As a rule of thumb, the normal car has to have a complete change of the engine oil every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. But just to be totally sure, you should refer to your manufacturer’s handbook, or consult the service center that has the best knowledge of and most extensive experience in dealing with the make of your car. Oil, obviously, is important to the car, so do not let this be the source of car problems!
What happens to your engine when there’s not enough engine oil, or it just gets very old?
Engine oil is so essential in keeping the working parts lubed up and protected. Without enough oil, metal will over heat and the engine will run extremely hot. A domino effect may then follow, with the car actually drawing more fuel up to try and keep itself cool. If the situation continues you will have the more serious problem of having the metal parts of the engine actually start to expand under the severe heat.
At this point, the damage is already going to cost money. Allowing it to continue will mean the metals will most likely begin to twist out of shape, and then react against other parts of the working engine. This results in the engine beginning to seize up, repairing which is going to cost a fortune. In some cases, it’s not even worth it to try and go for a repair. (Just buy a new car instead.)
Another problem with leaving the engine short of oil is that small puddles of oil will start to appear under the car. Nothing serious at first, but they will get worse as time goes on. This is like an early alarm system, and will need investigation as soon as the oil leaks are noticed.
Why change engine oil?
One of the reasons engine oil has to be changed is because it has a limited life within the car. It loses integrity and carbonizes. As a result, the carbon will clog up the oil pickup screen, and this will cause less oil to flow around the car and further increase mechanical frictions.
Those same carbon deposits come through the engine ventilation system and will undoubtedly cause further damage to the throttle, which in turn will cause very rough idling. The car is still sufficiently self-compensating to try and keep going, but if you see this warning sign, make sure you do something immediately.
Ensuring that the car undergoes the required regular oil change will help you save a considerable amount of money and time from unnecessary breakdowns and repairs. Remember, too, that when the car is off the road for repair, an alternative method of transport is required. (Which, of course, means further incidental costs.)
So don’t skip or ignore this simple service requirement. To determine when it’s time to change engine oil, just look at the color. Engine oil should not be black; it’s more like a light, transparent, tan color. Black indicates that it has passed its effective life, and that it needs changing immediately.
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