Does leaving a car outside exposed to sun and rain cause significant damage?
1 Answers
Leaving a car outside exposed to sun and rain does cause significant damage. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can harm rubber and plastic components, such as tires, while rain primarily causes damage to the paint. Here are some daily car maintenance methods: 1. Waxing in circular motions: Poor effectiveness Many people habitually wax their car bodies in circular motions, which is incorrect. The proper waxing method involves straight lines, alternating between horizontal and vertical strokes, followed by a final pass in the direction of rainwater flow. This helps reduce the formation of concentric circular halos on the car's paint surface. 2. Too much engine oil: Causes malfunctions When the oil level in the engine oil pan is too low, friction between bearings and journals increases due to insufficient lubrication, accelerating wear and potentially causing bearing seizure. Conversely, excessive oil causes vigorous agitation of the crankshaft and connecting rod big ends during engine operation, increasing internal power loss and raising the amount of oil splashed onto cylinder walls, leading to oil burning issues. Therefore, the oil level in the engine oil pan should be maintained between the upper and lower marks on the dipstick. 3. Over-tightened bolts: Permanent deformation Many fasteners in cars are connected with bolts and nuts, which require sufficient preload but should not be over-tightened. Over-tightening can cause permanent deformation of connecting parts under external forces and stretch the bolts, reducing preload and potentially causing thread stripping or breakage.
