Maintenance is necessary in order to keep things moving and working efficiently. Regular and preventive measures are essential, but thanks to recent developments, maintenance is much easier and takes less time out of your day. Here are some tips to help you keep your engine running like a well-oiled machine.
Tips to maintain your engine
- Choose the right fuel
- Smartly store your engine
- Don’t skip or delay oil changes
- Give your engine some fresh air
- Change your spark plugs and wire
Choose the right fuel
Your engine really is only as good as the fuel you choose to put in it. The types of fuel available have broadened over the years to include ethanol-free blends. Ethanol-free gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher is generally a great pick for most engine types. It is very important to use the correct type of fuel in order to fully optimize your engine. The right fuel provides maximum performance and helps avoid engine problems.
Smartly store your engine
Sometimes it is necessary to store your engine. However, storing an engine is not as simple as just putting it away if you want to keep it running to its full potential. Storing an engine with fuel inside can lead to stale-fuel engines. It is recommended to fill your fuel tank up with fresh gasoline when it is brought out of storage. Another option is to add a fuel stabilizer prior to storage to help prevent gum and varnish build-up
Don’t skip or delay oil changes
Occasionally you might forget an oil change or push it off to another day, but doing this too often or at all can damage your engine. Running on low or old oil can affect the engine’s ability to clean, cool, and lubricate the engine. It’s crucial to understand your engine and know its oil-change intervals. Changing your oil too often can waste resources and waiting too long can damage your engine.
Give your engine some fresh air
Fresh air is extremely important, especially in small air-cooled engines. This is why changing your air filters on a regular basis is so crucial. An air-filter should typically be changed every 100-250 hours of use. Make sure you have chosen the correct filter designed for your engine in order to lengthen its life span and increase productivity.
Change your spark plugs and wire
Spark plugs and wires are some of the most used components in an engine. If they are not checked and changed often enough, it can cause your engine to run extremely rough. You should change the wires and plugs at the same time to make sure you’re getting the best electrical current between the two. Changing these two on a regular basis helps keep your engine firing constantly and your gas mileage up.
Remember, performing proper and regular maintenance on your engine is essential to keep it running to its best potential. Engine maintenance is continuing to be reduced and simplified, however, understanding your engine’s maintenance needs is key to keeping it up and running.
