Auto maintenance for your engine

Proper engine maintenance is key to having long lasting and reliable engine performance. Keeping up on your vehicle’s maintenance is a lot cheaper than having to make major engine repairs. There are a few of us that don't take action after the warning signs appear.  They wait only until it is too late and then the big engine repairs are needed. The best thing to do is pay attention to the warning signs right away when they appear. There are a lot of engine parts that work together and when one starts to go bad it can start affecting the other engine parts as well. Here are few tips on how to recognize that your car or truck is in need of maintenance or engine service.

1. When buying a new or used vehicle, pay attention to the way the vehicle sounds while driving and operating it. This will be your benchmark for the issues that may arise in the future. Make a mental note of all sounds coming from your engine, transmission and exhaust and keep a record of your gas mileage every once in a while. It is also a good idea to study your vehicle's owner manual.

2. If a warning indicator light comes on, pull over to the side of the road. Do this only when it is safe. Then, check your owners manual to find out what the warning light is for. In the manual it should tell you what you should do. If it does not direct you on the action needed then give Gandrud Auto Center a call. Many engines have been ruined because a check engine light, oil light or water temp light have been ignored. It is always best to be on the safe side.

3. Keep an eye on your gas mileage, if you are getting less mileage than you were when you first got the vehicle this is a good indicator that something is affecting your vehicle's performance.

4. Always make sure you change your engine oil on a regular basis. A general rule of thumb is every 3,000 miles but this rule may vary depending on your engine and the type of oil your engine uses. It’s a great practice to know how to check your engine oil.  You should also know off hand what kind of engine oil your vehicle needs, whether it uses regular engine oil or synthetic oil, and what oil weight type is needed. If your engine needs oil and you need to top it off at the gas station, knowing that information would be helpful.  

5.Keep detailed notes of any issues. When you do notice any of the issues mentioned above, keep detailed notes of sounds, conditions, and vibrations, type of driving, climate or temperature. This will help the service technician diagnose the problem quickly; no one knows your car better than you do!

If you have any questions or concerns just bring your vehicle to Gandrud Auto Service.