Your car is much more than a simple investment. It is a significant part of your life, as you spend the majority of your time traveling and gradually build a dependency on it.

Now imagine driving off to your favorite destination when suddenly there is a noise and the car stops working. It sounds like a huge inconvenience, right? Just like you maintain your body and health, it’s essential to check the health of your car, and the first step is to inspect the heart of your vehicle, the engine.
 

It is the driving force of your car and, over time, goes through a lot of wear and tear. To ensure its longevity and prevent unforeseen breakdowns, you need to invest some time and effort in the maintenance of your engine. It would help you enhance durability, ensure optimal working, and maximize the ease of driving. Keep in mind that there are a lot of cars that end up in service centers due to poor maintenance. 

This blog will help you know the 10 tips you can adopt to maintain a healthy engine system. Because in the end, it’s not just a car! You can also consider buying a used engine if the car’s engine is nearing to end.

What are the signs of engine deterioration?

Before jumping into what you can do, let us explore what you check for in your engine. There are some general issues you might have faced and ignored as trivial problems, like stalling, mechanical noises, and leaks.

These signs are your engine’s cry for help. 

Here are some signs that you should check in your car to understand your engine’s performance:

1. Strange, persistent knocking sounds: When the engine is not well oiled, it lacks proper lubrication, which causes these annoying tapping and knocking sounds. These noises can also be due to old spark plugs, faulty fuel pumps, or the use of low-quality oil.
2. Smoke emission: The high release of black smoke from the engine pipe signifies the poor health condition of your engine. It can be due to the deposition of engine residues on its surface, overheating, or blocked air filters.
3. Loss of mileage: Due to regular long-term use, your car's performance gets affected; however, when the mileage drops drastically and causes poor performance, then it is a sign to inspect the engine.
4. Problems in driving: The purpose of your car is to help you reach your destination conveniently, but clogged fuel lines, dirty air filters, or spoiled spark plugs can deter you from smooth driving. Take these signs seriously, as they adversely affect the engine.
5. Oil Leak: If you smell the foul smell of oil, there is a high possibility of oil leakage. If not attended to urgently, it can damage the engine, and you would have to pay a lot for repairs.

There are many more signs of engine malfunction, but the only solution is car engine maintenance. Also, you can look for used engines for sale to get something under your budget.

What are the 10 tips for maintaining the car's engine?

There are several ways you can take care of your car's engine, but we have listed the top 10 for you:

1. Adequate Coolant: The engine’s cooling system is responsible for maintaining the ideal temperature and eliminating excess heat. For this reason, it is important to check whether you have adequate coolant, as it prevents the car from overheating. If you are traveling to a sub-zero temperature, then add more coolant concentration so that your coolant-water mix does not freeze.

2. Clean air filters: Air filters are fixed to prevent dust and debris from entering the engine. It’s important to have clean air filters because your engine takes in air and uses it for fuel combustion, and to ensure its effectiveness, the inflow of impure air is necessary. A clogged filter causes strain, loss of power, emitting excessive smoke, and engine failure in the worst-case scenario. Generally, it is recommended to change your filters every 15,000-20,000 kilometers.

3. Change the oil periodically: The engine oil is the main source of power for your engine. It keeps all the parts in motion, reduces wear and tear, traps debris and dirt, and overall allows smooth functioning. That’s why, to maintain ease, it's necessary to check oil levels every month and level up if they're low. To know better about the change intervals and oil grade, you can ask your manufacturer or check out the service manual.

4. No Rash Driving: It’s common to see drivers speeding and rushing down the road, but it’s dangerous to your engine’s safety and health. It is designed to perform at a constant speed. Constantly moving and stopping would put extra stress on the mechanics of the engine. That’s why it's preferred to use highways, as there is consistency in speed. So, driving aggressively is not an option and must be avoided at all costs to ensure the safety of both yourself and the engine.

5. Check the engine light: The engine light is your car’s call for help. If you see it flickering, your first instinct should be to inspect it and send it to a local mechanic. It’s like an alarm that alerts you that something is wrong with your engine. The problem may or may not be serious, but there’s nothing wrong with getting it checked.

6. Optimal Tire Pressure: Apart from engines, another integral element of a car are the tires. Both engines and tires are required to coordinate seamlessly for smooth functioning. Maintaining optimal wheel pressure removes excess force from the car's engine. It also increases fuel economy and evenly distributes the weight of the car.

7. Inspect your belts: Rubber belts act like connectors that run all vital components like a water pump, fan, air conditioner, etc. Although these are designed and manufactured to be robust and long-lasting, they eventually become prone to cracks. It’s advised to inspect these belts for tears regularly under sufficient light. If not checked properly, there are high chances it might break while running and cause extensive damage.

8. Replace spark plugs: A proactive way to maintain your engine is by maintaining the spark plugs. They are much more durable than other components; however, it’s always recommended to replace them before they get too old. If your car has trouble starting or is poor in performance, then it would be a good idea to either clean the accumulated soot away around the electrode or replace the spark plugs with new ones.

9. Don’t drive in reserve: Petrol contains sediments that, over time, get collected on the base of your tank. Eventually, it accumulates and forms debris layers, which can lead to serious internal damage if reached in the engine. So, when you drive in reserve, the junk fuel reaches the fuel pump and obstructs the engine's performance. To prevent this, don’t wait until it hits reserves; top up your tank when required.

10. Don’t ignore leaks: A common mistake that we all make is to casually ignore leaks. But there is a high probability of them being engine oil or coolant leaks. The most common place for coolant leaks is through the radiator, and if these leaking fluids go unchecked for long, they will burn a hole in your pocket.

Final Thoughts

Buying a car is not an easy job, and maintaining it is also a challenge in itself, but with these engine maintenance tips, it’s going to be much more convenient for you to take good care. It takes your vigilance, time, and effort to ensure that the engine is functioning properly. 

Buying an engine is a costly affair and cannot be availed by many. If you think that your car’s engine is too old to be revived, rather than abandoning it, find a better alternative. Go for already-used engines rather than spending thousands on a new one.

Check out Used Engines Inc. to get the best offers on high-quality used engines. These are ASE-certified and also have 6-month returns and replacements. It’s a much more feasible and convenient option than buying a new one. Also, do make sure you follow these tips to extend the life of your engine, whether used or not!