My engine oil looks dirty – should I change the oil? Not so fast

You weren’t always one of those conscientious auto owners. It was the luck of the draw that you would remember to bring the car in for an oil change within the recommended number of miles or time. And you never bothered to check the oil. But, the last time you had the car in for some work they told you that it was down more than two quarts of oil.

The auto repair technician gently, but emphatically, warned you that driving without enough engine oil could do serious damage to the engine, especially on these hot days of summer. You got the hint and heartily agreed when the technician suggested it’s time for an oil change.

Since that time, you’ve dutifully checked the oil every time you fill the gas tank. In the process, you’ve noticed something that’s disconcerting; your oil is changed from a translucent golden syrup to an opaque, dirty black. Certainly, that’s not good.

Actually, it is. It’s good, that is. It means that the oil is doing its job. The oil is carrying away particles that could cause damage between moving parts inside the engine block. The oil is continuing to provide lubrication between those moving parts and it’s also reducing and carrying away some of the heat that builds up when metal parts move in close proximity to each other, particularly when one of those parts is moving up and down several thousand times per minute.

If you can’t tell that the oil is bad when it looks dirty then how do you know when it’s time to change the oil?

The solution is to follow the schedule prescribed in the owner’s manual. Change the oil on a timely basis and you’ll know that the oil in the engine is always functioning properly and protecting your engine.

The problem with oil isn’t that it gets dirty; it’s supposed to get dirty. The problem is that, over time, the detergents will break down and the oil will become so full of particles that it can’t do its job effectively anymore. Change the oil on schedule and you don’t have to worry about it, even if your oil looks dirty.

Comments

Is your antifreeze safe from freezing this Richmond winter

You still have time to have it checked Well, there’s no denying it – winter tends to get chilly here in Richmond. We have to deal with snow and ice on the roads, scraping the same off our windows and windshield, and staying warm while we drive. Of course, you had your antifreeze checked before winter rolled into town. What?! You didn’t have your antifreeze checked before winter clamped down on Richmond? So, how’s your antifreeze doing? If you haven’t had it checked, there’s really no way of knowing, is there? This car has overheated in the middle of a Richmond winter. But, on the other end of the spectrum, the antifreeze can also freeze if it's not up to its job. Hopefully, you haven’t had a serious problem with your antifreeze already. If you did, you’d probably know. When antifreeze fails, it’s a potentially catastrophic condition for your vehicle’s engine. You could have hoses that have burst because of freezing antifreeze. Worse than that, your engine block may have crac...

Blocks of ice falling from cars in McHenry could cause accidents or damage

We’ve all seen those blocks of snow falling from behind the rear tires of a car when the snow rolls into McHenry . Fortunately, they’re just packed snow that will disintegrate under your vehicle’s tires as you simply drive right through them, right? Don’t count on it. Those blocks of snow are often packed so tight, condensed by the thaw-and-freeze cycle, that they’re anything but oversized snowballs . They’re often more like boulders. Hit one of those blocks and the collision between the block and one of your tires could send you careening off the road or into oncoming traffic. In some cases, they’re so solid you could pound them with a sledgehammer with little effect. They truly can represent a serious road hazard. The problem is that it’s difficult to tell how solidly they’re packed when you see them on the road, left their unwittingly by another driver. Either way, your best bet is to try to avoid them. But you want to be careful dodging blocks of ice in the road, too. You need...

Timely maintenance is even more important with your Johnsburg Electric Vehicle

Even if you have an electric vehicle in your Johnsburg driveway, maintenance is still critical. You pull out of your Johnsburg driveway and you watch the gas stations go by as you smile from behind the wheel of your EV – Electric Vehicle. Of course, at some point, you will have to stop and charge the battery but you still take some comfort that you’re not standing next to your car as the fuel pumps into your tank. One of the true comforts you take with your EV is that the mechanics of your vehicle are simplified. You don’t have to worry about the engine breaking down anymore, and we all know how costly that can be. But there’s more to your EV vehicle than you may have considered when you first parked it in your Johnsburg driveway. Many of the parts found on gasoline-driven vehicles are also present on your EV. These require the same maintenance as your gasoline-powered vehicle. For instance, you EV still has: Tires and Wheels Brakes Steering and Suspension Windshield Wipers and So...

Performance Unlimited Blog

Search This Blog