Mechanics Tip: Part Two: In the same manner as giving your vehicle a 2-minute morning “coffee”, as previously stated in Part One (posted Nov 13 & 14/21), this is essentially along the same lines.
Allowing your vehicle to have a proper cool down period before shutting it off, whether it be a gas or diesel, a proper cool down will also prolong its life.
Shutting a vehicle off while it is hot creating a much higher temperature once the motor is off than when it was running, causing heat soak into the head and the block of the engine (the expensive parts). Heat soak or high heat in any engine will soften the rings and tighten the tolerances of the pistons to cylinder wall and the crank to the bearings which could cause major engine failure or seizing. In layman terms high heat over time will cause damage to your vehicle that you will have to fix costing you unnecessary money.
When you park your gas vehicle and are about to shut it off, just wait and give it a 2-minute cool down and then shut it off. Just like you give yourself after a hard workout at the gym – you need a cool down, give that moment to your vehicle – regardless of the season
For diesels, allow a minimum of 5 minutes for this process to allow internal temperatures to lower to a safe level before you shut it off.
This tip is for any vehicle, whether it is a small or large vehicle, heavy duty equipment, farm equipment, motorbike, anything that has an engine really. You will be glad you did.
A little bit of time and fuel is better than having to replace an engine!
