One of the single most important actions you can take to maintain the life of your vehicle’s engine, is to get regularly-scheduled oil changes. In this article, we review the importance of oil and your engine’s performance along with some basic maintenance tips to stay on top of your oil changes.
Why is oil so important to your vehicle?
Oil is one of many fluids in your engine that must be maintained and replenished on a regular basis. Your engine could not function effectively for long without oil.
Oil is beneficial to your engine for the following reasons:
- Oil cleans your internal engine parts from the corrosion and build-up of dirt over time.
- Oil lubricates your engine’s parts during operation, allowing them to function better under the stress of engine friction.
- Oil protects your engine’s parts from temperature and heat, thus keeping your engine from working as hard. This increases the fuel efficiency of your vehicle along with your engine’s life expectancy.
So, we have established that oil is an important aspect of keeping your engine running smoothly. Now, let’s go over some maintenance tips about oil.
Basic Oil Maintenance
Oil is an additive to our vehicle’s engine, which means that over time it is subjected to heat, friction, dirt, and other factors that diminish its capabilities. That’s why regular oil changes are necessary to maintain your engine’s health.
For some of us, we may not worry about the details of changing our oil. We simply make an appointment and get the oil changed. We leave the details to the professionals. Or, you may be the type of vehicle owner that likes to get your hands dirty (and you will with oil), by changing it on your own.
Whether you facilitate your own oil changes or you pay someone, there are some maintenance tasks that are easy and sensible to maintain the oil in your vehicle.
- Oil Warning Lights: Always address an oil warning light on your dashboard. If your oil is low, check the level and replenish it if necessary.
- Check the Oil Level: Find your vehicle’s oil dipstick and check for the level of oil in your engine. You can do this while the engine is cold, although some auto professionals recommend checking oil when the engine is warming up.
- Check the Oil Color: Oil should always be an “amber” color and clear. If you see dark colored or black oil on the dipstick, this means that you are overdue for an oil change. Oil will develop buildup of dirt and sludge over time and lose its effectiveness.
If you determine that you need an oil change, let’s briefly review some key facts about choosing oil.
How do you choose the right oil?
The easiest way to choose the right oil for your vehicle is to consult with your owner’s manual or one of the service professionals at Geller’s Automotive.
There are some things you should take into consideration when choosing oil:
- Viscosity: Viscosity is the thickness of oil. This is important because in colder temperatures, the viscosity of oil must be lower (i.e. the oil is thinner), so it can circulate through your engine faster and easier.
- SAE Rating: The SAE, or Society of Automotive Engineers, has developed a rating that provides you with information the viscosity in both cold and warm temperatures. For example, a 10W 30 Oil indicates that it has a viscosity rating of 10 in Winter and a viscosity rating of 30 when the engine is at 212° Fahrenheit.
- Conventional or Synthetic Oil: More recent oils are synthetic, meaning they were developed in laboratories to comply with specific needs of today’s engines. Synthetic oils can handle a range of temperatures, but they cost more to manufacture. This cost is passed on to the consumer. However, synthetics do not need to be replaced as frequently as conventional oil.
How often should you get an oil change?
The frequency of oil changes really depends on a few things:
- The type of oil you choose,
- Your specific vehicle requirements, and,
- Your driving habits.
For most vehicles, getting an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles is the standard. Synthetic oils can go without oil changes up to 15,000 miles.
Trust your next oil change to the professionals at Geller’s Automotive, located in Byram Township, NJ. Our technicians can assist you in selecting the right oil for your vehicle and will change the oil and filter accordingly.
