How often and why should you change your car’s engine oil? Experts recommend changing it every 3,000 to 7,500 miles.
How do you know exactly when to change your car’s oil? What are the different types of oil and what are the benefits of changing your car’s oil frequently? Here is a guide:
Benefits of Quality Engine Oil
Engine oil is the blood of your car’s engine. It supports lubrication, heat regulation, contaminant removal, and improved efficiency. It also prevents the buildup of engine sludge, oil that’s broken down into a contaminant.
There are several key reasons why it’s a good idea to change your car’s oil regularly. You also have several types of engine oil to consider, such as conventional, synthetic, synthetic blends, and high mileage.
1. Health and Longevity
Fresh, clean engine oil improves your vehicle’s health and longevity. It prevents destructive friction, overheating, and wear.
A clean, well-lubricated engine lives longer and performs optimally over its lifetime. The average engine lifespan is 10 years or 200,000 miles, but attentive engine care and maintenance can positively affect this number.
2. Improved Performance
When your engine receives the benefit of new, fresh oil, it’s evident in the performance. Fresher oil helps your engine perform at its best, getting more miles per gallon. Clean oil removes metal particles, dirt, and debris, improving engine performance, efficiency, and longevity.
3. Enhanced Fuel Efficiency
Have you ever wondered how some vehicles consistently get double-digit miles per gallon? They use quality oil, which directly affects your engine’s fuel economy.
Clean engines with fresh oil get more miles per gallon. This allows you to go further, more frequently, before you have to refill your gas tank.
4. Prevention of Overheating
Engine oil lubricates and cleans your engine, enhances its efficiency, and prevents your engine from overheating. As clean oil circulates throughout your car’s engine, it absorbs any engine’s heat generated through combustion.
The engine then shuttles the heated oil away to a heat exchanger. The exchanger absorbs heat, sending cooler oil back into the engine to maintain the process.
Types of Car Oil
1. Conventional Oil
There are four main types of car oil, all mentioned above. Conventional oil is the original standard that circulated throughout internal combustion engines (ICE) of yesteryear.
It continues to lubricate the engines of gas-powered vehicles today. Conventional oil is a basic engine oil derived from crude oil. It works in a modern ICE, and it’s acceptable for daily driving.
2. Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil, which comes from chemically modified compounds, is far superior to other types of oil. Its durability, longevity, lubrication, and debris-removing properties improve extreme-temperature performance while offering lubrication and protection.
Synthetic oil is a great option for low- or high-performance vehicles. It typically delivers impressive results and has a change interval of 15,000 miles.
3. Synthetic Blend Oil
Aptly named, this engine oil combines synthetic and conventional oils. It delivers a combination of benefits associated with each type of oil.
It works well in vehicles assigned for use in hot weather or heavy-duty use. Its change interval is roughly 7,500 miles.
4. High-Mileage Oil
This oil is a special formulation for vehicles with more than 75,000 miles. Its additives reduce wear, leaks, and oil consumption in much older models. The change interval for high-mileage oil depends on the base oil used in its recipe.
Discover more about different types of car oil. Then, treat your car to high-quality oil for the premier long-term performance.
Published by: Josh Tatunay
