Cars are not that much different from our bodies – they have their own system, vital organs, and need a specific type of food as well as a maintenance routine to run smoothly for as long as possible, without any engine repairs. It’s actually possible but we have to stick to some basic rules. Let’s take a look at them together.
Check Engine Light
That light is your car’s way of telling you about some underlying issues. It should go without saying but you should never ignore it. That’s a safety hazard. It’s just common sense to have it checked as soon as possible. Your engine has this kind of self-diagnosis device built in to protect itself. And our task is to make it easier, not harder by refusing to listen.
Deep Breaths
Your car needs to breathe as well. It needs oxygen. When there’s any issue with that, you’ll notice a significant performance drop, no doubt. More often than not, it’s caused by constricted airflow, which affects fuel efficiency – it doesn’t burn completely, which increases emissions. That also means you won’t be able to go as far without a refill.
Cool It Down
Make sure to keep an eye on the cooling system, otherwise you might be looking at overheating. While heat is inevitable since it’s a part of the combustion process, too much of it is not exactly a good thing. That’s why you always need to keep the coolant levels in check. It helps dissipate heat from the engine and prevents it from reaching excessively high temperatures.
Draining Reserves
Running on reserve fuel is not a good idea. Apart from the obvious risk of suddenly stopping in the middle of nowhere, there’s also another aspect we often overlook. Because here’s the thing – petrol contains sediments and they settle at the bottom of the petrol tank. As you can probably imagine, there’s more and more of that over time. When you run on low fuel, a big chunk of those sediments gets sucked into the engine through the fuel pump. Obviously, that’s bad and will most likely lead to quicker wear.
Revving up
Pushing your engine can be a whole lot of fun but engines were designed to run at pretty much constant speed. Even city driving takes a toll on them and really tires them out, with the never-ending cycle of gear-shifting, accelerating and slowing down. That’s why speeding up when you know full well you’re going to have to stop in a minute is not a good idea. You should do your best to accelerate gradually and limit revving up too hard to an absolute minimum.
Keeping Things in Check
You don’t have to go overboard with anything – keep things simple. Regular checks can make a huge difference and help you catch any early signs of trouble. Visual inspection, checking for leaks or any worrying patterns or sounds when driving – that’s enough to keep your car and your finances in great shape. You don’t want to push your vehicle too hard or ignore some minor issues. Over time, they will most likely turn into big problems – and it can be too late. When that happens, make sure to check your options because sometimes you can still save your precious car. Let’s take an engine rebuild – although it’s normally done mostly for performance, you can still use it to keep your car running.
