512-487-8570 THE CAR BUYER BAD ENGINE 

 

The 'V' denotes the arrangement of the cylinders which are, facing the front of the engine, in a 'V' configuration. Two on the right and two on the left (or three if it's a V6).

A straight (in line) four, six or (even eight) will have the cylinders in a line.

The difference between the two is that, all things being equal, the V6 will (probably) be of a larger capacity, more powerful....and considerably more fuel hungry.

Making sure your engine goes the extra mile;

1. Change the fluids when your book suggests or even sooner.

2: Check under the car for leaks: Get them fixed.  A small leak could mean you need a new rubber gasket. Cost: $150.

3. Wash and wax regularly to prevent rust.

4. Garage or carport it if you can to protect the paint, dash, sunroof seals, and seats from cracking.

5.  Drive at highway speeds, frequently.  This is a mistake many people make, Miller says.  They "baby" their car, barely driving it, which doesn't do it any favors.

Consumer Reports Magazine named nine cars, SUV's and minivans that tend to last to 200,000 miles without major engine or transmission failure. They are the;

-Honda Accord, -Subaru Legacy,  -Toyota Avalon -Honda Odyssey -Nissan Maxima -Toyota Camry -Ford Taurus -Honda Civic -Acura TL -Subaru Outback.

Dont let your gas tank get to low. Gasoline has a certain amount of sediment in it that settles to the bottom of your gas tank. After years of driving around and many fill-ups, there can actually be a fair amount of junk at the bottom of your fuel tank. Your fuel filter will catch a lot of this sediment and keep it out of your car's fuel lines and your engine. However, if you consistently run your car all the way down to empty, you're pulling from the bottom-of-the-barrel and all the extra junk that's accumulated there. If the sediment gets through the fuel filter (some of it can) it can get into the engine and cause internal damage. It puts debris in areas where it shouldn't be and causes your fuel system and other parts of your engine to work harder. Some people recommend keeping a half-tank of fuel at all times. You may not want to fill-up that often, but make sure that you're not running the gas all the way down to empty. Your engine will thank you for it.