Mechanic urges drivers to ‘never ignore’ huge | Tech News

One of the most popular mechanics on YouTube has urged drivers to never ignore a warning sign that could lead to expensive damage in the long run.

Scotty Kilmer has been working on cars for more than 50 years and often posts videos to his YouTube channel in which he discusses how drivers can save money and avoid breakdowns.

In a popular video, Scotty suggested that drivers should get their car checked as soon as they notice that the engine is idling too quickly.

He explained: “Now, this happens to all cars – you start it up and it idles a little faster. Now, often, cars that are ice cold when you start them are supposed to idle a little bit faster to warm the engine up.

“But, they’re not supposed to idle above about 2,000rpm – that’s too fast! That often occurs because your throttle plate is sticking and needs cleaning.”

When a driver starts their petrol or diesel car, the engine should idle at a fairly low speed to avoid burning fuel and generating emissions unnecessarily. Whilst it varies on the model, most petrol cars should idle at about 1,000rpm, whilst diesels run at about 750rpm.

Whilst motorists may find that their car idles at a slightly higher rate during cold weather, in a bid to quickly warm up the engine to offer optimal fuel economy, drivers should take note if their vehicle is revving at more than twice the normal amount.

Despite initially seeming like minor issue, a high idling speed can cause serious damage to key engine components, such as the valve train, flywheel, and clutch – potentially costing thousands to fix.

Since a high idling engine can be caused by a number of reasons, including a sticky throttle plate, a dirty idle air controller, it is important that drivers get their car checked by a professional mechanic.

In most cases, a particular component that helps to control the idling speed will require nothing more than cleaning, meaning the task can be completed reasonably quickly and at a low cost.

However, the fault could also be caused by a vacuum leak, with the extra air in the engine drastically altering the air-fuel mixture needed to run smoothly. This could be a more difficult task to rectify, with the mechanic needing to locate the source of the leak – such as through a damaged hose or faulty gasket.

Drivers should also never ignore a vehicle that runs at a rough or inconsistent pace when the engine is idling, especially if it causes the whole vehicle to shake somewhat.

Known as rough idle, an inconsistent idling speed can result in a number of consequences over time, including trouble starting the engine, worsened fuel economy, and the potential of significant mechanical issues in the future.

Fortunately, the most likely cause for rough idle is due to a component that can easily be replaced, such as worn-out spark plugs, which burn the fuel at an inconsistent rate, or a clogged filter.