How to prevent engine seizure?

Engine jamming is one of the most serious car breakdowns. Virtually beyond repair it can affect not only cars worn out, but even those with minimal mileage and work almost normally until the last moments. What is the most common cause of engine jam and how to prevent it?

What is it?

To understand the seriousness of the phenomenon ZATarCIA engine, you must first look at the situations that lead to this failure. In a working engine, all moving parts work together, incl. thanks correct lubrication... An oil film covering, for example, the piston ring and cylinder prevents these components from rubbing against each other. However, if, for any reason, the lubricant breaks down and the engine components come into contact, friction will increase, which will almost certainly lead to the generation of heat. Then it comes to the so-called dry friction... Unfortunately, even if the lack of lubrication was temporary, the heat can be so great that the oil cannot reduce it. In extreme cases, even a situation where engine components will meltforming one lump. If a slight “chafing” occurs, the engine will most likely be able to start, but the sound of the projectile and smoke will indicate a malfunction of the engine.

Causes of engine seizure

It is worth knowing the most common causes of engine scuffing... Knowing them, we can prevent many unpleasant and costly breakdowns.

1. Too little oil

No matter what car we drive, we must know that every enginewash at least a trace of oil... Therefore, we must from time to time check the lubricant level in our engine. If our car is new, and the engine is not run-in or is completely worn out, then the oil consumption may even exceed 1 liter per 1000 km. When the engine oil level is close to minimum, the risk of failure increases... It is worth noting that even if the pressure of the lubricating fluid is sufficient during normal driving, then, for example, when driving quickly along a curve, the centripetal force will push the oil against the walls of the oil pan away from the pump. This situation can contribute to improper lubrication some engine components. Therefore, it is imperative to check the engine oil level.

2. Incorrect engine oil.

The wrong choice of engine oil is another mistake that can lead to engine seizure. The lubricant is not adapted to the type of drive, it can form too weak an oil film or increase speed at which the oil film simply breaks. Let's not experiment - always let's use good oil, matched to the parameters of the car. We select recognized brands whose products are famous for high quality and real parameters, such as Castrol, Elf, Liqui Moly.

3. Dilution of oil with fuel.

This problem mainly concerns diesels equipped with particulate filters... As the soot burns, when the temperature in the filter rises, the injection system injects additional fuel into the engine so that it is burned in the drive system. The large amount of fuel forces it into the oil. If the whole process goes well, there is no problem - all the fuel will evaporate and go into the combustion chambers. However, if our machine only works for short trips or goes out when soot burns, then unburned fuel gradually accumulates in the oil, and over time it becomes so much that the car cannot evaporate it. Such a failure manifests itself increase in engine oilwhen the lubrication of the components deteriorates. In some cases, the problem is not easy to diagnose - the car, along with deposits and the same increase in fuel in the oil tank, consumes oil while driving. This situation causes the liquid level in the tank remains the same... Unfortunately, over time, the oil is replaced by fuel oil, Engine parts devoid of lubrication will gradually seize.

4. Coolant in oil.

Reasons for receiving oil coolant may differ, for example, a leaking cylinder head gasket, a damaged cylinder head, or a cylinder liner that has fallen into the block. The oil mixed with the liquid can be visually recognized - then it is produced. emulsion with the consistency of a thick cream... Its lubricating properties are much inferior to that of pure oil and can clog oil channels. Both liquid mixture, as well as loss of coolant in this case, there are factors that increase the risk of engine seizure.

5. Clogged oil channels.

The most common cause of clogged oil channels is using low-quality engine oils and changing the lubricant too infrequently. It also happens that both situations happen at the same time. Sometimes we buy oil of a well-known brand with good intentions, but in order to save money, we buy the product from an unreliable source. Nice to know that the market is saturated with counterfeit products oilsnot meeting any requirements. Having made such a purchase, we can save a few or a dozen zlotys, but subsequent repairs will cost us much more. You should also remember about a systematic oil change, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Contaminated, depleted grease as well as counterfeit grease increase the risk of engine seizure.

6. Active movement immediately after starting off.

When we start driving, before we hit the pedal to the metal, let's give it to the car it's time to warm up. This is because it takes engine oil a few seconds to reach every corner and slot of the engine. Especially when it's cold. If the engine is switched to high revs immediately after ignition, the lubricant will not have time to reach some components, which will lead to in the first seconds they will run without lubrication. This can lead to engine seizure.

7. Engine overheating.

Another reason engine jam it could be overheating. Hot engine parts expand, and when they swell too much, grease will be squeezed out of them... The result can be overheating of the vehicle. damaged cooling system, a setting that overloads the unit, or an inaccurate gas supply setting. It is important to note that overheating is both a cause and a consequence of engine seizure.

How to protect yourself?

First of all, prevent. Check the condition and level of the oil by changing it regularly.... Also watch the coolant temperature gauge, but a sudden rise in coolant temperature may mean that it is too late and the engine has just stalled. Repairing a failed engine is usually not cost effective and the most commonly chosen solution is to install a used engine.

more car advice you will find on our blog in category NOCARadzi. And if you are looking for "oil" tips, visit the blog category - Tips - automotive oils.

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