From basic engine oil changes to engine repair work to a complete engine rebuild, a mechanic can carry out a wide range of maintenance and repair jobs on your car's engine to extend its lifespan and keep it running safely and reliably while on the road.

While your mechanic can provide various engine-related services to keep your car running smoothly, you also have a role to play in taking care of it. Here are some important tips for keeping your car operating at its best throughout its lifespan.

Always ensure your car has enough engine oil

The oil that flows in your engine is essential to your car's performance in a variety of ways. Its primary job is to keep all the moving parts of your engine properly lubricated for smooth operation. Without it, those parts will grind against each other, ruining the engine.

Engine oil also helps absorb and transfer heat away from the engine, thus preventing overheating problems. In addition to this, it acts as a medium for carrying dirt and contaminants to be removed from the engine by the oil filter.

To keep your engine healthy, it's important to ensure your car always has a sufficient amount of engine oil. Get into the habit of checking it. Fortunately, checking your engine oil level isn't rocket science.

All you have to do is to follow this simple procedure:

1. Wait until your engine is warm and parked on a flat surface.
2. Turn off your engine and let the oil settle.
3. Remove the dipstick for the oil out of the engine block and wipe it clean using a paper towel. 
4. Re-insert the dipstick all the way in, wait a few seconds, and then pull it out again to check the level. 

The oil level should be anywhere between the two marks. Otherwise, your car is at risk of breaking down due to having insufficient oil.

Never ignore any engine noises

When your engine is running smoothly, it should provide quiet operation. If you start hearing loud or unusual noises coming from your engine while you're driving, this is a sure-fire warning sign of engine trouble.

There are many types of engine noises you may pick up. The most common ones include grinding, clunking, squeaking, knocking, banging, rattling, clicking, tapping, whining, popping, hissing, shrieking, and many more. Each type of noise points to specific engine problems that will only exacerbate and lead to costly engine repair or replacement if ignored. 

If you have a noisy engine, you should have a mechanic check it immediately.