Save your engine, change the oil!

Why is it important to Change the Engine Oil in your car regularly?

It’s funny how my car tells me when its time to change the oil.  No I don’t have some sixth car sense (wish I did though), but have you noticed that when its time to get the oil changed in your vehicle it doesn’t seem to run quite as smoothly? Here’s some insight as to why and what clean motor oil can mean to the life of your engine. 

What does Engine Oil Do? And what happens if it’s dirty?

Engine oil acts as a lubricant and reduces friction within the engine, when the oil is dirty it moves very slowly throughout the engine and makes the internal parts of the engine work much harder, that along with friction causes wear and tear.  Your Engine Oil also cleans out your engine, picking up contaminants and debris as it flows through the system filtering out that debris as it goes through the oil filter, when it is too dirty it is no longer able to pick up any more of this debris.  Engine oil also helps to cool your engine by dispersing heat, clean oil disperses heat more efficiently.

How often should I get my oil changed?

If you are using regular motor oil most mechanics will tell you every 3,000 miles.  I have noticed that most vehicles have maintenance minder lights now and for the most part they are set at every 5,000 miles, if that is the case with your vehicle and you have a question about whether or not you should change it sooner than that, have you mechanic check the oil for you prior to your reminder light being triggered.  Another thing to consider if you don’t want to be in the shop all the time changing your oil, especially if you put a lot of miles on your vehicle, is replacing the engine oil with a synthetic.  Synthetic oil does not degrade as quickly and you can usually go for 5,000 – 7,000 miles before having to replace the oil.  Checking your oil regularly though will help take the guess work out of it.  Oil is usually amber in color, if it comes out black on your dipstick it’s time to change it.   

It’s no lie that keeping clean oil in your vehicle helps it to run more smoothly and it definitely will extend the life of your engine.  It’s a small price to pay in the long run.