When is it necessary to overhaul the engine of your car?

Every car sooner or later needs a good powertrain overhaul. Engine repair may be necessary after high mileage, too active use, as well as the use of low-quality oils or overheating. There are dozens of conditions under which a car owner condemns himself to major repairs. Sometimes it's just a matter of excessive mileage. Often the culprit for the need for major intervention in the engine design is a twist in mileage. Let's say you bought a car on the market with a mileage of 105,000 km, which, according to the owner, has just been serviced. But the actual mileage of the car is 235,000 km, and after 5,000 kilometers one of the most important comprehensive services in the life of the car needs to be done. By skipping it, you doom the engine and gearbox to great suffering, which will inevitably lead to the need for major repairs.

In general, the very combination of the words overhaul and repair causes terrible discomfort to the car owner. Not all car owners have encountered this process, but many have heard about the high cost of parts and the difficulty of finding adequate technicians. All this is true. When performing work on an official service, you will have to pay exorbitant sums. And when servicing a car in a garage station, there are no guarantees of the quality of the work performed. Therefore, it is important to find a middle ground and find a service station that provides such services at a high level of quality. Today we will talk about when you need to think about a major overhaul of the unit. However, sometimes it is better to replace the engine instead of this procedure. Often this procedure will be cheaper than a complex repair involving disassembling the entire unit.

Signs you need a motor overhaul in your car

There are more than 10 signs that indicate the need for intervention in the power unit system. Of course, not all signs lead to the need for major repairs, but in many cases this is the only normal way out of the situation. Let's list the main types of machine behavior in which you should contact a good mechanic:

Oil consumption has increased
. This is possible if, with increased friction, serious heating of the parts occurs.
The car has great mileage
. Each type of engine has its own resource; on average, an engine travels 200-300 thousand kilometers to the capital.
Rich smoky exhaust
. Grey, black or brown smoke in copious amounts indicates a number of problems.
Black candles, excessive burnout
. This also indicates incomplete combustion of fuel and a number of problems.
Increased fuel consumption
. This problem is associated with troubles in the combustion chambers (but there may be other reasons).
Rated power drop
. Often this problem indicates a change in compression and other problems.
Knocks when the engine is running
. Constant rhythmic or chaotic sounds indicate serious problems with technology.
Floating idle speed, interruptions
. If the engine stalls on its own or runs poorly, it’s time to contact a service station.
Rattling noise on the body when idling
. This indicates that some parts of the unit have failed.

This unpleasant list can be continued. Not a single malfunction means 100% that you will need a major engine repair. Sometimes we are talking about faults in the firmware; often it is worth working with the fuel supply or exhaust system. But with a fairly high degree of confidence we can say that in such cases a major overhaul of the unit will be required. Problems can only be fixed by a good technician after an excellent diagnosis.

When is an engine overhaul required?

Any major car repair is a problem and an unloved activity for many car enthusiasts. But what can you do when the “iron heart” of the car simply demands it, giving obvious or not entirely noticeable signs that it will soon “not stand it.” But how do you understand when you just need a small repair of a particular part, and when a major repair is required, what symptoms will tell you about this? Let's try to figure out what you need to pay attention to in order to resuscitate the engine of a four-wheeled assistant in time. Usually, a major overhaul of the engine is done after a thorough mileage - from 150 to 200 thousand km or more, but if, even before the car reaches the maturity stage, distinctive signs appear, and not just one or two, but a list, then repair, repair, and repair again. It is necessary to urgently begin resuscitation of the patient, otherwise the funeral will cost more.

Main signs when major repairs are required

fuel and oil consumption increases;
candles are constantly covered with strong soot;
“multi-colored” smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe, and knowledgeable people can predict in advance by its color what exactly failed;
the flow of gases and vapors from the ventilation system occurs with a constant pulsation;
acceleration time increases and engine power decreases;
rigidity in engine operation and unevenness during idle;
the muffler and carburetor begin to “shoot” and “sneeze”, like with the flu;
The internal combustion engine makes otherworldly noises and knocks, like a poltergeist;
The oil pressure drops significantly.

At a service station, engine overhauls are done in a certain sequence. If you decide to undertake such a feat on your own, you must strictly adhere to the plan. Here's how to do it:

Completely disassemble the entire motor down to the screws and thoroughly rinse and clean all components and elements. In this case, it is advisable to use photo and video recording tools so as not to forget to return any part to its place later.
Check all parts and components for mechanical wear or damage.
Examine the crankshaft, check all the gaps, examine it for cracks.
Make basic repairs to the cylinder block and head: bore, liner and restore the crankshaft to proper condition.
Examine the sealing gaskets and replace them with new ones if necessary. You may need to replace the exhaust manifold gasket, valve cover gasket, throttle body, crankshaft seals, and others.
Put everything back together using wrenches, preferably torque wrenches, which must be used to properly tighten all threaded connections.
Do a cold run-in of the engine: it must be done on a stand, and the crankshaft is forcibly rotated. Be sure to fill the internal combustion engine with oil and coolant before such “forced operation”.
Let's move on to the final stage - the degree of emission and toxicity of exhaust gases should be adjusted at idle.

