What to Do With an Overheating Engine

The high operating temperature of your vehicle can combine with hot summer temperatures to cause an inconvenient situation on the road. If you notice that your vehicle's temperature is getting dangerously high, AMSOIL Dealer, Dwight Smith in Ypsilanti can help you successfully take care of an overheating engine with these tips.

What to Do if Your Engine is Overheating

If you notice your vehicle's temperature gauge needle moving past the middle and towards the right side, this can be a sign of trouble in your engine's temperature. To avoid having your engine overheat and suffer serious damage, follow these tips.

1. Pull your car over and turn off the engine. The first thing you should do when your vehicle is overheating is safely pull over to a safe spot. If you're stuck in heavy traffic and can't get off the road right away, open your vehicle's windows and turn on the heater. This will allow hot air from the engine to escape, helping maintain the temperature as you work on pulling over your car. Once you've safely made it off the road, turn off your engine.
2. Allow the engine to cool off. Once your engine has been turned off, pop open your vehicle's hood to allow your engine to cool down faster. Prop open the hood for a few minutes to allow hot air to escape faster and your engine to cool down. Be sure to carefully touch the hood before attempting to open it since this can also get quite hot.
3. Take a look at the coolant. Allow everything under the hood to cool down completely before touching anything. Once things are back to normal temperatures, check on your coolant. Coolant leaks are a common cause of overheating and can be easy to momentarily take care of. Open the coolant reservoir and check the level of coolant left. If it's running low, fill it back up to its recommended level. If you don't have any coolant on hand, water can be used temporarily to allow you to look for help.
4. Get your car fixed. No matter what the issue was, you need to get your vehicle inspected. Overheating doesn't happen out of nowhere, it's a clear indicator that there is an issue in the cooling system. If your coolant was low, refilling the reservoir will only remedy the situation for a short time. Running low on coolant is not normal and is usually an indicator of some sort of leak.
5. Always be prepared. Once you vehicle has been taken care of, it's a good idea to stay prepared just in case you ever have the same issues again. Carry extra coolant in your car and remember to keep an eye on your temperature gauge.

To help maintain temperatures under the hood at safe levels, be sure to give your vehicle a full synthetic oil change this summer. Remember that there are many issues that can cause a vehicle to overheat. To give your engine the best protection, trust AMSOIL's quality products. Contact AMSOIL Dealer, Dwight Smith at (702) 561-3706 for help finding the perfect products for all of your engines.

 What Causes an Engine to Overheat?

Your vehicle's cooling system is responsible for keeping your engine cool even under the most extreme of temperatures. If a problem develops in this complex system, it leave your car susceptible to overheating, especially in the summer months. These are some of the most common causes of vehicle's overheating:

1. Leaks in the hoses. The hoses in the cooling system are responsible for transporting the coolant that keeps your engine cool. If they develop a leak, your car will lose coolant and leave your engine more exposed to heat.
2. A faulty thermostat. The thermostat responds to the temperatures under the hood. When things get quite hot, it open up, allowing coolant to flow into the radiator to cool down. If the thermostat shuts and gets stuck, your coolant will not be able to cool down, causing elevated temperatures under the hood.
3. A broken radiator fan. The fans under your hood help reduce the temperatures of the coolant that has made its way into the radiator. If your fans aren't working properly, they will not be able to properly cool down your coolant.
4. Blocked passageways in the cooling system. Blockages in any part of the cooling system can be caused by dirt, rust, and other debris. These blockages can impede the flow of your coolant, causing temperatures to rise under the hood.

Give Your Vehicle a Synthetic Oil Change in Ypsilanti

Whether you're looking for a synthetic oil change for your motorcycle, dirt bike, or any other engine, AMSOIL Dealer, Dwight Smith in Ypsilanti can help you find it! To browse our full range of AMSOIL Oil products, check out our online shop. Contact us at (702) 561-3706 for more information about our products or to place an order.