Car engine maintenance

While there are times when it is essential to have you car thoroughly checked by a qualified motor mechanic, what many car drivers do not realise is that they can perform a lot of routine car maintenance checks themselves, which will save them a lot of unnecessary expense, as well as allowing them to learn a useful new skill. This can be particularly important for those car owners who do not have an abundance of disposable income, such as students and those in part time work.

Clearly one of the most important parts of the car is the engine, as without a working engine, the car is essentially useless – therefore it is important to make sure that this is subject to regular routine maintenance checks. One of the things which can seriously damage an engine and which can be checked by anyone is the level of oil in the engine. Ideally you should look to check the oil level in your car engine a minimum of once every two weeks and this check should be performed when the engine is cold, rather than when it has just been used, and when the car is parked on a surface which is level. In order to check the oil level, pull out the dipstick – which you will find sticking out of the side of the engine possibly with a handle coloured yellow, orange or red. Once you have taken it out, wipe it with a rag, before reinserting it all the way, and then removing it again to make sure that the oil mark falls between the lower and upper limits.

If you are required to top up the level of oil in your engine, it is important to ensure that you use the correct oil, which will be the one already in the engine. The information concerning this will be in the manual for the car. The oil cap will probably be on top of the engine, and will be named as such. This is where you pour the oil in, and afterwards, you should re-check the dipstick, to make sure you have enough in the engine.

If you have been injured in a car accident due to someone else's poorly maintained car, or even your own when a mechanic hasn't checked things correctly, then you can discuss things with the road accident claims at The Road Traffic Accident Site.