Expedia Engines Guide

Symptom guides

Six walkthroughs, one per symptom. Each one tells you what the symptom means, how to narrow it down yourself, and what to do next in plain language. None of them steer you toward buying anything — including the ones where the answer turns out not to be the engine at all.

Knock

That knock under the hood: what the sound is telling you

A knock that shows up under load is different from one that shows up at startup. How to tell rod knock, spark knock, and lifter tick apart — and which one means park it.

6 min read →

Overheating

Your temperature gauge is climbing. Here is the order to think in.

Overheating is the one symptom where waiting is the most expensive choice. What to do in the moment, the four usual suspects, and the test that rules out a head gasket.

6 min read →

Smoke

Blue exhaust smoke: the downhill test that tells you what is worn

Blue means oil is burning. A puff at startup and a cloud under load are two different problems — here is how to tell which one you have and what it costs to live with.

5 min read →

Oil consumption

The disappearing quart: measure it right before you worry about it

Most oil-consumption panic starts with a bad measurement. The right way to check, the $15 part that mimics a dying engine, and when consumption actually matters.

5 min read →

Warning lights

Check-engine light on? Start with the gas cap. Seriously.

A solid light is a question; a flashing light is a command. What each one means, how to read the code for free, and the lights that are not the engine at all.

5 min read →

Power loss

It will not climb the hill like it used to. Engine or transmission?

Weakness under load splits into two very different problems. How to tell an engine problem from a slipping transmission before you pay for either diagnosis.

6 min read →