A scheduled mile maintenance plan is the best way to ensure that your oil is changed when needed. McCullough NAPA Auto Care offers maintenance plans that provide service and inspections on a regular schedule. But what if you’re not part of a mile maintenance plan, and it’s been some time since your oil was last changed? Don’t fret. In most cases, no harm will come from exceeding the recommended oil change interval by a few hundred miles. After that, however, problems may arise.
What An Oil Change Does For Your Engine
Fresh, clean motor oil is imperative to an engine’s longevity. Clean oil allows your engine’s parts to become adequately lubricated and perform at peak output. Dirty oil is gunky and thick. When that oil is used to lubricate your engine’s parts, severe damage can occur. This is especially true for higher-mileage vehicles.
One of the primary purposes of engine oil is to reduce the friction between internal moving parts. But engine oil does more than reduce friction. Oil also works to cool and clean your engine of worn-on gunk. These three primary functions of motor oil increase engine performance. Dirty engine oil will work to decrease your engine’s performance.
Motor oil will lose viscosity as it ages. This means it becomes thinner and runnier than clean oil, reducing its ability to lubricate the internal parts. Tiny metal shavings may also get mixed in with the oil, causing it to ‘gunk-up’ and get dirty. These metal particles are often responsible for creating complex engine issues as well. Even if dirty oil can maintain cooling properties, the low-viscosity and metal components are enough to prohibit the cleaning and lubricating capabilities that otherwise clean oil could provide.
It’s important to note that synthetic motor oil does not lose viscosity like conventional motor oil, meaning oil change intervals are typically more spread out. But synthetic oil can still become dirty over time. Once you use synthetic oil, do not switch back to conventional oil.
Schedule An Oil Change With McCullough NAPA Auto Care
Oil changes are a straightforward service that every car needs. Schedule your oil change with McCullough NAPA Auto Care and get started on an oil change schedule today!
