5 parts of an old car that are not broken should be repaired to have peace of mind during Tet

Talking to reporters, auto engineer Le Hong Dai - Director of Dai Linh Auto Trading Development Company Limited (Dan Phuong, Hanoi) said that on the occasion of the Lunar New Year like now, the demand for bringing cars to garages for repair and maintenance is very high. Some car owners do not spare money and time to bring their cars for complete maintenance with costs up to tens of millions to make their beloved cars "perfect" during Tet.

Engineer Le Hong Dai is "diagnosing" an old car. (Photo: Hoang Hiep)

However, for old cars that have been used for 10 years or more and are now only worth a few hundred million, spending tens of millions of dong on complete maintenance is a big problem. Therefore, car owners who are knowledgeable about technology often prioritize focusing on some parts that are often damaged to save costs while still achieving high operating efficiency.

According to engineer Dai, for "grass cars", the following 5 items, even if not broken, should still be paid attention to in order to have the safest and most secure long trips:

1. Check the coolant system and engine oil

When the car is running, the temperature from the car's engine is very high. Without coolant, the metal parts inside the engine will expand and seize, causing damage to the car. A car cannot operate stably and durably without coolant.

A part of the coolant pump is broken, causing the engine temperature to rise. (Photo: Hoang Hiep)

With old cars that have been used for more or less 10 years, the parts of the cooling system such as the water tank, water pump, wires, etc. will more or less deteriorate. If unfortunately this system malfunctions or leaks, running out of coolant can cause the engine to overheat, overheat, seize, etc., which is very dangerous when traveling long distances.

Therefore, the cooling system in general and the coolant in particular need to be constantly checked. If the coolant is lost, it can be due to many reasons such as a punctured radiator, leakage through the line, evaporation or a broken coolant pump, etc. It needs to be carefully considered to have a thorough solution.

In addition, car owners should also monitor to change the oil periodically. Before each occasion that requires a lot of movement such as Tet, it is advisable to change a little in advance for peace of mind. At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to the type and parameters that are suitable for the manufacturer's recommendations.

2. Brake maintenance

Brakes are an extremely important part, helping to regulate speed and keep the vehicle safe. Over time, the brakes will wear out and harden, losing their braking effect, which is very dangerous. However, many people often only take them for maintenance and repair when there is a problem with the brakes.

Before long trips like the upcoming Lunar New Year, car owners should check the brakes to avoid unfortunate risks when operating the car. Normally, at garages, mechanics will remove the wheels, then remove the brakes to check the pads and oil. Finally, clean the brake pads if they are dirty due to dust, apply brake grease and then reassemble them as before.

After a period of use, disc brakes can become bent, warped or uneven, causing the vehicle to lose its ability to slow down. (Illustration: Otohui)

For disc brakes, after a period of use, under the impact of braking and the external environment such as soil, rocks, temperature, etc., the brake disc can warp, making the brake disc rough or uneven in thickness. In such cases, refinishing the brake disc is considered the most effective solution to solve the braking problem.

3. Clean injector, intake manifold, spark plug, air filter.

On cars, injectors, intake manifolds, spark plugs, high-voltage wires, air filters, etc. directly affect the vehicle's performance. These parts, when working well, will help optimize engine power, save fuel, and make the vehicle run smoothly.

With cars that have been used for many years, the injectors, intakes, and spark plugs are often dirty, leading to blockages and clogging. Therefore, you need to pay close attention to these parts. If your car has not had these parts cleaned for a long time, do not hesitate to bring them to the garage for cleaning.

Normally, this part needs to be cleaned with machine and chemicals every 15,000 km. However, for old cars, it should be cleaned more often, about 7,000-10,000 km/time, or even less depending on the condition and status of the car.

"Grass cars" need to have their spark plugs, injectors, intake manifolds... cleaned more often. (Photo: Hoang Hiep)

4. Check the generator

The car alternator is a part that helps maintain the electrical systems on the car. If the alternator does not work effectively or is damaged, there will be no power supply to the ECU to control the fuel pump, injectors, ignition system, etc. to operate. The car will use up all the charge in the battery until it runs out and may suddenly stop on the road.

Therefore, car owners can take the car to the garage to check if the carbon brushes and commutator are worn out so that they can promptly replace or maintain them before each long trip.

5. Maintenance of the starter

The starter or starter that comes with the generator is a part that is quite durable and rarely breaks down. However, if used incorrectly or not checked and maintained regularly, this part will suddenly break down, resulting in a loss of effort and time. With manual transmission vehicles, a broken starter can be pushed to start the engine temporarily, but with automatic transmission vehicles, it can only be towed to the garage.

The most common is that the carbon brush is dirty, the brush shavings stick to the permanent magnet that is fixed to the starter housing (stator) leading to damage to the starter. In addition, if the carbon brush is too worn, the layer of shavings sticking to the commutator will cause a flickering phenomenon when used, which is very uncomfortable.

Therefore, if this part has not been replaced for a long time, the car owner should check it immediately. Checking this part is quite simple and does not take much time. The car owner should proactively ask the repairman to check this part when going for maintenance. If the carbon brush is found to be too worn, it should be replaced immediately.

Above are some parts that should be prioritized for inspection and maintenance to save time and money for peace of mind during Tet. With the above 5 items, it will take about 1-2 hours on average to inspect and repair, but will help the car owner feel relatively secure to enjoy Tet.

However, engineer Le Hong Dai still recommends that car owners should maintain and replace parts periodically to keep the car running at its best. At the same time, there should be a maintenance and repair logbook to monitor and promptly replace parts that have expired. Absolutely do not wait until the damage occurs to repair it, it can be much more expensive.