Top Tips to prevent your car engine from overheating

With the harsh summer heat around Queensland, many vehicles overheat. Your friendly mechanic on Gold Coast has these top tips to help you prevent your car engine from overheating.

Check your car’s coolant regularly

A good way to avoid a car engine overheating is to regularly check the coolant in the reservoir and radiator. This means you can be sure you have enough coolant to keep circulating to felicitate the effective cooling of the engine.

The engine oil level is also important not only for lubricating the engine’s moving parts, but also to draw heat away from the interior, so it’s a good policy to check the oil level using the dipstick every time you fill up with fuel.

Be mindful of your vehicle’s temperature gauge

Many people constantly check their fuel gauge while traveling, but it’s also important to monitor the temperature gauge as well. Some vehicles are fitted with a warning light instead of a gauge, but which ever one you have, they are there to give you warning that your engine is overheating. If your engine starts overheating in normal driving conditions you need to check the cause.

Sometimes when under load such as driving up steep or very long hills or when towing the engine can slightly overheat, which is normal. If it overheats too much it can cause a loss of the coolant so the cause needs to be determined.

Find a safe place to pull over and raise the hood, this allows excess heat to disburse while you wait for the engine to cool. It normally takes about 20 minutes for it to cool to a safe level where you can remove the radiator cap and fill with new coolant.

A soon as possible, take your vehicle to your friendly local mechanic on the Gold Coast to ascertain the reason for the overheating and to find a suitable solution.

Turn off the air con

If you find your engine temperature is rising, turning off the air conditioner can help as it removes some of the strain on the engine. The average car aircon, while operating on full, uses about 5 horsepower of your engine’s power, this can be enough to cause a higher than normal, engine temperature.

If you lower the windows and turn on the heater and blower it will help to draw the heat from the engine quickly.

Overheating in Traffic

It’s quite common for vehicles to overheat while stuck in traffic, one solution is to place the engine in neutral and rev the engine so the fan comes on and delivers more air around the engine. This can be done with the air con turned off and the heater turned on.

Have the cooling system flushed regularly

Most engine coolants need to be replaced every two years or more often for high mileage vehicles. Ask your friendly local mechanic on the Gold Coast to service your cooling system at least every two years.

A well maintained vehicle should not overheat under normal circumstances. Have your cooling system serviced by your friendly local mechanic on The Gold Coast and then check the coolant levels in the reservoir and radiator when you fill up and especially just before taking a long trip.

Top Things to consider while taking automotive services

Before you drop your vehicle of to your mechanic on The Gold Coast for servicing, consider these things to ensure you get the best outcome:

·        Make a list

Often there are often a few issues that you want to be looked at when having your car serviced. The best and most effective way to do this is to make a list that you can give to your mechanic. It’s much easier to explain the problems or concerns you have if it’s written down and you can be sure your mechanic takes note and there is no confusion.

Any strange noises or changes from the normal way the vehicle feels or handles when driving should be recorded on the list, especially brakes and suspension operations.

·        Always Remove any Personal Possessions

Your mechanic on Gold Coast pride themselves on providing a honest and professional service, but it is not their responsibility to safe guard your personal belongings while working on you vehicle. Most workshops are busy places and removing your valuables is a sensible precaution. Check the glove box and other areas you keep things including the luggage compartment.

·        Filters and other Replaceable Components

It’s now a normal practice for mechanics on The Gold Coast to replace your oil filter and leave the old filter in your luggage compartment (warped to ensure it does not dirty your vehicle). Any other components or parts they have replaced including the empty oil containers and containers of other fluids used should also be available for your inspection.

The cabin air filter should also be cleaned or replaced to ensure you have the proper airflow and air quality from your air conditioner. If you have noticed any different smells coming from your air conditioner this should be noted on you work list. It’s important that the air filter is cleaned with compressed air to remove any dust from deep inside it, not just surface wiped.

·        Check the Engine Oil

Before you take your vehicle in to be serviced, lift the hood and remove the dipstick to take a visual test of the oil. It should look clear and not black, (some diesel vehicles have black oil because of carbon from the cylinders, but the oil must not be thickened by this). The oil should be at the full mark.

·        Do a test drive after servicing

When you go to collect your vehicle ask them if you can do a test drive to ensure all the issues you have were addressed. Your vehicle should feel different after servicing as many areas will have been adjusted or components replaced where necessary. Often the brakes will feel more effective, the steering will feel more positive and the suspension will react more smoothly and any strange noises will have been removed.

Things like windshield wiper blades and washer liquids will have been replaced, the tyres may have been rotated and the air pressure adjusted and all the instrument gauges and warning lights will be working properly.

Having you vehicle serviced with a mechanic on The Gold Coast will ensure your vehicle not only runs correctly and efficiently but will maintain its value and save on costly repairs. Making a list of any issues helps your mechanic do a better job.

5 signs which show your car has brake problem

While driving it’s easy to forget that you in control of large, heavy piece of metal and glass that’s moving along at perhaps 50 to 100 plus kilometers an hour. The main safety device on board is your brakes. If you have to make an emergency stop at 100kpm you will most likely need a space about the length of a rugby field 100 yards (91m) if your brakes are working properly.

In this article your friendly local mechanic on Gold Coast explains five signs that you could have brake problems:

1. Your Brake Light Comes On

The brake indicator lights on the dashboard are there to tell you if there could be a problem so should not be ignored. Usually there are two lights the main brakes and the ABS. Although your brake system will still work if the ABS fails, it will not be so efficient, so it’s time to take it to a mechanic on The Gold Coast for servicing.

2. Spongy Pedal

Whenever you detect a change in the feel of your brake pedal, you should be concerned. The brake pedal should have a small amount of play, if you rest your foot on it, and feel firm when you apply the brakes.

If it feels spongy or squishy when using, it means the hydraulic system is in need of servicing and repair. It could be failing master or wheel cylinders, damaged calipers, worn out pads or shoes, a weak flexible line or air in the lines.

3. Hard to Push Brake Pedal

Most vehicles use a mechanism to assist the brakes so they are easier to use. If the brake pedal becomes hard to push down it means the power assist has failed and it can be hard to stop the vehicle. If the hydraulic booster has run low in fluid it will not work correctly, so the reservoir needs to be checked regularly. If it’s low then you may have a leak so take it to your local mechanic on The Gold Coast for servicing. The vacuum system may not function because of a problem with the diaphragm, clogged or broken line.

4. Noises from the wheels

Any change in the normal road noise your vehicle makes should be checked as soon as possible as this is an indication of possible brake problems. If you can hear a screeching, squealing or grinding sound, it’s most likely your brake pads or shoes. This must be repaired before there is major damage to other brake components.

5. Vibrations

Often when there are vibrations that can be felt through the brake pedal or steering wheel, it’s because of a worn of distorted rotor. This can happen when the vehicle is often driven at high speed and the brakes are used excessively. Sometimes the rotors and pads or drums and shoes can overheat when traveling down a long hill using the brakes instead of relying on the gears and engine to control the decent.

If your brake warning light comes on, your brake pedal feels spongy or hard to push down, you feel strange vibrations or can her strange sounds coming from your wheels, it’s time to visit your friendly mechanic on The Gold Coast for brake servicing