The Importance of Changing your Oil

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to forget about your car’s oil changes. In fact, modern cars seem to go longer and longer between oil changes, making you wonder why you should even have one done.

So, why keep up with routine oil changes? Because without one, it’s only a matter of time before your vehicle suffers. There are plenty of good reasons why your car can’t live without its regularly scheduled oil changes, regardless of how far technology has come.

Oil Changes Prevent Excessive Wear and Tear

Your engine has a lot of moving parts, each one built to exacting tolerances to deliver the best possible performance and mileage. Needless to say, lubrication plays a big role in keeping these parts in great working condition. Fresh engine oil does that job wonderfully, but things change as the miles roll on.

The more your car uses its oil, the more it becomes worn out and contaminated with gunk and debris. Dirty engine oil has a tougher time lubricating the various moving parts in your engine. In turn, this can cause those moving parts to wear out faster and need repairs or replacement sooner. Contaminants can also make your oil more corrosive when in contact with metal parts, opening the door to internal rust and corrosion.

Putting off an oil change can put your car’s engine in danger of excessive wear and tear. More wear also equals less performance as time goes on. Put it off long enough and you’ll eventually need an expensive engine rebuild or replacement.

Oil Changes Keep Things Cool

Engine oil does more than lubricate parts – it also keeps them relatively cool by reducing excessive friction. Less friction means less heat between moving parts, which ensures engine temperatures don’t climb into the red as it operates. And like coolant, engine oil also moves heat, albeit a small amount. Most vehicles even have oil coolers that help move heat away from the engine.

It’s not uncommon for engines to overheat thanks to dirty oil, especially oil that wasn’t changed in months or even years. Changing the oil on a regular basis prevents excessive heat buildup. The end result is an engine that stays out of the red temperature zone.

Oil Changes Keep Things Clean

As we’ve mentioned earlier, skipping on oil changes can lead to major gunk and debris buildup. These issues can transform your engine oil from a golden-brown fluid to thick, black sludge. Don’t forget about the varnish and hardened build-up that forms in neglected engines as time goes on. Sludge and fallen oil build-up can both clog up oil galleries, potentially starving your engine of oil.

These issues often result in engine oil that’s not as effective at running your engine smoothly as it should be. Fortunately, regular oil changes help keep your engine clean by flushing those unwanted contaminants. Having fresh, clean engine oil ensures your vehicle performs like a champ.

Regular Oil Changes Save You Fuel

With dirty engine oil, your car struggles to reach its peak performance. Moving parts become harder to move, which in turn takes more fuel to motivate them. Eventually, you’ll notice that your car uses more fuel than it normally does. Increased fuel consumption can also have a negative impact on emissions, which isn’t good if your area requires frequent emissions inspections.

Routine oil changes take care of that problem by flushing out all of the contaminants that hinder optimal vehicle performance. The end result is an engine that’s more fuel efficient, meaning you won’t have to visit the gas pump so often.

The Best Time to Change Your Oil

As a general rule of thumb, most cars will need an oil change every 5,000 to 7,000 miles or at least every 6 months if you don’t drive your car often. Of course, these figures vary depending on your vehicle, including the make, model, engine type, how often it’s driven and how it’s actually used. If you drive your vehicle on dusty roads, in stop-and-go traffic or while towing or hauling heavy loads, then you’ll need oil changes more frequently and at fewer miles.

Not sure about when your car needs an oil change? You’ll find answers in your vehicle owner’s manual. You can also turn to the service team at Sport Chevrolet. Our Certified Service experts know exactly what your vehicle needs and when it needs it. Give us a call or visit us online to schedule your next oil change with us.