The Importance of Regular Oil Changes in Your Car

Regular oil changes are one of the simplest yet most important parts of car maintenance. It is one of the most crucial car maintenance tasks to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.

Engine oil lubricates, cleans and protects engine moving parts from wear and tear. It also helps to filter out debris and pollutants from the engine, keeping it clean and efficient. Not only that, engine oil also prevents corrosion and rust, extending the lifespan of the engine.

Here are some reasons why regular oil changes are important:

1. Engine Protection: Oil lubricates the moving parts inside your engine, reducing friction and wear. Over time, oil breaks down and becomes dirty, making it less effective. Fresh oil keeps your engine running smoothly and helps prevent costly damage.

2. Improved Engine Performance: Clean oil improves efficiency by reducing resistance between engine components. This helps your car run more smoothly, accelerate better, and maintain consistent power.

3. Prevention of Overheating: Oil carries heat away from engine parts. When the oil becomes old and sludgy, it can’t regulate temperature effectively, leading to overheating and potential engine failure.

4. Extended Engine Life: Routine oil changes reduce wear and tear, meaning your engine is more likely to last longer. A well-maintained engine can add years of life to your vehicle.

5. Better Fuel Efficiency: When oil is fresh and clean, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard. This improves gas mileage, saving you money at the pump.

6. Lower Repair Costs: Skipping oil changes can cause sludge buildup, worn-out parts, and even complete engine breakdowns—repairs that are far more expensive than a quick oil change.

7. Manufacturer Warranty Compliance: If your car is under warranty, missing oil changes could void it. Staying on schedule helps protect your coverage.

Below are the possibilities if you do not change your oil regularly:

Lower fuel efficiency: Degraded engine oil can cause deposits to build up on engine parts, such as the pistons, valves, and injectors. These deposits can limit the airflow or fuel supply to the engine, causing incomplete combustion. The engine may then be forced to increase the fuel-air ratio, which means that now more fuel is needed to produce the same amount of power.

Higher emissions: Incomplete combustion can also lead to higher emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants that can harm human health and the environment.

Overheating: As oil gets contaminated with dirt, metal particles, and other impurities, it thickens. The oil then becomes less effective in flowing through the engine to dissipate heat, resulting in increased engine temperature.

Engine damage: High temperature, pressure, and oxidation can degrade engine oil over time. As the oil loses its lubricating properties, it causes metal-to-metal contact that increases the friction and wear between the engine parts. The acidity in degraded engine oil can also corrode the metal surfaces of the engine.

Sludge buildup: As oil becomes contaminated over time. These particles will settle and cause sludge buildup. Sludge is a thick, sticky, gel-like substance that can clog oil passages and prevent oil from reaching all parts of the engine. This can lead to restricted oil flow, and the engine may suffer irreparable damage, resulting in the complete loss of your vehicle or a very costly repair.

You and your car mean a lot to us, and we want to help you maintain a safe and reliable car for as long as possible.  Call us today to schedule your appointment.