You don’t have to get your car’s oil changed exactly when the manual says, do you? The real answer is, yes, you do. Professional Automotive Services has this information for you about what it means to your car’s engine when you don’t change the oil when you should.
Engine Wear Increases
Two out of the three main jobs that your car’s engine oil handles involve reducing engine wear. First, engine oil lubricates the engine parts, which helps them to move smoothly. Second, any debris, dirt, or even metal shavings from the engine get collected by the oil and then trapped in the oil filter. When engine oil gets old and dirty, it can’t perform these functions, and engine wear increases.
Gas Mileage Suffers
When engine wear increases and oil isn’t able to do its work, your car’s engine is working harder than it is supposed to work. That means it starts burning through gas faster, and it’s doing so less efficiently than it should. You might notice this as bad gas mileage, but what you’re really seeing is your car’s engine being overworked. Getting the oil changed more often helps to reduce the workload on your engine, helping it to run more efficiently.
Overheating Is More Likely
Engine oil helps to keep your car’s engine cooler. It works alongside coolant in order to do so, but if you’re not getting the oil changed when you should the oil isn’t able to do this part of its job. If your car is overheating, check the coolant first to make sure that’s not part of the problem. And if you have waited a while to get your car’s oil changed, schedule an oil change right away.
Engine Failure Is a Possibility
The last thing that you need or want is for your car’s engine to seize up and fail completely, but that’s exactly what happens if you don’t change your car’s oil. The good news is that this is not something that happens immediately. But if you’re completely ignoring all of the other signs of trouble that pop up, you’re more likely to experience a dead engine.
If it’s time for you to get back on track with oil changes, there’s no shame in that. Give us a call at Professional Automotive Services in Greenwood, SC today. We’ll schedule an oil change for you and help you to remember to get the oil changed the next time it’s due.