After capitalization, you should not heavily load the engine at first (up to 300 km), you should not carry a trailer or hook up a tow rope, and you should not develop high speeds while driving. The engine will work like new, but you still need to be patient a little. Well, in order for this troublesome procedure to be needed as late as possible, you should follow these simple tips:

change the engine oil more often and choose it of the highest quality;
change all filters – fuel, air and oil – not when it’s too late, but in a timely manner;
apply maximum loads infrequently and correctly, do not tear all the wires out of the machine;
The internal combustion engine should be adjusted competently, correctly, systematically, for example, at a service station.

If you follow these measures, major repairs will not have to be done often, and the machine will serve you for a long time and faithfully. Good luck on your journey.

Correct operation of the car: how to maintain the engine?

Features of diesel engine repair

What engines are installed on tractors TDT-55, DT-75, MTZ, T-40, TT-4, T-25, Ural

What does computer engine diagnostics show and how is it done?

Typical breakdowns of diesel engine injectors and repair methods

21.01.2015

0 Comments

What do specialists do when overhauling an engine?

It is impossible to repair a motor without extensive experience and high-quality equipment. By disassembling the unit yourself, you will simply throw away most of the spare parts and will be forced to turn to a specialist for more expensive services. Even though capital is not a cheap pleasure, it is better to immediately contact a specialist and get professional services. There are several important stages of engine overhaul that should not be forgotten:

diagnostics and identification of possible problems based on the testimony of the car owner, diagnostic systems, as well as visible signs of unit failure;
disassembling the upper part of the engine, examining and diagnosing the cylinder head system, valves and various consumables, removing the head and troubleshooting it if necessary;
measuring the parameters of cylinders and pistons, searching for defects in the piston group and carrying out troubleshooting of this unit with the replacement of all necessary parts with new ones;
inspection and diagnostics of the crankshaft with its subsequent repair or replacement, great attention to small parts and connections in the engine that can cause knocking during operation;
application of modern methods of major restoration of the piston group, if necessary, professional boring of cylinders and installation of new pistons;
assembling the power unit, carrying out professional diagnostics, identifying all minor inaccuracies in operation and their subsequent elimination, handing over the car to the owner.

As you can see, the overhaul process is quite complicated. Especially great difficulties arise if the engine is jammed, there are specific complaints about knocking and extraneous sounds in the operation of the engine. The more breakdowns, the more money you will have to spend on restoring the power unit. Sometimes the financial component of renovation work is so surprising that it makes the owner think about alternatives.

Where can I find traces of repairs?

If the seller is disingenuous and hides the fact of the repair, then you can find out the truth using several indirect signs.

During a major overhaul, you cannot do without dismantling the motor. All attachments and the cylinder head are removed from it. Gaskets, rubber-metal seals, timing drive elements are changed, new piston rings and crankshaft liners are installed. It is also possible to replace valves,

How to understand that the turbine in a car is about to end? Three main signs Read more

oil pump and crankshaft. The cylinder block and heads, as a rule, do not change. The cylinders are bored out and new liners are pressed into them.

Therefore, when inspecting a car, you should pay special attention to the condition of the engine compartment.

If the engine is very clean, this should alert you. Usually it is washed only in exceptional cases, including for repairs.
You need to look down at the power unit supports. If they are new and shiny, then there is a good chance that the “capitalization” was carried out a month ago.
Then we carefully examine the block head, or rather, the joints of the part. If uneven traces of sealant are visible there, it means that the gasket has recently been replaced. And it is impossible to replace it without removing the head. The factory seal appears perfectly smooth because it is applied by a robot. No master can repeat the same seam.
To further ensure that the repair has been carried out, you can examine the bolt heads. If they are new and show marks from tools, then the engine has been opened.

How much does a high-quality engine overhaul cost?

The cost of major repairs cannot be determined until you bring the car in for diagnostics. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand which parts need to be changed, what model and brand of car we are talking about. The fact is that overhaul for a VAZ and restoration of a Mazda engine are completely different cost options. We are talking about a set of costs that cannot be calculated in general for a specific machine. Individual diagnostics and addition of the following types of costs are needed:

payment for the services of the workshop where your car is repaired, this amount depends on the complexity of the work performed, as well as on the type of service station chosen;
purchase of spare parts - there may also be differences here, you can buy original and analog parts, you often purchase used spare parts from disassembly at a low cost;
speed and urgency of repair work - often services are provided for enterprises where the machine is constantly needed, so urgency has to be paid additionally;
car model - the design of the engine and the complexity of working with the unit also add or reduce the cost of disassembling, diagnosing and troubleshooting the engine at the station;
the volume and dimensions of the engine, as well as the features of its design - the larger the engine, the more difficult it is to work with it, and the more expensive the services of repair specialists will cost.

