Doctor Your Car: Identifying Problems for Efficient Car Maintenance


Who says cars don’t have problems? In fact, there are numerous car-related problems that need solutions every day. The problem is, cars don’t solve the issues themselves; the owners do.

Thus, it is highly important for any car owner to get the telltale signs if engine trouble is along the way. This way, he can have a good head start in implementing the best solution to it.

Brake Problems

If car horns annoy others, brake squeals should be to you. So before you technically develop temporary hearing loss, better learn to silence your brake. You can either dampen or replace the brake pads or lubricate their calipers. You can also resurface the rotors and, of course, clean the brakes.

Loss of Engine Power

You can’t just imagine yourself pushing your car in your coat and tie, do you? There are actually many causes of why your automobile won’t start at all. The first step you need to do, however, is to perform a diagnostic test. If this isn’t found in your manual, you can seek professional advice from an auto technician or you can search through the Internet. Commonly, though, you need some wiring diagrams and detailed procedures on how to do it. Initially, you can start checking the fuel gauge to see if you have more gas. Another cause can sometimes be no spark so you need to pull the spark plug wire then put the open end into the engine’s metal surface. Ask someone to crank the engine and observe if you can get a spark.

Exhaust Smoke

Your exhaust can give off three types of smoke, depending on their root cause. Blue smoke appears if the oil in the engine is burning because of worn-out piston rings, valve guide, or cylinders. If it’s the transmission fluid or the coolant that’s burned because of a head gasket or a cylinder head crack, white smoke comes out. Black smoke, meanwhile, appears if you’re running on diesel, not gasoline. Else, the automatic choke is stuck, mixing air with fuel, or there’s too much pressure on fuel.

Their repair, of course, depends on what type of smoke being emitted. You may have to overhaul the engine like changing piston rings if it’s black smoke. You can also use the cylinder head to replace the car’s head gasket if the damage is in the coolant. You can also adjust the automatic choke or minimize fuel pressure to avoid the exhaust from giving off black smoke.

Proper knowledge of common car problems can somehow make you feel secure that even if you get stuck in the middle of the road, you don’t have to worry for the rest of the night. You have all the time and skills to fix it.

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