The Importance of Changing Your Oil, Part 2

 
Welcome back to our series covering the importance of oil changes.

In Part 1, we covered three issues that can occur if a vehicle’s oil is not changed regularly, namely engine failure, sludge accumulation and efficiency woes.

That said, Part 2 tackles four more potential issues, so let’s jump in …

1. ENGINE WEAR

Engine parts break down and wear down more severely the longer you haven’t changed the oil. That thick, dirty, sludgy oil we talked about in Part 1 becomes abrasive, and continues to cycle through the engine, picking up more dirt, and becoming even more abrasive — wearing down an engine.

In addition to breakdown, corrosion can also occur because the protective barrier created by fresh motor oil breaks down over time, resulting in exposed metal surfaces that can eventually lead to corrosion and rust.

2. OVERHEATING

Lack of lubrication causes more friction, and in addition to damaging engine parts also causes overheating of an engine. What happens is that without the proper lubrication, heat builds up because it’s not being transferred away from the combustion chamber efficiently. This type of overheating can cause damage to engine components like valves and pistons.

3. OIL FILTER CLOG

Dirt and debris, those same elements which cause sludge, factor in with a vehicle’s oil filter, which will eventually become clogged if the filter is left unchanged for too long. Secondarily, and potentially more damaging, is the fact that once a filter becomes too clogged, dirt and debris can actually bypass the filter through a relief valve and cycle the dirty, unfiltered, oil back through the engine. This kind of problem can lead to engine shut down.

4. YOUR WARRANTY CAN BE VOIDED

Failing to change your vehicle’s oil on schedule can void certain warranties, which is another reason to keep your oil changes up to date.

This brings us to the end of our series on the importance or regularly scheduled oil changes — we hope you found it helpful!

GET IN TOUCH

If you have any questions about oil changes, or anything else auto related, feel free to contact us anytime! In addition, you can schedule a service online by clicking on the “Request Appointment” button in the navigation above.