Changing oil is the most critical maintenance procedure for your McCullom Lake vehicle

It would be nice if your car would change its

own oil right there in your McCullom Lake

driveway. It's not likely and you may want to

accept the responsibility of making sure it

gets timely oil changes.

Imagine someone who takes their car out of their McCullom Lake garage frequently to wash and wax the vehicle in their driveway. They bring it in for regular maintenance, have the tires, suspension, steering and brakes checked on a regular basis. You’d think they take their car’s maintenance pretty seriously, wouldn’t you?

What if you found out they seldom or never had the oil changed? They pulled out of their McCullom Lake driveway, day after day, kept their vehicle looking tip-top but never changed the oil. Would that make any sense?

Of course not.

Engine oil is the lifeblood of your car's engine

It wouldn’t make sense to do all that other maintenance and not have the oil changed. There isn’t any other maintenance procedure that’s as important as having the oil changed.

Engine oil is the lubricant that protects the engine from grinding itself until parts get so hot they fuse together. And long before your engine turns into a 400- or 500-pound paperweight, damage is eating away at your engine, if it doesn’t have its capacity of fresh and proper engine oil.

When operating properly, an automotive engine runs between 195- and 220 degrees. You need a maximum temperature of 160 degrees to cook an egg. You can burn an egg at the normal operating temperature of an automotive engine. But, if the engine oil isn’t up to the job, look out.

An automotive engine will start to overheat above 220 degrees. When engines overheat, engines risk being damaged. That could occur because you’re low on coolant or your coolant has degraded to the point where it can’t do its job. But it can also happen if the oil is old, dirty or unable to protect the internal components of your engine.

Run an engine without any engine oil and it’s only a matter of minutes before it freezes up into a block of metal. Run an engine with oil that hasn’t been changed and the wear occurs far more gradually. But, if your not changing the oil on schedule, the additional wear and tear experienced by the engine is gradual but persistent.

Timely oil changes are the best thing you can do to ensure the longevity of your car’s engine and its resale value. It’s also the most cost-effective maintenance you can do for your car.

Next time you go out to your car in your McCullom Lake garage or driveway, take a quick look at the sticker on your windshield that alerts you to when your vehicle is due for another oil change and don’t let the due date slip away.

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