Nobody enjoys the signs of steam pouring from their engine, so why not take steps to prevent it from happening to you?

One of the many great benefits to owning your own car is the ability to take you and your friends to the beach or on a road trip when the weather starts to heat up. However, this can also be when your engine is most likely to overheat, seeing you and your passengers stranded before you really had a chance to get going. Before it becomes too hot, Tarheel Synthetics has prepared a great article with some tips to help you prevent your engine from overheating and managing it if it does.

Look for Better Routes

Getting stuck in traffic isn’t just an inconvenience, it can also spell disaster for an engine which is starting to get hot. However, there is a better way:

• Check online for a better route to take which involves less traffic or instances where you need to stop. It may mean an extra 10 minutes of drive-time, but it will be better than an overheated engine.
• If possible, move some of your errands to the evening when the sun has gone down or early morning before traffic becomes too hectic.

If you are in traffic for a short period, consider shifting your gearbox into neutral and slightly revving the engine. This will cause the fan belt to spin, giving your engine a brief reprieve.

Use the Temperature Gauge

While you may think that the temperature gauge is a sign of things to come, it can actually be used as an early indicator to prevent you from having to deal with an overheated engine. If you are stuck in traffic and notice your temperature gauge is starting to climb, look ahead for potential spaces to safely pull over. If you can’t see any, consider pulling over now before your engine gets too hot, and simply waiting a short while for traffic to flow or your engine to cool down.

Fluids

Each of the fluids your engine utilizes helps it to operate smoothly and efficiently. The more efficiently it can run, in fact, can determine how likely it is that it will overheat. For this reason, check each of the fluids your engine uses and, if you can see that the level or the quality is low, flush it out and replace it with fresh fluid. Click here to buy Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and help keep your engine performing in hot weather. To learn more about this and the benefits of a synthetic oil change, speak with an expert at Tarheel Synthetics by calling (910) 964-5995, or check out the online store for more information.

Sorry, but No More A/C

This isn’t going to be the most favored tip on the list, but it sure can be the most helpful. Every time that you switch on your air conditioner, a small motor is called into action which puts additional strain your engine which is already struggling to manage. Instead, lower each of your windows and allow the natural flow of air to help cool the cabin by introducing fresh air and pushing out stale air. For an extra bit of engine-help, direct your vents towards the open window and switch on the heat, to draw hot air away from the engine and outside of your vehicle.

If It Happens

If you are unlucky enough to experience an overheated engine, despite our best efforts, then it’s important to know that the only thing that you can do is wait for your engine to cool down. However, there are some things which you should avoid doing:

• Don’t touch the radiator cap. It will be extremely hot and is a burn risk. Instead, use your visual cues and wait for the temperature to drop, before slowly and safely gauging the temperature.
• In addition to the cap being hot, the pressurized hot water also poses a danger as it can splash out unexpectedly.
• Once you have safely removed the cap and can see that you don’t have much water or coolant left, wait a little while longer. Pouring cold water into a hot radiator can cause it to crack, which is more trouble than you want to know.

A Synthetic Oil Change in Sanford Can Help Your Engine During Hot Weather

In addition to these tips, basic maintenance such as keeping your coolant and other fluids fresh and topped up, along with a quick synthetic oil change can go a long way to improving your engine performance and reducing the instances of overheating. To find out more or to place an order, speak with a friendly expert at Tarheel Synthetics by calling (910) 964-5995.