The majority of the time most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about our engines. We hop into the car, turn the key and head out to wherever we’re going. When we do notice the engine, however, it’s usually when we hear it making sounds we’re not accustomed to hearing or when the car feels a little different than it did before.
Engines need to be looked after. They need a check-up every now and then, and they also require some regular maintenance to keep them in good running condition. To help you take proper care of your engine and to keep it from creating serious problems, we’ve put together this list of 10 ways to proactively protect your engine.
Stay on top of these suggestions and your engine will run better, last longer, and keep you from shelling out more cash later down the road.
Change the Oil Regularly
Changing the oil regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your engine. If don’t read any of the other ways to protect your engine (but we really hope you do) make sure to do this one. Oil keeps vital engine parts well lubricated so that they won’t overheat. Your engine can’t function without it and if you go too long between oil changes it can cause permanent damage to your engine over time.
We can’t mention changing the oil without also stressing that the oil filter needs to be replaced at the same time. The oil filter catches all the dirt and debris floating around inside of your engine and keeps the junk from circulating back through engine. With a new filter and new oil, your engine will run smoothly, and most importantly, it’ll keep all the internal parts of the engine cool and well lubricated.
Keep the Cooling System Working
In addition to changing the oil, there’s another part of keeping the engine cool that you can’t overlook — the cooling system itself. The cooling system includes the radiator, thermostat, water pump and coolant. The easiest way to protect your engine from overheating is by making sure you have the proper amount of coolant (radiator fluid) circulating throughout your engine.
If you notice that your car is overheating and you know that there’s enough coolant, take your car to a mechanic and have them run a cooling system check. The cost to find and replace a problem with the cooling system ahead of time will far outweigh the damage done to your engine if it ever overheats.
Check for Leaks
You don’t have to be a mechanic to spot a leak. In fact, sometimes you don’t even need to see it — you can just smell it. Oil and antifreeze are the two main fluids you want to make sure aren’t leaking out of your engine.
It’s a good idea to check under your hood to see if you see or smell anything leaking from the engine. When you park your car, occasionally check under the car to see if anything is leaking onto the pavement below. If you can stay ahead of a minor leak and have it taken care of before it turns into a major problem, you could save yourself a big headache later on.
These are just three of the multitude of things that you can do to keep your car engine in good condition, if you’d like to learn more ways to protect your engine – give us a call at Bob Workmans European today!
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