10 Tips to Proactively Protect Your Engine. Love Your Car In Better Ways!

Let’s be honest - most of us don’t think about our car engine until it starts making strange sounds or worse when it won’t start. So, here are 10 ways to proactively protect your engine:

1. Change the Oil Regularly

Oil keeps vital engine parts well lubricated so that they won't overheat. Permanent engine damage could be caused if you go too long between oil changes. Follow your car manufacturer’s suggestion for your specific vehicle's oil change interval. (Read more about changing your oil here.)

At the same time, the oil filter needs to be replaced too. The oil filter catches all the dirt and debris floating around inside the engine and keeps the junk from circulating back through the engine.

X-1R performance enhancing products can reduce the dirt and debris inside your engine effectively.

2. Keep the Cooling System Working

To protect your engine from overheating, you need to make sure that you have the proper amount of coolant circulating throughout your engine. Lift the hood and make sure the coolant, a green- or orange-colored liquid, in the coolant tank is above the minimum mark but below the maximum mark.

If you find that your car is overheating in this condition, it’s time to find a mechanic and run a cooling system check.

Check your coolant tank, which is a half-transparence tank contains green or orange-color liquid

3. Keep the Engine Breathing

Just like how you need to breathe, so does your engine. If the air filter gets too dirty and cannot do its job efficiently, it can suffocate your engine, choke it with junk, or both.

When you change your oil, take a look at your air filter and see if it looks clean. Replace if necessary.

Compare of dirty and clean air filter

4. Check for Leaks

Rubber engine hoses that are old and cracked can leak antifreeze or other fluids which are required by your engine. Parts that are joined together with rubber or silicone sealant are where leaking tends to happen. Over time, these seals can break down and allow oil or other fluids to leak out of the engine or into other parts of the engine where they shouldn’t.

Check under your hood with your eyes and nose to see if anything is leaking from the engine. Spotting the minor leaks will help you stave off major problems.

The stain on your parking slot is a hint of leaking

5. Fill Up Your Gas Tank Before It Gets Too Low

After years of driving, there can be a fair amount of junk collecting at the bottom of your fuel tank and in your fuel filter. If you run your car all the way down to empty, you're pulling from the bottom-of-the-barrel where all the junk have accumulated.

If the sediments get through the fuel filter, it can cause internal damage to your engine. Make sure that you fill up your tank before it becomes empty and use X-1R Petrol Treatment to remove sediments from your engine.

Don't wait until your gas tank gone too low

6. Keep Your Belts On

The rubber belts on your engine drive all sorts of vital components. If the belt breaks while you're driving, the engine can suffer major damage.

Check your belts by turning them over slightly to see if they have any visible cracks in them. A squealing or spinning belt may also indicate that it needs to be adjusted or replaced.

Check your belts by turning them over slightly

7. Follow Up When Automotive Warning Lights Come On

Neglecting any of the automotive warning lights could be neglecting a serious problem, especially the check engine light. It warns about problems with the alternator, battery, engine temperature or other areas surrounding the engine.

Take it to a mechanic when the light comes on so that they can run tests and perform repairs. If you wait too long, your engine may not wait for you before going to engine heaven.

Never neglect the check engine light

8. Replace the Fuel Filter

The fuel filter catches any particles or debris that would be harmful to the engine and keeps them trapped in a canister. Change the filter on a regular basis to keep clean gas flowing into your engine; it will last longer if it's not working as hard to burn the fuel it's getting.

Dirty fuel filter

9. Go Easy on the Start and Stop Driving

Your engine runs much better and tends to last longer when it runs at a consistent speed. Constant stops and starts in city driving are really hard on your car's engine.

When you drive on the highway, keep your speed consistent and you'll notice better gas mileage. Your engine will likely last longer if your driving habits allow it to run at a fairly consistent speed.

Drive at a consistent speed

10. Change the Spark Plugs and Wires

The wires running from the distributor send electric current to the spark plugs, which then ignite the fuel and air mixture in the cylinders.

Most manufacturers recommend changing them every 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometre). Make sure to change the wires when you change the spark plugs to ensure that enough voltage is getting to the plugs.

Remove spark plug coil to access spark plugs