Avoid a Lemon
We have all looked at used cars and made a decision based on what the car looks like and a 5 minute test drive around the block not really knowing what is going on under the hood.
Well here a few tips that if followed could help you pick up the car you want and feel a bit more comfortable about the engine.
Check the Oil
Pull out the dipstick and have a look at the oil, if it is dark and thick then it is way past due a service. They may have just had an oil change done before selling the car and the oil could look clean but still take a look at the dipstick itself, look for evidence of burnt oil around the bottom of the stick – dark & tarnished.
Leaks
Look for leaks under the vehicle, especially for colored fluids – *note* some water is normal from a drain tube if the A/C has been running. If there is fluid leaking from the vehicle I strongly recommend getting a professional mechanic to look at it first.
Oil Filler Neck
Never remove the oil filler cap while engine is running. Open the neck if possible and take a look inside, again to check for signs that oil changes haven’t been regular, engine over heating, or just poor maintenance. What you see through top is just indication of what’s below.
Cheap Work
Look for signs of cheap work, missing bolts, loose wiring, excessive amounts of sludge build up, gasket material, epoxy material. These are all signs that a job was not done properly.
Coolant
Checking the coolant reservoir can tell you a lot. If the coolant is low you have to wonder why, where is it going? It could be signs of a blown head gasket, leaking heater core, leaking radiator, radiator hose or cap, leaking engine water pump, all expensive to have repaired.
If coolant is murky or darker in color this is another sign that basic maintenance hasn’t been performed. If the coolant looks like milkshake walk away, unless you are willing to pay a lot of money to have the transmission rebuilt, radiator replaced and entire cooling system flushed.
Smoke
After the vehicle is warmed up for 5 minutes or so and a few good revs of the engine if there is smoke still coming out the exhaust then here is how to identify possible concerns.
White smoke – most likely a blown head gasket, coolant is getting into the combustion chamber.
Black smoke – too fuel being burnt, could be a number of things, a leaking injector, bad O2 sensors, faulty fuel pump, faulty engine sensor etc. Not a good thing as it all equal poor gas mileage.
Blue smoke – Oil leaking into the combustion chamber. Expensive fix.
Timing Belt
If the car has over 60k miles, then the timing belt will need replaced before too long if it hasn’t already been done, get proof if they say it has been done. Can be very expensive.
Noises
You shouldn’t hear any loud rattling, tapping, or knocking noises from the engine. Idle should be consistent without stumbling or sputtering.
Evev if everything looks and sounds good but the check engine light is on, have it looked at by a mechanic first.
Hope this helps.
Idea and Images via: samarins.com
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