Your car engine is an essential part of your vehicle, yet there’s always something that can go wrong. What happens when your car breaks down while you’re miles away from home? How will you cope if your car runs out of gas halfway across the country? Fortunately, you can look for the early signs that your car is starting to fail and know how to fix it before it’s too late. If you want to know more about how to detect a faulty engine, read on.From this website youramazingcar.com you’ll cover everything from the various warning signs to how to fix a car engine.
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Check Engine Light
One of the most common signs of engine trouble is a check engine light. If your engine is having problems, the computer will detect it and turn on the check engine light.
The computer that turns on the check engine light tells you that there is a problem with your engine. It may be something minor, but it’s best to get it checked out by a mechanic.
Check engine light can indicate many different engine problems. Ignoring the check engine light can further damage your engine and may void your warranty.
If you see this light come on, do not ignore it! The sooner you get your car checked out, the better.
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Suspicious Noises
If you spend a lot of time with your car, you’ll become attuned to the noise it makes and you’ll probably tell when it sounds different. Here are the noises you need to be concerned about.
Knocking
If it’s a knocking or thumping type of noise, chances are the rod bearings have worn out or they’ve gotten too loose. The bearings will likely fail soon, and driving around in this kind of state is not recommended until it’s been fully tested and repaired.
Squealing
If your engine’s hitting those high notes and letting out some ear-splitting squeaks and squeals, the fan belt is taking some real punishment. When it gets loose and worn down the belt stops moving at the same pace as the pulleys controlling it, resulting in a grating high pitched noise. If it’s not too loose you can fix it yourself – look in your car’s manual for any repair procedures to tighten it up. Otherwise if it’s too worn out you might need to replace it.
Grinding
A grinding noise is not only irritating to the ears, it probably means your front brake pads are getting shaved away every time you hit the road. When the last bit of the pad has gone, the metal backing plate clamps directly onto the brake disc, significantly reducing the car’s braking effectiveness. We’d strongly advise not getting in your car when things get this bad.
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Poor Gas Mileage
You might notice that your car is running really poorly if it isn’t running well. You can start by checking for the obvious things such as oil and transmission fluid. The engine oil needs to be changed at the recommended intervals. You can go to a mechanic to have it checked out. You can also check to make sure that the engine coolant level is adequate.
If you find that the oil is low and you aren’t getting good gas mileage, then you need to change the oil filter. The oil filter is located right below the engine.
Check the engine for any problems that you might find on your own. It’s easier to change the oil filter if the engine isn’t hot. You can use a hand-held tool to do the job.
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Car produces oil patches.
If you notice puddles of oil under your vehicle, this is probably a result of a leak in your engine. As the oil depletes, more friction and will occur in your engine, generating excess heat. Oil leaks are common from engine oil seals, and sump plugs / sump plug washers. This can cause damage to engine components over time. We recommend that you get engine leaks sealed as soon as possible.
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Rough idling or acceleration
Pay attention if your car is running rough while idling or accelerating. Another sign of potential engine trouble, this can indicate a problem with the spark plugs or spark plug wires. It can also point to a vacuum leak or dirty fuel injectors. A thorough inspection by a mechanic will yield a solution that gets your vehicle running smooth again.
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There is smoke coming from your exhaust.
There are several reasons why your exhaust could be producing smoke. The colour of the smoke can give you an idea of what is causing the problem.
If the smoke is black, it means that your engine is has incomplete combustion which leads to burning too much fuel. This could be due to:
- Damaged fuel injectors.
- Malfunctioning sensors.
- A damaged air filter.
- A clogged fuel return line.
- Mechanical damage in the engine
Grey smoke can mean several different things, making it difficult to diagnose. Possible reasons include:
- A stuck PCV valve.
- Problems with your transmission fluid.
- Excessive oil consumption.
Dark blue smoke means that your engine is burning oil. This is due to oil leaking into your engine’s combustion chamber. This can be caused by:
- Worn out piston rings.
- Damaged valve seals.
- Other worn or damaged engine components.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the engine in a car is the heart of a car. It is the source of all the energy that powers the vehicle. And the longer a car goes with the same engine, the more damage it will incur. Because the engine is so critical to the life of the vehicle, the manufacturers must make sure that the engine is up to snuff at all times. So when something begins to show signs of wear or corrosion, the engine may already be in trouble. There are several signs of a failing engine, and if you see even a few of them, you should stop driving immediately. Check out this article to find out what you should be looking for in your car.
