Top car mechanic Scotty Kilmer has claimed a simple two-second check could save petrol and diesel motorists from damaging their car engine.
The leading mechanic said simply wiping the inside of their vehicle’s exhaust could reveal everything drivers need to know. The emergence of a “slimy black” solution could be a sign that their car is burning oil and that it has to be looked at. Letting cars continue to run without acting could backfire, with engines likely to become damaged and in need of an extensive repair. Scotty issued the tip on his YouTube channel where he provides almost daily updates to road users looking at finding simple hacks. He said: “Just get a paper towel and wipe the inside of your exhaust pipe. See all the slimy black stuff.
“That proves the engine is burning oil because as the oil burns, it’s got to go somewhere and it comes out the exhaust system.”
It means oil is getting into the car’s combustion chamber and will likely lead to carbon buildup.
This can have an impact on reduced engine performance and in time can lead to engine failure.
Burning oil can also lead to an increase in hydrocarbons in the exhaust which could see motorists failing emissions assessments during their MOT test.
Catalytic converters could also be damaged while spark plugs may also be affected.
Experts at ClickMechanic warn the cost of a full engine replacement can vary significantly with bills rising to the thousands.
They warn the work could well set road users back anywhere between £1,000 to £5,000 defending on the extent of the damage and the type of car affected.
Location can also affect costs with garages likely to charge more for labour costs in major cities such as London.
Scotty stressed the simple check could help road users dodge problems when buying a second-hand used car.
He added: “Let’s say you’re looking at buying a used car like this Volkswagen, you want to do that test first thing.
“You want to do this test because oil may be cheap but replacing an engine is not such a cheap idea.”