Here Are The Benefits Of An Oil Change On Your Car
There are plenty of benefits for doing an oil change on your car. The main goal is to keep your engine running smooth and to its greatest potential. Regular oil changes can save the life of your engine and save you money in possible repairs due to unclean or broken-down oil.
Oil Change on your car: Objective
Your engines oil lubricates all the moving parts of your car’s engine. This allows your engine to run at its maximum capacity and help extend the life of the engine.
Over time, oil breaks down and loses viscosity. It can get thick and gummy which does not allow it to move as freely through the engine to keep all parts running effectively.
The engine produces little shavings of metal and debris that can clog up the oil filter and enter the oil, these fragments then get passed through the engine and can cause malfunction of the engine.
Keeping clean, fresh oil in your car along with a fresh oil filter is imperative to keep the engine running as it is designed to run. Doing regular oil changes on your car will prolong the life of your engine and can provide you with many trouble free years of good service.
Oil Change on your car: How do you know there is an issue?
The first indicator might be that the engine light on your dashboard comes on. If this happens, get off the highway and check the oil as soon as you are able. Running with low oil can cause serious damage to your engine and if the oil gets too low the engine can seize up and stop running.
Another sign might be oil leakage in your driveway or in your garage. If you see oil spots under your car, you will want to have an auto technician check this as soon as possible. Chances are you may have a leak that needs to be repaired, or it could be that the oil filter wasn’t put on tight after your last oil change.
And, if you see black smoke coming from your tailpipe, chances are you have a problem with the oil and you may need to have an oil change to your car.
Mechanic or Do It Yourself?
Having a mechanic do your oil change is a good idea if you do not have much experience with car engines. A mechanic will change the oil in your car and check other areas that may need attention. He may check the belts for wear and tear, the cleanliness of your battery and spark plugs. He may also fill the transmission fluid, steering and brake fluid, and windshield wiper fluid. Having these things checked at the same time will give you added peace of mind and keep your car running in top condition.
If you have experience yourself, doing your own oil change can save you money. It is a good suggestion to check over all other items mentioned above to help keep your car running full capacity.
How Often Do I Change the Oil in My Car?
It used to be a pretty standard suggestion of every 3,000 miles or 3 months, whichever came first. However, with new technology in cars, this has become a variable between make and models. It’s best to always check with your manufacturer’s guide that came with the car for the frequency of the oil change in your car.