It doesn’t matter if you have never looked under the hood of your car and simply put fuel in and press the gas pedal, every motorist knows that their engine need can overheat. The challenge for motorists is that the above statement rings true for the majority, with very few motorists knowing how to keep their engine temperature down apart from simply not driving it during extreme heat.

How to Keep Your Car Engine Temperature Low

If this sounds like you and instead of enjoying the summer weather with a road trip or a drive to the beach for fear of your engine overheating, Ed Welliver has a great post below with some easy tips to help you both utilize your vehicle and keep its operating temperature down.

Keep Your Eye on Your Temperature Gauge

Here is what happens: A motorist is driving their car during extreme heat, often becoming stuck in traffic or moving at low speeds. They see their temperature gauge rise and rise and, instead of taking action, cross their fingers and hope and pray that the engine won’t overheat. Of course, we all know what happens - The engine overheats! If this sounds familiar, instead of hoping, take action! Something as simple as finding a safe place to pull your car over and switch it off for 20-30 minutes to allow it to cool down or to wait for traffic to start flowing again before getting back on the road and continuing your journey.

Check your coolant

If there is one maintenance tip that you do know, it’s that your radiator needs to be topped up with water. However, what if this wasn’t actually a good tip at all? The truth to your radiator staying cool isn’t to use water, it is to use coolant. This comes in a range of types and benefits for you to choose from, but the most important thing that you do is to use it! Not water! While there was once a time when water would ‘do the trick’, modern engines and, let's face it, higher outside temperatures, require a little more from your radiator fluid, which is why coolant is so important. Click here to buy Passenger Car ; Light Truck Antifreeze ; Coolant and keep your engine temperature low and its performance high. Speak with a friendly expert at Ed Welliver by calling (956) 458-9399 to find out tips to keep your engine temperatures as low as possible and keep you on the road for longer. If you prefer, the online store has more information about the range of high-quality AMSOIL engine lubricants and coolants.

Turn Your Heater On

Hang on!? What?! You actually want me to turn the heater ON during the summer temperatures? You bet! However, there’s a bit of a catch. Instead of turning on your A/C controlled heating, turn on your regular heat, aim your air vents to your windows, and open your windows just a small amount. While this may seem like a strange idea, opening your regular heat function actually just uses the heat from the engine. So, by aiming your vents up to your windows and opening your windows slightly, you can actually help to take some of the heat from the engine and flow it outside of your car.

Balance Your A/C Usage

The first thing which every motorist does as soon as the temperatures start to rise is to crank up the A/C. And why not? Your car has the function so it must be able to handle it, right? Unfortunately, it isn’t so simple. You see, when you turn on your air conditioner, a separate belt is activated to help drive your A/C mechanism. This is in addition to your regular belt which your engine is already working hard to move, so when you add another belt to the equation then your engine has to work even harder during the heat, just to keep you and your passengers cool. Instead of cruising along with your A/C on the whole time, consider a balance. For example, if you are doing a lot of city driving with stops and starts then using your A/C more can be a good idea. However, if you and your friends are cruising along the freeway on a road trip or you and your family are driving a fair distance to visit relatives, then opening your windows and letting the breeze bring down the temperatures in your car is a much better idea.

Keep Your Car in Good Shape

Simple steps like keeping your tire pressure at the correct level, making sure all of your fluids are in good shape and at the suggested levels, and even cleaning out your air filter (it’s much easier than you would think) can do wonders on your engine health, meaning that your engine doesn't need to work as hard just to keep you moving. This, in turn, works to lower your engine’s temperature.

A Synthetic Oil Change in Mission, TX Can Help Your Engine Along

To keep your engine temperatures down, be sure to keep your car maintenance in check, completing basic steps like a synthetic oil change. To find out more about the benefits of a synthetic oil change or to find out more about engine maintenance, speak with Ed Welliver. Call today at (956) 458-9399 to learn more or to buy the best engine lubricants and coolants available for your engine.