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‘It will destroy your engine’ – simple DIY maintenance job can ruin your motor & cost £1,000s to repair, warns mechanic

Plus how to prevent the damage

DRIVERS have been warned about a simple DIY maintenance job that can "destroy" their engines and cost thousands to repair.

Expert mechanic Scotty Kilmer urged motorists to take care as one wrong move could see you needing a whole new motor.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Scotty revealed how topping up your oil could leave you picking up a hefty garage bill.

He explained: "I've seen people put four quarts of oil in an engine that takes four quarts.

"But they forgot to drain the other stuff out - so they had eight quarts.

"It destroys your engine.

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"If you have that much oil it can jam in on the pistons and bend the piston rods, making you need a full engine overhaul."

Engine replacement costs vary by your car's make and model but can easily stretch into thousands of pounds even at the lower end.

However, Scotty added that even going over your engine's limit by a small amount can still damage the seals on your engine.

While this won't leave you in need of a replacement, the engine does have to be removed to repair them, adding hundreds to your bill.

Thankfully, there's an easy way to keep track of your oil level.

Many modern cars come equipped with oil gauges on the dashboard, which will have a maximum limit.

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Always fill your oil to a little below the maximum to account for variations in oil pressure.

Likewise, on older models, you can use the dipstick in the same way, making sure the oil is filled between the minimum and maximum lines on the rod.

Just remember to always check your oil on a flat surface after letting it sit for at least five minutes to drain to its standard level.

And get your oil changed every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, or as recommended by your owner's manual.

You can always do this yourself at home - just measure how much oil comes out and replace the same amount.

Or, if you aren't sure on what to do, it's best to have it done at a local garage for a small fee.

It comes after one driver's DIY oil change left her fearing for her life after her car "exploded" on the motorway.

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