Most vehicle manufacturers recommend you perform an oil change every 3 months or 5,000 kilometers.
Breakthroughs in lubrication and filtration can safely extend your oil change intervals. That said, you should follow your car manufacturer's recommendations on oil change intervals while the car is under warranty. If your car warranty has expired, you can extend your oil change and filter intervals by switching to high quality synthetic motor oil and a high performance oil filter. This will reduce the number of oil changes, save you time and money and reduce the amount of oil purchased and disposed. more...
Oil change timing and mileage guidelines change with driving conditions, for example short trips in extreme weather (hot or cold) demands more frequent oil changes.
For maximum protection and superior car maintenance, most oil companies recommend an Oil Change and Filter every 5,000 Kilometers or three months regardless of what type of driving you do.
It is more important as your car engine gets more mileage to increase the frequency of your scheduled oil changes. This will prolong the life of the engine and its components. If you don't have a regular oil change you can end up with accelerated wear and engine problems that may lead to loss of performance, poor fuel economy, and increased emissions and oil consumption.
You may or may not have noticed that oil filters have recently become smaller to save weight, cost and space. The old "standard" quart-sized filter has been replaced by a pint-sized oil filters. Ultimately a smaller filter has less filtering capacity. The smaller oil filters are adequate for 5,000 kilometer oil change intervals but may run out of capacity long before 10,000 or 25,000 kilometers.
Replacing the oil filter every time you have an oil change is highly recommended.
An oil filter's job is to remove solids such as dirt, carbon and metal particles from the oil before they can damage bearings and the cylinder wall surfaces in your engine. The more dirt and other contaminants the filter can trap and maintain the better.
Changing your oil is one of the simplest procedures you can perform to maintain your vehicle's health, but if you don't get your oil changed regularly you run the risk of permanently damaging your car's engine. The standard cue to have your oil changed is every 5,000km or every three months - whichever comes first.
There are a number of moving parts within your car's engine and they all have to overcome friction in order to move smoothly. The crankshaft, for instance, is a piece of metal that is designed to rotate thousands of times every minute. It provides the rotation needed to drive the car, but without engine oil, it would grind and wear at a very high rate, rendering the entire engine useless.
Engine oil lubricates the crankshaft and other parts like it so that they can withstand the extreme conditions found inside the engine block. Beneath the crankshaft, the oil sits in the oil pan and the oil pump directs it to all the areas in the engine that need lubrication. In the process, the oil also functions to help maintain a good operating temperature for the engine.
Because the oil is exposed to extreme heat, it can burn and become sludgy in consistency. When the oil is thick and sludgy, it makes it difficult for the oil pump to circulate it effectively. As a result, every car has an oil filter installed. The oil pump directs the engine oil through the filter, which collects sludge and other defects. Like any filter, it will eventually collect enough sludge that it no longer functions. This is why it's important to replace the oil filter with every oil change.
Naturally, after the oil is drained from your car, it must be replaced. If you put too little oil in your engine, it car will not have enough lubricant to keep its internal parts operational. In contrast, if you put too much oil in the engine the oil can come into contact with the crankshaft, which spins so fast that it will turn the oil into froth, making it difficult for the oil pump to operate. The correct amount of oil will read just under the “full” mark on your dipstick.
As your vehicle gets older, it will begin to burn more and more oil. For this reason you should check your oil level - by reading your engine's dipstick - more frequently. If you have an insufficient amount of oil in your car, the “check oil” light will come on in your dashboard. In this case, you should fill the oil to the correct level as soon as possible.
Gary's Automotive - Over 30 years Ottawa Auto Repair and Service Excellence. Certified Mechanics and the Best Car Repair rates in Ottawa! Quality Car Repair Service - Quality Car Parts. 5 locations to serve you better - proudly servicing Ottawa, Kanata, Orleans and Bells Corners.
Oil Change Ottawa
