How Often Should I Change the Oil in My Vehicle?

Oil is a vital part of your engine's longevity and daily reliability. Oil lubricates, cools, and protects all internal moving components. There are many types and brands of oils on the market, some claiming to be better than others. Always follow recommended oil usage from the owner’s manual especially in newer cars.

Increase the grade of oil (thickness) on high-mileage vehicles. Motor oils range from 0w-20 to 20w-50. The lower the number, the thinner the oil and vice versa.

New cars such as the Honda Civic may call for the 0w-20. This is because tolerances between bearing surfaces have been greatly reduced with advancing technology. The need for a thinner oil has evolved with that. For instance, an old V8 truck would have required a 10w-30 oil and now that mileage and engine wear have increased, the tolerance has increased as well. So, a thicker oil to take up the space is needed.

Different brands are also recommended by manufactures due to the additive qualities they possess in protecting different metals in an engine. There are also synthetic and conventional oils. The main thing to remember about the difference in these two types is molecular structure. Conventional oil is made from natural earth products and are shaped and sized differently—thus they break down under stress and heat at different rates. Synthetic oil is manmade which means all molecules are the same and break down at the same time.

A common assumption that synthetic oils last 10,000 to 15,000 miles is untrue. Oil that has been used that long has worn down and sludge has already built up in the engine. The same is true with conventional oil. Driving conditions may vary the frequency for oil changes, but sticking with 3,000 miles on conventional oil and 5,000 miles on synthetic oil is a safe bet for change interval.

There are other factors such as climate that need to be considered in determining what would be best for your particular engine. Be sure to ask a mechanic who is ASE certified in engine repair. He or she would have the knowledge regarding what oils are best.

I can help you with that if you will leave a comment stating what make and model you drive and the vehicle’s current mileage.

Call WHEEL FIX IT Mobile Vehicle Maintenance and Repair at 615-496-2544 or contact us on our Web site http://www.wheelfixitmobile.com.