Replacement Engines for cars, vans and 4x4s

The design of car engines vary, but there are defining features that are unique to particular types of engine. Factors that characterise an engine include the number of cylinders and their arrangement and the type of ignition and fuel used. There are two main fuel types used in car engines, petrol and diesel. Each fuel type comes with its own method of ignition; in petrol engines the fuel is ignited through the use of a spark plug, whereas in a diesel engine the fuel is compressed with a piston until the temperature reaches ignition - leading to the increased efficiencies and improved fuel economy associated with diesels. Cylinder arrangement is responsible for branding a range of engines, including the V and Inline engines, the Boxer and Diesel engines.

Your engine relies on a wide range of parts, all working together to create a piece of engineering genius - enabling your car to move. At the core of your engine are the cylinders, but then you have the pistons, the spark plugs that ignite the fuel, the connecting rods that connect the pistons to the crankshaft and the sump that surrounds the crankshaft. With so many inter-connecting parts in your engine, you can see why it's easy for problems to occur.

As your car starts to accumulate more mileage, there is an increased opportunity for its engine to encounter difficulties with performance, or perhaps to fail entirely. A number of factors can contribute to car engine complications including:

• Wear and tear
• Absence of regular maintenance
• Scarcity of oil changes
• Driving on low oil
• Excessive overheating
• Detonation / spark knocks

Some of the primary circumstances that result in engine failure are:

• Issues with the quality of fuel or emission control
• A lack of compression
• Deficiencies with the spark plug or wire leading to it.

If your car is in reasonable condition and you anticipate it still has years of roadworthy travel ahead of it, updating or replacing it with a reconditioned or used engine is a cost effective option.

Your engine is a precision piece of technology and looking after it correctly will ensure it functions effectively throughout the lifetime of your car. If you think there is a problem with the performance of your car's engine, get it checked out at your earliest convenience - driving with a defective engine can have wider implications and may cost you additional expenditure that could have been avoided. Some of the key measures you can take to protect an engine are:

• Keep your oil fresh - lubricating the various elements of your engine
• Change the oil filter - keeping unwanted dirt out of the engine, safeguarding it from becoming blocked
• Have your spark plugs inspected every 30k miles for optimum efficiency
• Replace the air filter regularly
• Ensure you have the proper level of coolant
• Check for oil leaks
• Check hoses & radiators to prevent over-heating
• Fill up with petrol before your levels get too low.