Engine

Topic

• Why maintain your engine?
• How to maintain your engine?

Why maintain your engine?

When You are buying a second hand car. What is you main concern?

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.

Courtesy of Exxon Mobil

Poorly-maintained engine                                                  Well-maintained engine

The different using Fully synthetic oil and Mineral oil

Courtesy of Exxon Mobil

Compare these two images: the engine on a top photo 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. The engine on the lower photo has been maintained well. It's still in a very good condition, and needs no repair at all. Can you see the difference?

How to maintain your engine?
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 has usage of 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 photo) 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 everytime you change the oil, the oil filter should be replaced as well.

For the correct oil type, engine oil capacity and maintenance schedule, etc. check the Lubricant Post

Minor overhual (Engine in frame) $ 2000++
major over haul $4000++
For serious cases can consider the final alternative with the guideline below.