How Do You Diagnose Auto Engine Problems?
Engine problems can sometimes be a bit tricky to diagnose. The more common problems, however, are not too hard to figure out. Engine problems are caused primarily by one or two factors: improper maintenance or fatigue caused by normal wear and tear. Diagnosing auto engine problems is the first step you must do before replacing or fixing anything. Without diagnosing the problem, you are really just guessing–and that can get expensive fast. Start the engine. Listen for a steady and fast ticking sound coming from under the valve cover on the top of the engine. Ticking is symptomatic of valves sticking or the engine timing being off. You will need to have a valve adjustment done on the vehicle to correct this problem. Check for smoke coming out of the tail pipe. White smoke indicates that the head gasket on the engine has failed. The white “smoke” is actually steam caused by the engine heating (and trying to ignite) the water in the engine coolant once it seeps past the failed head gasket
