subject: Tackle Engine Repairs While They Are Minor [print this page] Have you ever been driving your car and noticed it is making a weird noise of some kind? It's tempting to just turn up the radio so you can't hear it. If you do this, you'll be unaware that anything is amiss, until that is, you realize something major has just gone wrong and you've broken down by the side of the road.
It's this very situation that should convince you to get any minor engine repairs seen to and resolved before they turn into something far worse. That clunking noise you hear under the hood; that weird grinding that only ever happens now and again, and that slight juddering you sometimes get when you pull away; all of these signs point to something wrong with your car that could get worse very soon if you don't get it dealt with.
Handling Engine Repairs
The best way to handle engine repairs is to make sure you get an experienced mechanic to look at them on your behalf. You should only tackle them on your own if you are confident in doing so and you know your way around the engine of your car.
Get into the habit of getting any strange noise or experience checked out as soon as you can after hearing it or experiencing it. Sometimes it may not seem as if the noise is detracting from the smooth running of the car. You just never know what is going on underneath the hood. It's better to get it checked out and to be told there's nothing wrong than to leave it and find you've left something that could easily have been fixed, but which is now more expensive.
Which Repairs?
There are various repairs that might be needed. Fluid leaks can occur from different parts of the engine and are easily spotted if you check under your car every time you pull away from a parking space. Timing chains can also pose problems and make noises if work needs to be done. Sometimes a replacement part is required, whereas other times something might just need adjusting. The worst case scenario is a complete engine replacement, but if you take good care of it and check out any potential problems before they have a chance to escalate into something worse, you shouldn't find yourself in this position.
As you can see, it makes sense to err on the side of caution when it comes to engine repairs. It's tempting to ignore them but you'll be doing so at the chance of potential and costly peril later on. Major engine problems are always a lot more expensive than minor ones. If you have an older vehicle, you might even find it isn't worth getting the major repairs done. A minor engine repair could be all that is needed to keep your car on the road for a long time to come, so look after it and remember to keep an ear out for any unusual noises.
