Few tips on engine maintenance

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.
Here is a visual example:
Compare the two images below: the left Mazda's engine 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. On the right, the Mercedes-Benz
engine that has been maintained well. After 310,000 km (192,000 miles) it's still in a
very good condition, and needs no repair at all.

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
Why
regular oil changes are so important? What will happen if I miss my oil change? Engine oil
has limited life - after a certain point it starts losing lubricating qualities and
carbonizes. Once it happens, the engine gets contaminated with carbon deposits or sludge
(see the pic.) that significantly shorten engine's life. When you change oil at or before
manufacturer suggested interval, you change the oil before this "carbonizing" point,
engine remains clean and once refilled with new oil ready to work hard again. If the
engine oil has not been changed for long, carbon deposits start clogging the oil pick-up
screen decreasing oil supply and increasing friction. Through the engine ventilation
system the same carbon deposits build up inside the throttle body and EGR system causing
rough idle and possible check engine light. Compression decreases and engine start wearing
much faster.
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.


Checking the engine oil
Check
the engine oil regularly, I'd recommend at least once a month or even more often if the
car has high mileage.
Driving with extremely low oil level (less than min.)
or with low oil pressure warning lamp on may cause serious engine damage.
If you note, that oil pressure gauge indicates extremely low oil pressure - have your
engine inspected as soon as possible.
- While checking the oil level, look at its condition. Check the image at the left. If the
oil is black like on the right image, I'd suggest to change it.
- Always use only appropriate engine oil type (usually you can find it on oil cap or in
the owners manual).
- Check your parking space for leaks. If you find any, fix it before it results in more
serious vehicle problem



Synthetic oil vs.
conventional mineral oil
The 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
Engine
overheating causes serious engine damage. In order to avoid the engine overheating:
Check the coolant level periodically. It should be at least at the "min" mark in the
coolant reservoir. If it's lower, add the coolant bringing the level to the "max" mark.

Caution: Never open the radiator or the coolant
overflow reservoir when engine is hot!

If you discover a coolant leak, have it fixed as soon as possible - it may cause engine
overheating.
If you note that the engine temperature starts rising higher than normal, have your engine
inspected before it will cause serious problems.
Check the front of the radiator - sometimes it may be obstructed with leaves or dust. It's
one of the possible reasons for the overheating. Look at the image on the left. This
Buick' radiator is clogged. Try to avoid using front end covers - they cause restrictions
to the air flow through the radiator


Tune-up, timing belt, fuel
injector flush

There are certain vehicle components that need periodical replacement (check your owner's
manual for details) such as, for example:
Fuel filter -
dirty fuel filter may cause engine stalling and loss of engine power.
Air filter -
dirty air filter causes loss of engine power, increased fuel consumption, air flow sensor
failure, etc.
Engine coolant -
old engine coolant loses its anti-corrosive and other characteristics and may cause water
pump to fail.
Spark plugs -
simply spark plugs replacement can significantly improve the engine performance.
Timing belt -
timing belt failure may cause serious engine damage, especially if it's diesel engine.
Having a problem with fuel consumption or rough idle on a high mileage car? - Try fuel
injectors service. You will note the difference right away.


Battery
CAUTION: The battery filled with harmful acid solution and
can produce explosive gases. Handling a battery be careful and always use protective
glasses and gloves. Don't use open fire, smoke, or create a spark near
battery.
Most of batteries nowadays are maintenance free. All you check is battery terminals that
shouldn't be loose or corroded. Corroded battery terminals will cause all kind of problem:
blinking instrument lights, low charge, no-start, dim headlights, check engine and ABS
malfunction light etc.
Also, if you see any acid leaks, cracks or any other damage - replace the battery. Acid
leaking from the battery destroys everything underneath. For example on VW Golf it will be
the fan control module located right under the battery.