The engine is the heart of the car, and if it stops, it goes nowhere. It is very important to take some care with maintenance so that you can extend the life of the car engine. Even if you say you don't understand anything about mechanics, you really don't need to be an engineer to do basic maintenance on your car.
1. Respect the maintenance intervals
This is probably the most important advice of all. Respecting the manufacturer's service intervals is the best way to avoid engine problems in your car. In so-called overhauls, the engine's most worn elements, as well as timing belts or alternator belts, and consumables such as engine or brake oil are changed.
Letting the time or mileage between maintenance intervals exceed is a virtually unforgivable failure these days, because all modern cars indicate the number of days or kilometers that can go until the next overhaul. Generally, the oil should be changed every 15,000 kilometers, and the belts changed at about every 120,000.
2. Use suitable lubricants and quality fuels
Each engine is designed and built for use by a particular type of lubricant and fuel, and although it can run on any oil or fuel, using the best octane booster indicated by the manufacturer, will make your engine perform better and therefore less consumption.
In the case of fuels, using them with additives, although you may not notice much difference in engine performance, will make combustion more intense, reducing the amount of combustion residues and helping to clean the engine, which not only helps Preserving the environment will also help extend the life of your car's engine.
3. Regularly check the level of lubricants and coolants
Very important to extend engine life. Especially in the warmer summer months, your car's engine is required to work a few extra hours. Not only do you have to deal with the high temperatures produced by internal combustion, but also with the high ambient temperatures you feel, which may require increased use of radiator oil or coolant.
Before starting a long trip or at least once a week you should check these levels to ensure that there is no engine overheating and that all components will work at peak performance. Another advantage of regularly checking these levels is that if a radiator leaks , it can be quickly detected and repaired, thus avoiding higher costs.
4. Regularly check tire pressure
Tires are the only link between you and the road while driving, and they are one of the most important elements when it comes to safety, as not only the effectiveness of the braking system depends on the condition of the tires, but also the safety. suspension depends on this component.
Using pressure values above recommended will cause the tire center band to wear more than the sidewalls, while tires with pressure values below recommended will wear out in reverse, causing both wear and tear evenly. tire, forcing it to replace this component sooner than recommended.
5. Avoid sudden accelerations with cold car
Until the engine reaches its ideal driving temperature (approximately 90 ° C), do not accelerate your car as much as possible and avoid shifting at high speeds. When the oil is cold, it is denser and more viscous and does not reach all areas as easily and can cause serious damage to the moving parts of the engine.
Sudden accelerations with the cold car can especially damage the turbo (if your car is equipped with this component), which being a more sensitive part of your car requires utmost care.
6. Be aware of strange noises
Your ear will always be your best mechanic. Whenever you hear any noise you would not be supposed to hear, stop the car or take it to the mechanic as soon as possible. A problem detected early will always be easier to repair, which means your mechanic expense will not be so great. The fewer times you have to open or change original engine components, the more miles you will make and the less headaches you will get.
7. Drive gently
Adopting defensive driving will not only help you save fuel, but will also increase your safety and help prevent car wear. Avoid accelerating and braking sharply, speeding on roads where the pavement is not in the best of conditions, making speed changes too fast, and skipping shifts.