How to Maintain Your Ford’s Engine?

If you debated about what the most vital part of a Ford is, it’ll take days. Battery, brakes, steering wheel, and suspension all play a critical role in keeping your Ford on the road. However, they would be of no use if the your vehicle’s engine isn’t working. This makes engine the most important part of your Ford vehicle. Since engine is so important, it goes without saying that you need to maintain it to stay on the road.

Maintaining Ford diesel engine is a lot harder than maintaining gas-powered engines. Diesel engines are different from gas engines as they ignite the mixture of fuel and air by compression heat and don’t require moving parts – such as distributor motors – and spark plugs.  Although more work is required to maintain diesel engines, their maintenance is less costly.

What happens if you fail to take care of your Ford vehicle’s engine? Failure to maintain the engine may kill it, leading to costly repairs. Therefore, it is essential for you to maintain the engine of your Ford vehicle. How you can do that?

1.  Change Oil Regularly

Check the owner’s manual to see how frequently the engine oil should be changed. Think of it as new sneakers. It feels great to wear brand new sneakers – cushioned insoles provide comfort and support your legs. But, if you wear them regularly, they will soon wear out and become uncomfortable.

Similarly, dirty, old oil will shear after some time – meaning it eventually breaks apart at molecular level. When that happens, the engine oil losses its viscosity. Sheared engine oil increases oil consumption and wear, ultimately leading to engine damage.  

Therefore, when your Ford needs an oil change, attend to its need.

Use the Proper Oil Filters

Make sure to use proper filters. Check the recommendation of the Ford’s manufacturer to ensure that your filter meets the expectations. Oil filters are necessary to keep the oil clean and to ensure that abrasive contaminants don’t damage engine parts. A good quality oil filter must be used because the filter’s internal construction will decide whether your engine lasts long or fails sooner.

2.  Use Diesel Treatment

Impurities in the diesel fuel can reach your Ford’s engine and damage it. Diesel treatment can protect your engine from these impurities. That’s not all. Some diesel treatments can provide a power boost to your Ford. Everyone wants their vehicles to move with higher efficiency, right?

The right diesel treatment will ensure that your Ford engine burns fuel more efficiently. This gives more power to each piston stroke. When the diesel treatment takes effect in your engine, it’ll perform like a new Ford engine and you’ll see a major difference in your vehicle’s performance.

3.  Check and Change Air Filter

Diesel engines use more air than gas engines, which is why their air filters require extra attention. You should check the air filters more often to ensure that they aren’t dirty. If your air filter is clogged, it will cause a lack of power when accelerating. The air filter can also rip through if it’s too old, allowing dust and sand to enter your Ford’s engine.

4.  Avoid Idling

Avoid excessive idling if you want to protect your diesel engine from damage. At the idling state, combustion temperatures aren’t high enough to effectively burn fuel. This is why some fuel gets past rings and enters crankcase oil and also builds up on the tips of the injector. Due to this reason, you should avoid idling for more than fifteen minute. This may be harder for you to sidestep in winter months; however, you must do that if you wish to increase the life of your engine.

5.  Check the Gaskets

Due to exposure to extreme conditions, gaskets on your diesel engine can wear out after some time. If a gasket starts to leak, you should replace it. However, remember to never replace a single leaky gasket, but replace them in a set. If one gasket starts to leak, others will soon follow.

Re-torque the mounting bolts of your Ford’s engine regularly to ensure there are no leaks. Check the coolant hoses as well since they can quickly deteriorate if they’re loose. Engine vibrations often cause these kinds of issues.  

6.  Drain Water Separator

If you want to increase your engine’s longevity, properly drain its water separator on schedule. A modified filtration and pump are specifically available for diesel engines of Ford vehicle that collect water from fuel. They are often located near fuel filter. If your vehicle doesn’t have a water separator, have it installed to save yourself from a bunch of dollars on repairs.

7.  Don’t Wash

There’s no point of washing your Ford’s engine. In fact, it can actually prove to be damaging for the engine. There are certain components in the bay that aren’t designed to handle water. For instance, some electrical connectors may corrode if water gets inside the engine. If you do want to clean the compartment of your engine, get it done by a professional.

The tips we have provided above will help increasing the longevity of your Ford engine. So, if you wish to keep your Ford vehicle in top condition over the years, focus on maintaining its most important part – the engine. In case you haven’t been following the listed practices before, it is time for you to consider them.

If you require any part for your Ford vehicle, visit Ford Parts Center. We have replacement diesel parts for your Ford vehicles. Specific parts for your Ford Escape, Edge, Explorer, Expedition, Focus or Excursion can be found at our website.

For more information about Ford vehicle maintenance and latest news regarding Ford, stay tuned to our blog.