“Because of my role in building engines at work, it’s embarrassing if something is wrong with one of my cars at home,” says Lawrence. “I probably have way more cars than I should, but I regularly maintain all of them. The key is the engine. I have a Chevy S-10 truck, a four cylinder vehicle with 223,000 miles on it, and it’s still running strong because I take the time to maintain the engine.”
Lawrence points out that many drivers at home lose track of regular maintenance activities, and he recommends keeping a log on your computer, phone, or with notes in your car.
“Transmission maintenance, a lot of people will forget. Most people won’t maintain the belts and fuses on their engines properly,” he says. “Antifreeze, oil changes, changing the air filter – these are all things that make a huge difference. Keeping track of what you are doing for your engine helps you keep on top of maintaining your vehicle.”
By following the instructions in the user’s guide provided by car manufacturers, says Lawrence, drivers can make sure they are doing everything they need to keep their vehicles in top shape.
Using the right motor oil is another key to maintaining an engine.
“Oil is like the lifeblood of the engine,” says Lawrence. “It’s not only used for lubrication. It cools engine parts, dampens valve springs, cools pistons –- it serves many purposes. Have you ever put a glove on when you’re hitting a baseball to take the shock away? Oil does that to valve springs.”
He adds that although many people don’t draw the connection, using a high-quality fuel can pay big dividends for a vehicle’s engine.
In particular, using a gasoline that contains a cleaning system to help remove gunky build-up on critical engine parts, such as Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, can make a big difference. The patented Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System has an active cleaning molecule engineered to seek and destroy performance-robbing carbon deposits – more commonly known as “gunk” – that can be left by lower-quality gasolines. Having gunk build up on critical engine parts, specifically intake valves and fuel injectors, can cause the inefficient mixing of air and fuel necessary for proper combustion. This can rob your engine of performance.
For more information about how the Shell Nitrogen Enriched gasolines work, visit www.passionate-experts.shell.com.
Making sure that you are properly maintaining your engine can help your car last longer, says Lawrence. “Nowadays all cars are made well – how long your vehicle lasts comes down to how you maintain and take care of it.”
