CustomPinoyRides’ Guide to Buying a Used Car: Engine Inspection

This the third part of an ongoing series on how to buy a used car. On the second part, we discussed exterior inspection.

Inside the Engine Bay

Open the hood and snoop around in the engine bay. Check if there are any signs of caked oil and grease around the seams of the valve cover, distributor, and headers. If there are, be wary. Repairs can be as simple as replacing the seals, all the way to a costly overhaul.

Inspect the belts and hoses for cracks, and frayed sides.

How’s the Lube?

Pull the dipstick and wipe the oil with a rag before putting it back in. Then pull it out and inspect the oil. If it’s sludgy, or dirty, you either have a lazy owner, or a vehicle with problems. If it has water beads, you might want to reconsider as this may have been a flooded vehicle. However, be awareif you see fresh, clean oil. Scammers may put in fresh oil before an inspection to temporarily hide any defects.

Is the Battery battered?

Check the battery and its connections for signs of corrosion. A clean battery is a healthy battery.

LSD

Now when you’re inspcting a vehicle equipped with a Limited-Slip Differential (LSD), you’ll be able to check if the LSD is working by jacking up the entire rear end, if it’s a rear-wheel-drive; or the front end, if it’s a front-wheel-drive. If you rotate one wheel, and the opposite wheel rotates the same direction, it means the LSD is working. If it doesn’t, then there is a problem as it’s merely acting as an Open Differential.

Note:
CustomPinoyRides’ Guide to Buying a Used Car is an ongoing series. Stay tuned for future updates.

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