Engine and transmission rebuilds are among the most drastic repair options for repairing your car. Rebuilds are typically required when dealing with internal engine damage. A rebuild requires the shop to remove your engine from the car, disassemble its major components, and replace failing components and easily accessible worn parts.
A rebuild can give your engine a new lease on life, but it's also an expensive choice. You'll often need a rebuild following catastrophic engine damage, but rebuilds can sometimes also be a good idea for an older car you intend to keep for many more years. If you're suffering from any of these three problems common on older engines, an overhaul might be worth considering.
1. Excessive Oil Consumption
Many engines burn some amount of oil. Even some new engines will burn small amounts of oil, especially over extended oil change periods. As a result, defining "excessive" oil consumption can be challenging. In general, if you're adding large amounts of oil between changes and the problem seems to be worsening, you may suffer from excessive oil consumption.
Internal mechanical problems such as worn piston rings are among the most common causes of oil consumption or burning. In addition to wasting oil and harming the environment, oil consumption can cause more internal engine wear and accelerate other problems. A complete teardown and overhaul will typically solve most major oil consumption issues.
2. Loss of Compression
Compression is a critical part of any internal combustion engine. When the pistons in your engine make their downward stroke, they only achieve maximum power by compressing the air/fuel mixture. Loss of compression is essentially an internal air leak, and it can have serious consequences. As with oil consumption, compression loss often results from worn or failing internal engine parts.
Loss of compression can be catastrophic, as in the case of a blown head gasket. Older engines may also suffer from less immediate or devastating compression loss. These situations can lead to hard starts, misfires, rough idles, loss of power, and other major drivability issues. Since the problem will likely worsen over time, an engine rebuild is usually the best long-term solution.
3. Severely Reduced Fuel Economy
Numerous problems can cause a loss of fuel economy, and the vast majority do not require an engine rebuild. However, a severe loss of fuel economy on an older engine with no other obvious causes may result from internal engine wear. Loss of compression and excessive oil clearance (leading to oil consumption) can contribute to drastically reduced fuel economy.
While losing a few miles per gallon can't justify an expensive rebuild, the fuel economy benefits can help make this procedure most cost-effective over the long run. Rebuilding your engine will solve more serious drivability issues while also helping you save a potentially large amount of money through improved fuel economy.
Reach out to an auto service if you need an engine overhaul.
Share8 June 2023
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