areas that often leak are parts that join together with a rubber seal or silicon. If you notice any leak, take your car to a nearby service center and fix it immediately.
Change Engine Oil:
An engine cannot function without oil. Engine oil keeps the engine parts well lubricated. Every car maker provides the oil change interval in the user manual. If you are unable to find it, do a quick online search. Make sure to follow them religiously, if you fail to do so, it can cause some serious damage to your engine.
Avoid Being on Reserve Fuel:
Both petrol and diesel contain sediments that settle at the bottom of the fuel tank. Over the years your fuel tank would have accumulated a fair amount of junk. Fuel filter plays an important role in preventing these sediments from entering the engine. Running your car on reserve fuel would lead to early wear and tear of your fuel filter as you are pulling the fuel from the bottom of the tank where the junk is accumulated. If the sediments enter, it might cause internal damage to the engine.
Don’t Ignore the Warning Light:
If you see an engine icon on the instrument cluster (usually in orange colour near the speedometer) don’t ignore it. It indicates a problem in the engine. It can be about engine temperature, battery, alternator or any other engine parts. Pay immediate attention before it becomes a serious issue.
Don’t Revv Hard:
Engines are nice and easy-going when you treat them with respect. Revving your engine hard will not only affect your fuel efficiency but also its performance. Don’t allow the Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) needle to cross the red line, doing so will put a lot of stress and damage your engine.
Engine is the most expensive part of a car, we hope you will follow the above points and save a lot on your car’s maintenance cost. Talking about saving, attend to the immediate signs and problem of your car to avoid having to spend much more when the car eventually breaks down over your negligence.
Now drive carefully and responsibly!