The engine is the most vital part of any vehicle. This becomes it enables the car to run. Keeping the engine in good condition by maintaining it is very important. If you’ve been driving for many years by now you know some of the common engine problems. Identifying such problems in good time can enable the car owner to take the necessary precautions and diagnose the issue in good time before running out of time. Even if you don’t have technical knowledge of what’s wrong with your car, having an overview of what might be wrong with it is really crucial. In this article, we have highlighted some of the signs that you should look out for to know if your engine has a problem.
The engine refuses to start
The first to note is when the engine declines to start. When you hear the engine cranking but still the engine doesn’t start, this should be a sign that the engine has a problem. The things to look out for when this occurs are compression, valve timing could be off time, low oil and a fuel pump that isn’t working. Also, a fault in the ignition system may mean that the spark plugs aren’t sparking or the timing of the sparks is totally off. Such conditions will make the engine not start and you should tackle them immediately to avoid a worse scenario.
The engine makes a strange noise
When you hear engine noise, this can be one of the best signs that your vehicle engine has a problem. There are various noises that can be heard when starting your car, after driving for a long time, or during braking. Most of these sounds may indicate a particular problem. But when it comes to engine noise, it is usually backfiring. This sound normally comes in the form of a small explosion from your tailpipe. The backfiring sound happens when something goes wrong inside the combustion process. The things that are likely to cause backfiring sound include wrongly installed spark plugs, clogged air intake, impurity in the fuel and wrong fuel to air ratio. When you notice the backfiring sound, take your car instantly to a mechanic.
Overheating of the engine
When there is an engine overheating, it is just normal that the coolant in the cooling system is lacking. When you stop your vehicle, check the level of the coolant in the reservoir. Other causes of overheating include: a broken cooling fan or buildup of deposits in the water jacket around the cylinders. Repair these features so that the cooling system can function well and stop overheating for the perfect functioning of the engine.
Funny exhaust smoke color
This is another sign that usually people take for granted. Typically, you should not view smoke coming from your exhaust. But a small pale gray smoke is considered to be fine. In the scenario where you notice that your exhaust pipes are emitting heavy dark smokes in different colors such as white smoke, black smoke, or blue smoke, this may be a sign of a bad engine and some other issues. So, when you note thick smoke coming from your exhaust, you should know that your engine is not functioning very well.
Conclusion
After looking at the different signs of engine issues, you can now drive your car comfortably. Take note of these common engine problems and tackle them quickly before they develop into something bigger. You don’t need to have full knowledge of how to tackle the engine issues as long as you can figure them out. Check out these signs from time-to-time so that you can ensure those common engine problems are well taken care of in good time.