Racing 101: 5 Tips to Keep Your Car Engine Working

Racecar engines endure lots of stress.

The engines are designed and tuned to offer optimal power and torque at high revolutions per minute (RPMs). As a result, they produce extreme pressure and heat.

Therefore, the demanding nature of race car engines calls for proper maintenance to keep your engine running.

On the contrary, normal car engines support comfortable driving and long-term use. As such, engine power is distributed over RPM ranges to develop linear acceleration.

Apart from stress, race car engines also break down due to the following reasons:

• Planned failure
• Engine design

Whether your race car is brand new or you’ve used it for several years, proper maintenance can keep it running when you hit the road.

It also doesn’t matter whether yours is the Small Block Ford or Ferrari V12. Other popular engines for car racing include:

• The BMW S14
• The Nissan Turbo 6s
• The Small Block Chevy
• The Porsche flat 6 and 12
• The Ferrari F1 V10

Here’re tips to keep your race car engine in top running condition.

Top 5 Maintenance Tips for a Race Car Engine

1. Change engine oil regularly

Oil lubricates the various parts of your engine and keeps them from overheating.

Change your engine oil regularly to keep the engine functioning and prevent permanent damages that occur over time.

Some older engine models require engine oil change more regularly than modern car engines. According to Cars.com, a modern auto engine requires an oil change every 5,000 miles or 8,047 kilometers.

What’s your car manufacturer’s interval suggestion for an engine oil change? You can find the information on your car’s manual or online.

• Keep the engine ventilated

When training, you work out, run, eat well and rest almost daily. You also take deep breathes before taking off on a marathon to achieve good performance.

Similarly, your race car engine runs, burns oil, and gets rest when not in use. It also needs enough air for optimal performance.

Car engines, just like humans, require consistent airflow (apart from fuel) to keep running. Clean air without restriction or debris and other impurities should flow into your car’s engine consistently to keep it functioning.

Air filters prevent leaves, bugs, dirt, and other junk from entering your car’s engine. Replace your air filters when they become clogged. However, they usually last long before the need for replacement arises.

A dirty and clogged filter is inefficient and prevents your engine from breathing properly. It can also allow junks into the engine, impairing its performance.

• Protect your engine from overheating

Make sure that your cooling system is functioning properly to protect the engine from overheating.

An engine’s cooling system includes:

• A thermostat
• A radiator
• A coolant
• A water pump

Your engine’s coolant or radiator fluid should never go low to prevent overheating. With a good amount of the fluid circulating in the engine, your engine won’t overheat.

The thermostat tracks the temperature of the engine. When it determines increasing temperature, the coolant circulates to cool it down.

The water pump is responsible for pulling the coolant into the engine block from the radiator and back to cool it down.

Lift up the hood to look into the coolant tank and determine its level. The tank is usually clear with orange or green liquid in it. The coolant level should be between the maximum and minimum marks.

• Look out for leakages

You can easily spot or smell engine leakage without mechanical skills. When antifreeze and oil leak from your engine, you can easily see or smell the fluids.

Engine hoses can fail due to extreme pressure or high heat. Cracked or old rubber engine hoses can easily cause fluids such as antifreeze to leak.

Rubber seal or silicon joints can also cause leakage. The seals can easily break down over time, allow fluids to flow or leak out of the engine.

Look beneath your car from time to time to check for leakages.

• Invest in a life alert system

The life alert system can protect you or a loved one during a medical emergency situation. Whether you engage in car racing or have a senior family member who races from time to time, they can benefit from using the alert system.

Some of the list packages it comes with include:

• Life alert mobile
• 24/7 one-touch button for paramedics
• Home intrusion
• Shower emergencies

With the alert system, you keep your health in check to be able to service your engine and race car to continue racing.

Other ways of protecting your race car engine include:

• Checking engine belts for cracks and wears
• Filling up your gas tank before it runs low
• Buying gas from reputable stations
• Checking engine lights when they turn on
• Replacing the oil filter
• Changing the wires and spark plugs

When all is said and done, your race car engine will function properly each time you hit the road. Regular maintenance of your engine can reduce costs on repair, improve its performance, and maintain or prolong its lifespan. What’s more, you live longer to ensure that your engine keeps running!