Time To Change Oil On Your Engine

So who is right?

Read more: Why you shouldn’t let your gas tank run below 1/4 full

Driving in hot traffic? You need more frequent oil changes

To reconcile the varying points of view, you’ve got to consult your owner’s manual and use a little bit of common sense. Most owner’s manuals for newer vehicles will tell you it’s acceptable to go 5,000 miles between oil changes under normal conditions. But you should drop to 3,000 miles if you drive under severe conditions.

Severe driving conditions can take a toll on just about every part of your car — both inside and out.

But what exactly are severe conditions? AAA defines them as the following:

    Driving on short trips of less than five miles in normal temperatures or less than 10 miles in freezing temperatures.

    Driving in hot weather stop-and-go traffic.

    Driving at low speeds of less than 50 miles per hour for long distances.

    Driving on roads that are dusty, muddy or have salt, sand or gravel spread on the surface.

    Towing a trailer, carrying a camper (if a pickup truck) or transporting items on a roof rack or in a car-top carrier.

    Making “jack rabbit” stops and starts — the kind people tend to do when racing from traffic light to traffic light.

If you’re just driving back and forth to work during the week, and to soccer fields and baseball games during the weekend, then there’s really no sense in changing your oil every 3,000 miles.

A couple of years, a Consumer Reports study put the brakes on the myth of the 3,000-mile oil change. They found no noticeable difference in engine protection whether you changed the oil every 3,000 or 7,500 miles.

Ultimately, this one has to be a personal decision. Maybe you’re comfortable changing every 3,000 miles and think 7,500 is too long to wait. Then why not split the difference and do it every 5,000 or so miles? You’ll be saving about a third by going those extra miles between oil changes.

Experts say a $20 oil change is the best preventative maintenance you can do. So the interval is really up to you as long as you don’t exceed what’s recommended in your owner’s manual.

Oil is vital to your car’s health and longevity. It circulates throughout your engine, reducing friction between moving parts and carrying off heat, varnishes and carbons—things that can lower your car’s performance. Oil also contains additives that clean dirty engine parts, prevent oil sludge from building up, stop oil from breaking down under high temperatures, stop rust and corrosion and improve flow (viscosity).

How often should you change your oil?

The old guideline was every 3 months or 3,000 miles. But with today’s advanced oil chemistry and engine technology, oil change frequency is changing. It’s not uncommon now for car owners to change the oil in their cars or trucks every 7,500 or 10,000 miles. Longer intervals between changes are not only easier on your wallet, but also on the environment—as there’s less dirty waste oil to dispose of. Nevertheless, check your owner’s manual and don’t go beyond the carmaker’s recommended interval.

What if you never change your oil?

The more heat, varnish and carbons that oil collects, the less effective it becomes. If not changed, it will eventually degrade into sludge, which can clog up your engine and wear out your pistons. Repairing that kind of damage is a lot more expensive than a simple oil change.  

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Created on Dec 24th 2017 21:37. Viewed 329 times.

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