Engine damage is one of the worst things that could happen to your vehicle. If the engine is completely dead, it can still be replaced. However, that would be costly and you surely wouldn’t want that. The best thing to do is to prevent your engine from dying. Proper care and maintenance will help prevent that and will help prevent you from having car trouble. However, you should still make sure that you watch out for the signs. Can you tell if your engine is already dying and begging you for help? If not, continue reading below:
Weird Noises
When you drive your vehicle, you also get to know your vehicle. You can often tell when something is off. One of the things you should look out for is weird noises. Does your car sound different? Are you hearing something that you’ve never heard before? Among those weird sounds are the following:
Knocking
A knocking or thumping noise may signify that there are loose or worn-out rod bearings. When they are already producing a sound, it means that they are likely to fail soon. When you hear this noise, it is best not to drive around anymore. Make sure you have your vehicle tested and repaired before you use it again.
Grinding
The sound of the grinding is one of the most irritating sounds you can hear. Not only is it irritating, it also means that the front brake pads are getting worn out. Don’t wait until every bit of the brake pad is already gone before you replace them. When the brake pad is all gone, the car won’t effectively slow down or stop.
Squealing
Grinding sounds aren’t the only irritating sound your car can produce due to a dying engine, squealing is also one of them. These squeaks and squeals signify that there is a problem with a fan belt. The belt could either be worn down or come loose. When this happens, it doesn’t move as fast as the pulleys, thereby producing those irritating high pitches. If the fan belt is a little bit loose, it would be easier to fix because you just need to tighten it up. However, if it is already worn out, then you need to have it repaired.
Excessive Smoke
Your car’s exhaust can also tell a lot about the condition of your vehicle and the engine.
If you observe that it is producing an excessive amount or smoke that is of different color, then you should have it checked and fixed as soon as possible.
Blue Smoke
The blue smoke signifies that there is oil leaking from the engine. This is being burned with the fuel, which is why there is an odd color. As there is a leak, your oil levels will also not be enough. You could top up from time to time but that’s only a temporary fix. The best thing to do is to have it checked. The seals could be worn out, they should be repaired or replaced.
Black Smoke
Black smoke may be produced initially upon starting the vehicle but it would usually clear up as the engine warms up. If it doesn’t it simply means that your air filter is clogged. You have to replace the filter to ensure the optimal air-to-fuel ratio.
If you’ve already replaced the filter and still getting the black smoke, the improper ratio still persists. That could be due to other problems such as a leak in the fuel injector or a faulty fuel pressure regulator.
White Smoke
Water condensation or antifreeze contamination of the fuel supply could lead to producing white smoke. That leaky antifreeze should also be remedied to make sure your antifreeze levels are always optimal or enough. If not, you risk overheating your vehicle.
Check Engine Light
There is a check engine light icon found in your dashboard. If that lights up, then your car has detected that there could be problems in the engine. It could be due to a variety of things including the following:
- Bad thermostat
- Worn spark plugs
- The fuel filler cap isn’t properly replaced
- Problematic fuel injector
- An issue with the engine coil
- Damaged airflow sensor
- Damaged oxygen sensor
Don’t ever ignore your check light engine warning. There are a variety of things that could cause it to light up. Those could cause different problems so don’t risk ignoring them.
Loss Of Power
Does it feel like your car isn’t as powerful as it used to be? Are you having a hard time accelerating or going on an incline? Is there a delay when you use the accelerator?
Any changes or dip in performance should signify you taking the vehicle to a garage and having it checked. Sometimes, there are only small issues that are easily remedied. However, it could also be serious that could lead to the complete death of your engine.
When you find yourself in the middle of the road anywhere in Virginia Beach with a problem with your vehicle, whether it is the engine or the tires, Green Light Towing Service is the best to call. The roadside assistance service will help figure out what car problem you might have.
