Car engines are the vital and central operating units of any vehicle, but sadly, most of us don’t spend much time looking after our vehicle’s engine. Your vehicle’s engine needs to run smoothly to keep the rest of your car, truck, or SUV moving. Your engine should be looked at regularly to avoid any issues or serious problems down the road. We are going to review some tips for how you can keep your vehicle’s engine in good condition.
What is the engine?
An engine is a complex part of your vehicle, so we will keep this very basic. The engine is the heart of your vehicle. It is what provides the power to drive the car, truck, or SUV and keeps you moving down the road.
How to keep your vehicle’s engine in good condition
While cars, trucks, and SUVs might seem complicated, self-maintenance is easier than you might think. Motorists can keep their eyes out for several common indicators of engine trouble. Doing so enables them to catch problems before they morph into more expensive situations. The best way to keep your vehicle’s engine in good condition is by being proactive.
- Change Your Oil Regularly: Every vehicle is different, so you should check your owner’s manual to know when it is recommended for you to have an oil change on your specific car or truck and you should follow that schedule. A study by the Car Care Council found that 22% of vehicles have low or dirty engine oil. Proactively changing a vehicle’s oil and filter helps the engine continue to work at its best and helps to prevent engine repairs.
- Check Your Cooling System: The cooling system in an engine helps it to maintain its internal temperatures and transfer excessive heat out of the engine. The cooling system and its fluids should be checked often. The cooling system contains different parts, such as the radiator, thermostat, water pump, and coolant. A cooling system that is not doing its job can cause your vehicle to overheat and cause serious damage.
- Maintain a Clean Air Filter: Vehicle engines utilize the air to burn the fuel in the combustion chambers. Vehicle engines need air just as much as humans do. It is imperative that you regularly check the vehicle’s air filters and replace them when needed. A steady flow of air is needed to keep your vehicle running efficiently.
- Watch for Leaks: Your vehicle should not leave fluids behind, so if you notice that there is a poodle of fluid under your car, truck, or SUV that could signal an issue. If you notice a vehicle fluid leaking, you should visit a Phoenix, AZ automotive repair shop right away.
- Stay Fueled up: You should not let your car run on or near empty as that pulls sediments that may have built up in your fuel into your engine and its components. Keep your fuel level to one that doesn’t put you at risk for pulling junk through your vehicle and causing damage.
- Check Your Belts: Your vehicle belts are an important part of what keeps your engine running. Belts wear and tear overtime, so you should keep an eye on them. If you hear them squealing or see signs of excessive wear, you should have them replaced. Waiting and having them break while the engine is running can cause serious issues.
- Pay Attention to Your Check Engine Light: Your check engine light can turn on for various reasons; however, they all mean that there is an issue with your vehicle and you should get to your local Phoenix service center as soon as possible. If your check engine light comes on and you don’t handle it, it could shorten the value and life of your vehicle and also put you at risk.
- Replace Your Fuel Filter: The fuel filters play an important role in ensuring clean fuel injection into the vehicle’s engine. This guards the engine against the build-up of damaging deposits and prevents the emergence of specks in the fuel supply. Fuel filters stop any substances or unwelcome particles from forming, which can be harmful to the engine. Replacing your fuel filter is needed to keep your engine running smoothly.
- Change Spark Plugs: The spark plug acts as a fire starter for your vehicle’s engine. It ignites the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders. Regular vehicle maintenance will ensure that the engine retains its spark. In some cases, simply cleaning the spark plugs can greatly help, as a lot of soot gets accumulated around the electrode over time.
- Get Vehicle Tune-ups: A vehicle tune-up is a type of preventive maintenance performed on a vehicle to ensure it continues to function well. A tune-up is typically regularly scheduled and offers the chance for you to get all of the preventive maintenance your car needs at that time. When you have a vehicle tune-up performed, it will usually include the replacement of several important wear-and-tear parts. Failure to replace these parts can result in decreased performance and other problems with your car, truck, or SUV.
Now that we have reviewed how to keep your vehicle’s engine in good condition, you should be able to enjoy your car, truck, or SUV for a long period of time if you follow the tips; however, if you have engine issues, Advanced Transmissions & Emissions can help.
At Advanced Transmissions & Emissions, we work hard to provide our customers with a streamlined, easy-to-trust process. Our mechanics are friendly and explain cars in a user-friendly manner. By carefully defining what is wrong with your engine, we ensure we fix what we need to as affordably as possible.
In the Phoenix, AZ area, we work on all makes and models, both foreign and domestic, so don’t hesitate to visit us today.
