Oil is the lifeblood of your car. Without it, your engine would become junk within a few miles! It keeps all the moving parts of the engine lubricated and working at peak efficiency. It cools and ensures that there is no metal-to-metal contact that could degrade delicate moving parts like pistons and gears.
Every second, a tiny explosion ignites fuel and air to move your vehicle’s pistons up and down. This creates an enormous amount of heat that, if allowed to build up, can lead to catastrophic engine damage. Oil dissipates heat from the combustion chambers, lubricates all moving parts, and absorbs soot particles from the combustion process.
Oil works hard, which means that not only do you need to keep topping it off, but it also needs to be drained and replaced with new oil every now and then.
Why Do You Need to Change Your Oil?
At some point, even the most advanced car needs an oil change. As carbon particles are absorbed into the oil, the oil becomes less viscous and more “sludgy. Modern oils also contain a number of additives designed to improve lubrication that is used up after a certain amount of time. Old oil is no longer an efficient lubricant, and if it contains particles, it can wear out your engine’s moving parts faster.
How Often Should I Change the Oil?
To compensate for the deterioration of your oil, you should change it regularly – usually every 5-10,000 miles on newer models, or every six months on average. If you don’t drive much, one oil change in a year is often enough, but regardless of how often you use your car, it should be part of any annual or major maintenance.
It also depends on how you use your car. If you only use your car for commuting and only drive short distances, your engine may not get hot enough to evaporate the water that accumulates in the crankcase and can turn your oil into a thick, emulsified sludge. If you drive in very hot temperatures, you may also need to change your oil more frequently and use a higher grade of oil that will maintain its viscosity longer and at higher temperatures.
How Difficult Is It?
Changing your oil is something the average driver can do at home. It is advisable to change the oil filter at the same time so you don’t run clean oil through a dirty filter! An oil change should take no more than an hour, probably 30-40 minutes if you have the right tools on hand.
Leave The Oil Change to The Professionals
If you don’t feel confident changing the oil yourself, you can ask your service technician to do it during your next maintenance.
At Gargash Auto, changing your oil is part of our daily routine. We can make sure it’s included in your annual or bi-annual service, or you can book an oil change when you’re nearing the 5,000-10,000-mile mark. Learn more by browsing our service area, or book a service online today.
