Motorists are only just realising that there’s something in their car they need to maintain regularly, otherwise it could cost them a lot of money.
You know that your car’s tyre pressure needs to be checked regularly and that you need fluid so your windscreen wipers can work effectively – but there’s a little-known part of your car you should check out soon.
Motoring expert @chequanxiaoqiao took to TikTok to share that “every vehicle has a critically important accessory,” and if you notice that your car has “weak acceleration” or “jittery idling” and is “wasting fuel” it could be down to something in your bonnet. “Maybe it’s this part that’s broken,” she suggested, as she explained the bit she was referring to was the camshaft solenoid valve.
She said: “This part is not easily damaged; however if not properly maintained, it is very easy to get clogged.”
The expert explained that she was going to share how to clean it, so you don’t have to fork out for improper maintenance. She said you should “remove the screw at the bottom,” saying that a wrench is “very cheap and can be purchased anywhere,” so you should definitely have one in your kit.
Then “pull the plug out,” but she advised that it “might be a little tight”. When she’d done it, it was “dirty” and “covered with oil sludge”.
To clean it, she shared that you should “lay some paper towels on the floor” and get some carburettor cleaner spray. She sprayed it and all the muck came off. “These black substances are the culprit,” she said. “They block the filter, causing the engine oil not to run smoothly.”
Then she recommended putting some oil “on the seal” and then reinstalling the part back in the car. “It’s very simple, and it saves money to do it yourself,” she concluded.
What is a camshaft solenoid valve, and what does it do?
A camshaft solenoid valve is an electronically controlled valve within an engine that regulates the flow of oil to adjust the timing of the camshaft, thereby optimising valve opening and closing for improved fuel efficiency and engine performance across different driving conditions.
If yours isn’t maintained properly, it could cost you upwards of £100 to replace, so it’s worth keeping your eye on it.
