Preventing your engine from overheating on a scorching hot day doesn’t mean leaving it in the garage, it just means learning some tips and tricks.

Owning your own vehicle isn’t just convenient, it’s also great fun! When the weather starts to get hot, you and your friends can head to the beach for the day or you can take your family on a great road trip. However, these great hot-day adventures can quickly lead to you waiting on the side of the road for help to arrive and an engine full of steam. If you are starting to get excited about the upcoming hot weather but also don’t like the idea of your engine overheating, D&M Marketing, LLC has a great post below with tips to help you do just that, along with information on how to manage an overheated engine.

No More Traffic!

While you might think that it’s easier-said-than-done, avoiding traffic is something which you can do, and is a task which can greatly help you to prevent your engine from overheating. If the temperature outside is scorching and you are preparing for a drive, consider these points:

• Check online for any roadworks or traffic congestion and create a new route to avoid it. Even if this means an extra 10 minutes behind the wheel driving in smooth traffic, it’s better than 45 minutes stuck on the side of the road waiting for your engine to cool down and for help to arrive.
• Consider completing your errands and tasks in the evening, when the sun’s rays aren’t as intense and traffic has alleviated.

Use Your Temperature Gauge

Despite what the majority of motorists think the temperature gauge isn’t an instrument which tells you your certain future. Instead, consider it as showing you a glimpse of what could happen if you don’t heed its warning. If you are stuck in traffic and you can see your gauge begin to climb, take steps:

• Can you see ahead that traffic will be moving soon?
• Is there a safe place ahead for you to pull over if your engine overheats?

If you can’t identify either of these, then consider pulling over safely now while you have an opportunity, instead of waiting to get stuck on the road holding up even more traffic. While it may seem silly to pull over before your engine overheats, 15 minutes on the side of the road is better than an overheated engine. Click here to buy Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and help keep your engine in good shape with a synthetic oil change in Covington, GA. To place an order or for help finding the best product for your engine type, speak with a friendly professional at D&M Marketing, LLC by calling (770) 312-7542, or check out the online store.

Resist the Switch!

Reaching for the air conditioner switch has become a natural response when you feel the temperature in the cabin started to heat up. However, as efficient as your air conditioner is, it can be a significant cause of engine overheating. Each time that you utilize your air conditioner, a separate motor is engaged which uses power from your already-struggling engine, causing it to overheat much faster or even at all! Instead, lower all of the windows in your vehicle, including the rear ones, and allow the natural flow is air to push out stale and hot air and encourage fresh air to cool down your cabin.  Not only can this help to keep you and your passengers cool, but also your engine.

What to Do

If you are unlucky enough to see steam pour from your engine, remember that the best and the only thing you can do is to safely pull over and wait for your engine to cool down before driving again. However, it’s also worth noting some things you shouldn’t do.

• Resist the urge to remove the radiator cap to help the engine cool down. The radiator and its cap will be extremely hot, so wait and use your visual cues to determine when the cap is cool enough to remove. Not only can the cap itself cause injury, but the water inside our radiator is hot and pressurized, which can splash out and cause burns.
• Once your cap has been safely removed, don’t immediately refill the radiator with water and coolant. Pouring cold water into your radiator before it has cooled can cause it to crack, resulting in the need for a new radiator.

Improve Engine Performance During Hot Weather with a Synthetic Oil Change

Combined with a regular synthetic oil change, the above tips can go a long way to keeping your engine cool and preventing it from overheating when driving in hot weather. To find out more about the benefits of a synthetic oil change or for help placing an order, speak with D&M Marketing, LLC today at (770) 312-7542. &