Car care & driving
How to Make Your Car Last Longer
Autopapyrus
The first thing every car owner should know thoroughly is which components and systems are responsible for which functions of the vehicle. It doesn't matter much whether you've bought an expensive executive sedan or a compact city car – the general principles of how a car works stay the same.
A great deal depends on how well the various parts of the vehicle work, including the safety of not only those inside, but also other road users. That is why you need to pay very close attention to your car's technical condition.
One of the key parts of any car is its running gear (suspension, wheels, and tires). If you feel unusual vibration while driving, there's a good chance a tire has a bulge. When this happens with the front tires, driving at high speed becomes very dangerous and could lead to a serious accident. However, such vibration can have other causes as well, including unbalanced wheels and a damaged driveshaft. Each of these faults threatens your safety, so it is especially important to spot them in time and fix them promptly.
No matter how reliable your car is, sooner or later you may run into brake problems. If you notice that braking performance has dropped significantly, check the brake fluid level. It also makes sense to inspect the entire brake system for faults. A vehicle-specific repair manual for your make and model will typically describe the diagnostic process for this kind of problem in considerable detail.
Another common type of trouble involves the fuel system. The smell of gasoline inside the car should be a signal to stop immediately and shut off the engine. In most cases the leak is caused by splits or small cracks in the hoses. Sometimes problems with the carburetor inlet fitting or the fuel pump can add to this. How can you avoid it? Adjust the ignition timing on schedule and pay proper attention to the condition of the carburetor and valves. If the timing is too advanced, it can destroy the piston rings and pistons, and if it is too retarded, it can cause burned valves.
If your car has a carburetor, make sure the air-fuel mixture is set to the optimal ratio. A lean mixture causes detonation (engine knock), which damages the entire piston assembly. A mixture that is too rich leaves carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, which harm cylinder lubrication. Under these conditions the engine cannot run properly for long and will soon fail. Only qualified specialists can fix such a serious failure. Doing the repair yourself would be extremely difficult, even with a good repair manual.
Timely preventive maintenance for all the problems listed above can extend your car's life by many years. This is not a procedure to neglect, because it affects not only the condition of your car but also the safety of the driver, the passengers, and all other road users.
A great deal depends on how well the various parts of the vehicle work, including the safety of not only those inside, but also other road users. That is why you need to pay very close attention to your car's technical condition.
The Main Factors Affecting Your Car's Reliability
One of the key parts of any car is its running gear (suspension, wheels, and tires). If you feel unusual vibration while driving, there's a good chance a tire has a bulge. When this happens with the front tires, driving at high speed becomes very dangerous and could lead to a serious accident. However, such vibration can have other causes as well, including unbalanced wheels and a damaged driveshaft. Each of these faults threatens your safety, so it is especially important to spot them in time and fix them promptly.
No matter how reliable your car is, sooner or later you may run into brake problems. If you notice that braking performance has dropped significantly, check the brake fluid level. It also makes sense to inspect the entire brake system for faults. A vehicle-specific repair manual for your make and model will typically describe the diagnostic process for this kind of problem in considerable detail.
Another common type of trouble involves the fuel system. The smell of gasoline inside the car should be a signal to stop immediately and shut off the engine. In most cases the leak is caused by splits or small cracks in the hoses. Sometimes problems with the carburetor inlet fitting or the fuel pump can add to this. How can you avoid it? Adjust the ignition timing on schedule and pay proper attention to the condition of the carburetor and valves. If the timing is too advanced, it can destroy the piston rings and pistons, and if it is too retarded, it can cause burned valves.
If your car has a carburetor, make sure the air-fuel mixture is set to the optimal ratio. A lean mixture causes detonation (engine knock), which damages the entire piston assembly. A mixture that is too rich leaves carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, which harm cylinder lubrication. Under these conditions the engine cannot run properly for long and will soon fail. Only qualified specialists can fix such a serious failure. Doing the repair yourself would be extremely difficult, even with a good repair manual.
Timely preventive maintenance for all the problems listed above can extend your car's life by many years. This is not a procedure to neglect, because it affects not only the condition of your car but also the safety of the driver, the passengers, and all other road users.
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