Engine overhaul is one of the most time-consuming and at the same time expensive operations. To postpone this unpleasant moment as long as possible it is necessary to treat your car carefully. Practice shows that compliance with simple rules of engine operation allows you to increase its resource two or three times.
Warming up the engine
Someone believes that modern engines do not need to warm up, but this is a misconception. In this case, warming up does not mean standing for 5-10 minutes at idle. After the engine is started, it is enough 30-40 seconds, during which you can buckle up, turn on the music, and then you can move off. But it is necessary to drive quietly for the first time, not allowing the revolutions to rise above 2500 rpm. After the temperature rises to +40 degrees and above, you can drive without restrictions.
In motion, the engine warms up much faster and more efficiently, and the pump effectively provides circulation of warmed oil, much better than when standing at idle. Fuel combustion takes place near the cylinder-head, so it will heat up much faster than antifreeze, the temperature of which is recorded by the sensor.
The right choice of oil
Engine oil not only needs to be changed in a timely manner, but also to select it correctly. In fact, this is one of the most important components of ensuring a high resource of the engine. It should be recognized that there are about a dozen manufacturers of base oils in the world, on the basis of which other manufacturers create ready-made oils under different brands by adding various combinations of additives. And the additives themselves are produced by only four companies in the world.
When choosing an oil, it is worth finding out what the car manufacturer recommends. Next it will remain to choose the original lubricating fluids. To do this, it is desirable to choose a proven company, it is not superfluous to familiarize yourself with the documents on the products, so as not to encounter fakes.
Today there are many special services on the Internet for selecting oil by car model and engine type. As a result, to determine the optimal choice of lubricant for the engine is not a problem nowadays. It is better to use several services at once for comparison. It is not enough to determine the recommended viscosity, it is worth taking into account the oil tolerance in accordance with the ACEA classification. With this information, you can already make a purchase that is suitable for your engine.
In general, the optimal viscosity for modern engines is 5W-30. For gasoline engines that do not provide for the presence of a catalyst, it is worth choosing oils of class A3 / B4 or A5 / B5 in accordance with the classification of ACEA. In the presence of a catalytic converter or for cars with diesel engines (with a catalytic converter) oils of class C3 are suitable. Synthetic oils are required for motors with installed gas-cylinder equipment. Their cost is significantly higher, but they provide the level of protection necessary for the motor.
Oil change
The frequency of oil change is of great importance for the performance of the engine. Each car manufacturer sets a recommended interval of replacement. It does this in order to provide the motor with the reliability necessary to work without problems during the warranty period, which usually varies within three to five years and runs no more than 100-150 thousand kilometers. Recently, almost all manufacturers do not include in the number of warranty case of oil burning, and some write values up to 1 liter for every 1000 kilometers. It is worth recognizing that in the presence of oil burn, the probability of engine jamming is reduced, because the owner has to pour fresh oil regularly. In general, it can be said that it is worth replacing a little more often than the manufacturer recommends.
The question remains, what is the optimal service interval. Studies show that even excellent oils after 7.5 thousand kilometers lose most of their properties. Therefore, it is not worth to make intervals of change above 10 thousand kilometers, and this is for highway operation of the car. If the car is used every day in city traffic jams, the replacement interval should be reduced by 25%. These are the limit values, you can carry out the change and more often.
You can determine the need to change the engine lubricant by the appearance of oil consumption and deposits appearing inside the engine. These can be seen through the filler neck. Diesel engines are less sensitive to oil aging, because the temperature regime in them is lower, and the piston rings are more resistant to heat due to their size. At the same time, very old oil becomes tar.
The greatest reliability has natural synthetic oil, for it 10 thousand kilometers is not a limit at all. Such oils are produced in special reactors, they are more stable, but they are much more expensive. The share of really synthetic oils on PAO-base in the sale does not exceed 5%, the rest are natural oils with varying degrees of purification and additives, no matter what was written on the package.
Engine cooling
For modern engines is characterized by the presence of a higher temperature mode of operation, it is done to increase fuel efficiency, which today seeks almost all manufacturers. As a result, the electronics keep the antifreeze temperature above 100 degrees. Fuel economy is not more than 2%, but it causes a lot of problems. First of all, the wear of oil and seals accelerates, and as deposits accumulate inside, the cooling quality of the unit suffers even more.
To reduce the risks of overheating, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the radiator. After winter it must be cleaned, and in regions with abundant formation of poplar fluff, the same procedure will not be superfluous at the end of summer. And not only the engine radiator itself should be clean, but also the radiator of air conditioner with intercooler (if it is available).
You can suggest installation of thermostat with earlier opening temperature or re-flashing of ECU block for more efficient engine cooling.
Quality of consumables
Quite a lot in the reliability of the engine depends on the quality of plugs and filters used. Economy is inappropriate here, especially since their cost is quite acceptable. Filters must be original, high quality, otherwise they can simply break with all the negative consequences for the powertrain.
Filters, any consumables and spare parts are on sale on our website at attractive prices.
Regular change is required and air filter. Its service life is not more than 20 thousand kilometers, it is better less. Similar intervals for diesel fuel filters.
Spark plugs must be changed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. High wear of spark plugs leads to the appearance of ignition skips. In turn, detonation of the fuel mixture, which is not burned in time, can cause destruction of the catalytic converter. Quality plugs are an important element of reliable engine operation. Today on the Internet there are services for selecting candles, allowing you to do everything yourself and order them.
Fuel
Fuel quality is another important component of engine safety, especially for diesel engines. But here the injectors suffer first of all. Damage to the elements of the piston group will occur only if the injectors are jammed in the open position and fuel will continuously fall on the piston, melting its surface.
For gasoline engines, the mismatch of fuel quality is expressed in its detonation inside the cylinders, which creates risks of piston cracks. In addition, the injectors are also affected.
Decrease in ecological class
Modern engines have various systems aimed at improving environmental friendliness. All of them do not have the best effect on the reliability and durability of the power unit. First of all, it is worth remembering about the catalytic converter (catalytic converter). The main problem for it is destruction, after which the fragments get into the engine and lead to its destruction. There are a lot of reasons for its destruction, from low-quality fuel to the impact of vibration loads or mechanical shock. Practice shows that with quality car maintenance the survivability of the catalytic converter reaches 300-400 thousand kilometers, after which it loses part of its efficiency, but it is not destroyed.
If we talk about the EGR system, its work for the engine is safe. Over time, a mixture of soot and oil may form on the intake manifold, and this happens after about 150 thousand kilometers of mileage. After that it will have to be removed for cleaning. At the same time, it will be possible to check the condition of the vortex flaps, so that they do not fail. At the same time, any problems in the EGR system do not affect the engine directly, at least cases when pistons suffer because of it are not fixed.
If you remove the EGR, you will need to re-flash the ECU block. First, the sensor is electronically disconnected, and secondly, changes are made to the tariff card. The only condition – it is necessary to carry out this operation correctly. After disabling EGR, the temperature in the combustion chambers increases, but today there are no recorded cases when this becomes a problem.
Conclusions
Agree, the tips are not complicated, if they are adhered to, the engine operation will be smooth and without problems for many years.