You want your vehicle to last for many years to come and to always perform at its best. The best way you can achieve these goals for your car or truck is to perform routine maintenance on your engine. Set aside time for an inspection. This simple monthly checklist will allow the engine to achieve peak performance and longevity by staying on top of required maintenance while also identifying potential problems.
Visual Assessment
You can learn a lot about the state of your engine just by taking a good look and visually inspecting certain elements. A pair of work gloves and a flashlight are helpful tools to get a better view of the engine and protect your hands from injury or grime. Start by examining the spark plugs. They should have either tan or gray firing noses, other colors are signs of a problem. Spark plugs should also not be worn in appearance. Make sure that the spark plug wires are not cracked and in poor condition. Additionally, dirt, grime, or oil should not be present in the engine or components excessively.
Check the Fluids
While this may seem like an obvious task, most people lose track of time since they last inspected all of their cars fluid levels. You should inspect the levels of automatic transmission fluid, coolant, brakes, power steering, oil, and window cleaner. When there is build up in the engine it will not perform the best or have good gas mileage. Fuel system cleaner is an inexpensive option to clean your engine without taking it into the shop. Read the individual brand instructions for application and frequency.
Final 10 Minute Checks
Just a few minutes invested in your vehicle monthly can quickly identify potential problems and catch them early before repairs become very costly. These last few areas to investigate are not just in the engine but still support the overall health of any vehicle.
- Check air filter
- Check tires for air level and wear
- Check that the battery is not corroded, at full power, and cables tight
- Check hoses and belts for wear
- Check wires for any burn marks
Your car is a major investment and you want it to last as long as possible. It is important to take good care of the engine and other vehicle systems to ensure that it runs at peak performance. Car owners should perform monthly maintenance and observations to identify any problems early. This is the best way to be proactive in repairs and save money before a simple problem turns into an expensive repair job. A visual assessment of the interior of the engine and its components is the first easy task. Next, you should check all of the fluid levels and refill or change out any as needed. Finally, there are a few more areas to check outside of the engine area that affects the vehicle’s performance.