In general, the cost can only be determined when visiting the station. And even in this case, they will not tell you right away how much it costs to repair the car. After disassembling the engine and detailed diagnostics of the unit, it will be possible to give an exact figure. Sometimes the cost of engine overhaul turns out to be so high that owners are simply not ready to pay such costs. But there is nowhere to go if half the work is already done. However, you should immediately pay attention to alternative work options.

What alternatives to engine overhaul exist?

The issue of alternative methods of car restoration is incredibly relevant. People do not want to spend huge amounts of money and carry out major repairs to the unit. Even good capital does not guarantee that the engine will operate for another 100,000 km without problems. The search for alternative options is especially relevant for owners of foreign cars in which the cost of repairs is off the charts. You can pay attention to the following options for your situation:

Purchasing an assembled engine part and performing a complete replacement. In this case, you will not have to pay for diagnostics, repair work, or troubleshooting. It is enough to pay for a replacement unit, which will cost less.
Search for a contract engine. For Japanese and American cars, the search for engines imported from other countries is relevant. You can buy a practically new engine for little money.
Selling a car or exchanging for another car. If there is no money for repairs, you can sell the car by explaining the engine problems to the new owner. For the money you earn, you can buy a simpler car.
Exchange a faulty engine for a working one at a showroom that deals with your brand of car. Here you can often find quite decent engine options with a small surcharge.
Purchasing parts for repairs at disassembly. This is not the best option, but if there are no other options, it is worth using it. The savings will be noticeable.

As you can see, there are many workarounds that can often save money on repair work. But they are not always suitable in a given situation. Often there is no cheaper and more correct way out than capital. It’s worth checking out prices at various service stations to make sure the amount calculated is adequate. Also make sure that the technicians to whom you entrust the work have sufficient experience and good knowledge of cars.

We invite you to watch a video about overhauling a car engine:

What to expect from a car after an engine overhaul

In this matter, everything depends on how the overhaul was carried out. It’s worth starting operation after a major overhaul with a break-in; here everything happens like in a new car:

✔ Do not raise the speed above 2500 per minute;

✔ Do not open the throttle completely (do not push the gas to the floor);

✔ Use mineral or semi-synthetic motor oil;

✔ Do not use cruise control and ECO mode (does not apply to new cars).

Already during the running-in period it will become clear whether the repair was successful or not. At first, the overhauled engine should “smoke” a lot, and only over time does this return to normal.

If the repair was carried out incorrectly, then it is impossible to clearly predict how this will manifest itself. One thing is certain - poor-quality engine overhaul will lead to serious problems that will require repeating the procedure or other significant investments in the engine.

In order not to fall for the tricks of sellers and not to buy a “killed” car, use the Autocode car history checking service. The service report will tell you whether the car has had an accident, what the actual mileage is, whether there are traffic police restrictions, whether the car is in collateral, and much more.

In order not to buy a technically faulty car and not run into an engine overhaul involuntarily, order an on-site inspection. Specialists with equipment will come to the car themselves and find out whether the seller is deceiving or not, whether it is worth buying such a car, or whether it will lead to problems.

Source

Let's sum it up

High-quality engine performance is one of the most important aspects of car operation. The use of certain car functions, confidence in travel, and the possibility of unlimited use of transport depend on this factor. If the engine begins to behave inappropriately, it is quite possible that it will require major repairs. In this case, you can use various options for restoring the power unit, including a complete replacement of the unit. But often it is repair that turns out to be the most democratic and reasonable solution that is worth considering. It is interesting that many car owners, after realizing the need for repairs, continue to operate the vehicle.

There is no need to shelve your capital. If you have already realized that your car needs to be repaired, you should carry out this procedure immediately. Otherwise, more serious problems are possible. For example, the motor may jam while driving, which will cause an extremely unpleasant and emergency situation. The engine can be completely worn out if a major restoration is not carried out in time. In this case, the situation can become catastrophic, and not only the engine, but also many other parts of the car will suffer. Have you ever faced the need to overhaul your engine?

Where to do major repairs?

If you decide to overhaul a Cummins engine, then finding a service center with good specialists is a key task. Such a service will be able to carry out competent troubleshooting, explain what needs to be changed and why, and offer various options for solving problems that have arisen. It is desirable that the service be mono-brand, i.e. repaired engines of only one brand. Do not be misled by the size of the service, its formality and external gloss. There are people working everywhere! Engine repairs should be carried out by specialists in their field.