The engine is the heart of your car. It often comes as no surprise that if you want to keep the performance of your car at its optimum capacity, you must maintain the engine properly. Not to mention, a single mistake in the engine can cause a lot of damage. You will probably end up spending almost the same amount as if you bought a brand-new vehicle.
So what should you do to keep your engine in mint condition?
14. Check the oil regularly
If the engine is the heart of your car, oil is the blood pumping in the veins that keeps it running. In other words, oil is crucial for lubrication which helps to reduce friction. Further, the lower the friction, the less the chances of mechanical wear and tear.
Make sure you check the owner’s manual to verify how often you should change the oil. If you’re unsure, you can check the oil level of your engine using a dipstick. Additionally, if the oil on the dipstick looks dirty, you should replace it.
15. Keep Your Engine From Overheating
Now that you know when the coolant light is on, it means the engine is overheating, you should know how to prevent it. But how do you do that? Well, it’s not rocket science. Check the coolant level occasionally. If you didn’t get the memo, coolant plays a crucial role in regulating engine temperature. Also, check for any symptoms of a coolant leak.
16. Schedule A Regular Tune-Up
When your car's performance slows down or it becomes sluggish, a tune-up may be necessary. Typically, it involves replacing or cleaning the air filter, PCV valves, spark plugs, fuel injection system, throttle body, fuel filter, distributor system, and ignition wires. What needs to be changed or replaced depends on the type of car that you drive. AdTune-ups are usually scheduled after 60,000 to 80,000 miles.
17. Check the timing belt
The timing belt is one of the most critical parts of an engine; it works by coordinating the movement of the valves and pistons. Moreover, a damaged timing belt can completely destroy your engine burning a hole in your pocket. Then again, checking the timing belt will only take a few minutes and save you a lot of trouble in the future. Watch out for the red flags of a faulty timing belt such as ticking engine noise, misfiring engine or oil leakage.
Otherwise, you should replace the timing belt as recommended in the owner’s manual; typically, the change interval is from 60,000 to 105,000 miles.
18. Change The Air Filter At Regular Intervals
The air filter helps circulate air in your engine to improve power and performance. Other than that, it stops debris and dust from accumulating in your engine. Hence, changing your air filter regularly especially if you drive on dusty roads can prevent a choked-up engine. Of course, you should confirm with your car manufacturer how often you should change the air filter. However, just for the record, it can be replaced after 15,000 to 20,000 miles.
19. Replace Worn Out Drive Belts
Just like the timing belts, a drive belt malfunction can paralyze your engine. The most common sign of a faulty drive belt is a squeaky noise coming out of the engine. If it does happen, consult a technician immediately. However, you can avoid a worst-case scenario by checking the drive belt whenever you’re servicing your vehicle and replacing it if you notice any signs of wearing out.
20. Change The Spark Plugs And Wires
The spark plugs in your car are designed to improve engine performance and avert those cold-starting and misfiring problems. According to most owners' manuals, spark plugs should be replaced after 30,000 miles. Don’t worry, it won’t cost you a lot of time and money. Needless to say, when you change spark plugs, you should also change the wires to match the electrical current of the replacement plugs.
21. Replace the fuel filter
The fuel filter separates unwanted contaminants when fuel is processed through the engine. Unfortunately, the fuel filter can get overwhelmed after a period of constant functioning. Be sure to read your manual to know after how long you should replace the filter – every type of car is different.
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