Expert mechanic reveals how to avoid engine ‘black death’ in your motor’s oil cap – there’s an easy solution
AN expert mechanic has revealed an easy trick you can use to avoid engine “black death” in your motor’s oil cap.
Plenty of motorists try and ease the burden on their engine by driving cautiously – but could that be doing more harm than good?
Motors whizz Scotty Kilmer urged his YouTube viewers to hit the highway and crank up the revs now and again to beat a pair of car-killing problems.
He explained that driving fast (within the speed limit of course) actually has a range of benefits for your vehicle.
The mechanic of over 50 years said: “Driving your car faster is often good for it.
“Modern engines are made to run at higher speeds to exercise them.
“If you only ever drive 30mph or less, your engine can actually get clogged up with carbon deposits.
“When you drive at highway speeds petrol, which is actually a good solvent, can clean your valves and piston rings.”
Carbon deposits, known by petrolheads as “black death” due to their colour, are a serious issue if allowed to build.
When fuel enters your engine, it is often not totally burned and carbon can form in the exhaust system as a byproduct.
If left unchecked, these rock-hard deposits can make your engine less efficient, ruining your fuel economy and costing you hundreds.
In the worst cases, carbon build-up can actually cause the engine to seize, meaning you have to shell out thousands for a replacement.
However, as Scotty said, at higher revs, petrol is able to shoot through the valves at high pressure and performs a cleaning and partially lubricating function.
This can help prevent the accumulation of carbon and leave your car actually performing better.
Likewise, Scotty warned: “If you take your oil cap off and instead of seeing oil you see white frothy stuff, that means there’s water condensation in your oil.
“But when you drive at faster speeds for an hour or more, the engine gets hot enough that it actually evaporates the water and it goes away.”
It comes after another expert revealed a 20p wonder goo that can erase scratches and leave your car looking brand new in seconds.
