Lowering the engine and breaking the engine are familiar names in the automotive repair industry when the engine must be removed or disassembled for inspection, repair or replacement of damaged internal parts.
In many engine overhaul cases, these two tasks are performed simultaneously. This is often a costly, time-consuming repair plan and only applies when the engine encounters a serious problem.
According to a car repair technician at Ninety Eight Auto (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), there are three common reasons why engines need to be overhauled.
The first cause is water damage. This situation often occurs when a car passes through a flooded area, water is sucked into the filling line and enters the combustion chamber.
What is worrying is that the driver tries to accelerate to overcome the flooded area, causing the engine to continue to suck air and water through the air intake when the water level is too high. When suspecting that the car is waterlogged, it is necessary to turn off the engine immediately if the engine is still working, absolutely do not try to start it again and bring the car back to the factory for inspection.
If water has entered the engine, the technician will check the level of damage, replace lubricant, necessary solutions and proceed to repair if deformed internal parts are detected.
The second reason is not maintaining on schedule. Many car owners have a habit of extending the oil change cycle or only taking the car for maintenance when damage has appeared.
Meanwhile, engine oil after a period of use will reduce lubrication, cooling and cleaning ability.
If continuing to operate with degraded oil or unsafe oil levels, metal surfaces will be more frictional, increasing abrasion, reducing engine life and potentially leading to serious damage.
In addition to changing oil on time, car owners also need to change the oil filter, engine air filter, check the cooling water level, condition of the radiator, cooling fan and pipes as recommended by the manufacturer to maintain stable working conditions for the engine.
The third reason is that the engine often operates in a state of overheating. This problem may stem from lack of coolant water, damaged cooling fans, dirty water tanks, blockages, or inefficient cooling systems.
Frequent operation in prolonged congestion also reduces the amount of natural cooling air through the water tank, causing the cooling system to work harder.
To limit the risk of engine overhaul, users should use engine oil with the correct viscosity level and technical standards as recommended by the manufacturer. For many new models, oil that meets API SP standards or equivalent standards according to the requirements of each car manufacturer will help increase abrasion resistance, limit the formation of dirt and better protect the engine.
Regularly checking the cooling system, changing oil on schedule, monitoring oil and coolant levels, and avoiding trying to drive through deep flooded areas are still the most effective solutions to help extend engine life and limit the risk of having to lower the engine with high repair costs.
