You would be hard-pressed to find a driver who isn’t worried about getting stuck on the side of the road with steam pouring from their engine. But what can you do?

There are so many conveniences which come with owning a car, one of them being the ability to take your friends and your family away to the beach or on a road trip adventure when the weather gets hot and clear. However, cars driving on extremely hot days don’t always mix well. Before the weather gets to those temperatures this year, TenEyck Distributing has prepared a post to help you prevent your engine from overheating, along with how to manage it if it does happen.

Crossing Your Fingers and Toes Won’t Help

Many motorists believe that their temperature gauge is a sign of what is to come, when in reality, it’s an early-warning tool which can prevent your engine from overheating in the first place. If you find yourself stuck in traffic and you can see the needle climbing, instead of crossing your fingers and hoping that it goes down, start to identify places where you can pull over now, or in the near-distance. The purpose of this tip is to always be ready to pull over if you know that your engine temperature is rising. If you can see that there isn’t space ahead, consider pulling over now and allowing your engine to cool down or traffic to flow, before getting back onto your adventure.

Don’t Stick with Your Old Routes

When the weather is cold out, getting stuck in traffic isn’t too bad because you have the warmth of your car. However, when it’s hot out, it not only becomes unbearable for you but also for your vehicle.

• Look online and find alternate ways to complete your errands which involves fewer instances of you being stuck waiting for roadworks or traffic. Even if it means an extra 10 minutes of drive-time.
• A great option is completing your regular schedule earlier in the morning before the sun is out or later in the evening when the sun has gone down and traffic has reduced.

If you are unlucky enough to become stuck in traffic, you can give your engine a short reprieve by shifting into neutral and revving the engine slightly. This will get your fan spinning and a small amount of air flowing. Click here to buy Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and keep your engine’s operating temperature low during hot weather. Items like this and a quick synthetic oil change is a quick and easy way to improve your engine performance during hot weather. To place an order or to find out more, speak with a friendly professional at TenEyck Distributing by calling (208) 589-4660 or check out the online store.

No More A/C

You won’t like this one, but using your air conditioner is doing more harm than you realize during hot weather. Each time that you switch on your A/C, a separate motor is engaged which puts additional strain on an already-struggling engine. Instead of using your A/C, lower your windows, including the rear ones, and let the natural airflow bring fresh air in to help cool you down and push the hot and stale air out. To give your engine even more of a reprieve, aim your vents towards your open windows and switch on the heat, which will draw hot air away from the engine and outside the cabin.

Worst-Case Scenario

Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, there may just be a time when you find yourself looking at steaming pouring from your engine and you need to pull over. Once you have safely pulled over, it’s important to remember one crucial tip - there is nothing you can do except wait. That’s it. However, there are some things which you shouldn’t do:

• Resist the urge to immediately remove the radiator cap. It, and the radiator itself are extremely hot and can cause a serious burn. Wait until it has had a chance to cool and then slowly and safely move your hand closer to gauge the temperature. Remember that there will be pressurized hot water inside, so ensure it has cooled sufficiently.
• Once you have removed the cap and can see that there is little to no water or coolant left, it’s important that you don’t just fill it up with cold water. Cold water and coolant poured into a hot radiator can cause it to crack, leaving you with the need to replace your radiator before you can drive again.

Keep Your Engine in Good Shape for Driving During Hot Weather with a Synthetic Oil Change in Saint George, UT

Keeping your coolant fresh and topped up along with a synthetic oil change is a great way to improve your engine performance during hot weather. To place an order or to learn more about the benefits of a synthetic oil change, speak with an expert at TenEyck Distributing today by calling (208) 589-4660.