How to evaluate the condition of the engine in 3 minutes when choosing a used car

When buying a used car, many people do not pay due attention to the engine: they look at the body and interior, and end up spending money on expensive engine repairs. Of course, in an ideal world car are driven in for diagnostics to identify problems. But what to do if there is no opportunity to go to a car service center, and there is no equipment at hand? Remember a few recommendations and you will be able to identify a problematic engine yourself.

First of all, listen to how it works. Any extraneous noise indicates a problem. And when the gasoline engine is “diesel” (makes loud clattering sounds), this indicates its strong wear. Next, unscrew the oil filler cap and leave it in place, if it falls, then the engine has high crankcase pressure. When removing the plug, the oil should not splash much.

Next, move to the exhaust pipe and run your finger along the inside of it. If there is a velvety or oily coating on the skin, it is better to refuse to buy a car. Have someone step on the gas pedal and hold the revs high for a few seconds. If the smoke has a blue tint, then a lot of oil gets into the combustion chamber, and this is a strong wear of the internal combustion engine.

Finally, remove the dipstick and look at the oil. It may be clean if it has been recently changed. But even if the grease is dark, this does not indicate problems. Rub it between your fingers - metal grains indicate heavy wear, dark crumbs suggest that the oil was rarely changed and the engine was not properly cared for.

The recommendations are more than obvious, but for some reason most car buyers forget about them at the most crucial moment. If you want to better understand the features of self-diagnosis, watch the video from the Avto-Blogger.ru channel.