Some car owners trust the wrong mechanics and end up with sludge in their engine.
This is not a new problem in our country. This has been a happening for years and even we in our early motoring life have lost thousands of Ringgit in repair bills to mechanics who have played us due to our lack of knowledge (there was also no social media).
This is why today we offer FREE advice on which trusted mechanic to go to, in Klang Valley only for now for readers who do not know any better.
Here we see a picture of a 6-year old Perodua Alza engine that has a lot of sludge build-up when the engine cover was removed recently. The owner, not a person who reads about cars or has any interest, except the need to go from point A to B daily with minimum fuss is a good friend.
This Alza has been a faithful machine, starts every time, never breaks down and is serviced regularly at the same mechanic for the past two years. Once the Alza warranty was over, the owner went back to his regular mechanic near his home. The regular oil change was done at the mechanic’s suggestion and the Alza would just be dropped of for work and then picked up after, as it was just a short walk from his home.
Just a week ago the Alza owner started complaining about the lack of power and engine hesitation during slight acceleration. He went to see his regular mechanic and when the engine was opened the mechanic blamed the quality of car and not the lubricant that he has been using.
The Alza owner called us to complain about the product, we asked for a picture and it clearly shows the bad quality lubricant used or the lack or it. The mechanic suggested a used reconditioned engine (estimated at RM2,500 before labor) or just a top overhaul (RM1,500 all in) to reduce costs. The car owner asked our advice. We suggested putting the engine cover back and towing the car immediately to our suggested workshop.
First, this is obviously the work of the regular mechanic. They would have been using cheap lubricant or used lubricant or worse, never did an oil change at all for two years (a situation we at www.dsf.my highlighted two years ago about shady authorized workshops and their staff).
Then, with an engine change, there is no warranty when the used engine will seize up or its condition and mileage. With the current engine in this condition, a top overhaul will NOT solve the problem completely. You need a complete overhaul and this is the only and best solution for the long-term.
All car owners must take note. The lubricant used for every car service is very important. The lubricant MUST be changed. The lubricant (oil) filter must be changed at every service. You MUST have a trustworthy mechanic or else you need to wait, watch and question what is being done to your engine. This is how some car owners end up losing a lot of money.
Car owners must take note. What kind of lubricant (oil) have you been using? If your vehicle is running well, there is no reason to switch brands after your warranty is over and you visit a neighborhood workshop.
What kind of lubricant (oil) does your owner’s manual recommend? If your vehicle is still under warranty, using something other than the recommended oil may invalidate the warranty on a new vehicle.
