Vehicle Maintenance 101: All About Oil

Since before you got your driver’s license, you’ve most likely been aware that vehicles need certain maintenance services performed every so often to ensure their safety and integrity on the streets. One of these services is an oil change, which consists of draining and replacing the old engine oil with new oil to help your vehicle run optimally.

Now, as an experienced vehicle owner, you also know how important it is to find the right service center to help you take care of your car, and if you’re searching for an “oil change near me,” then let McCluskey Chevrolet help. From how long an oil change lasts to whether or not you can drive with low or no oil, we’re here to help you understand the importance of oil changes and how they impact your car’s ability to get you where you need to be.

How Long Does Oil Last?

Although there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this, a few factors affect when and how often you should change your engine oil. First and foremost, the type of oil your vehicle needs plays a large role in how many miles you should go between oil changes. Back in the day, we used to bring our vehicles in for oil changes every 3,000 miles; however, with improvements to oil quality, the amount of time between oil changes has vastly increased. Typically, many vehicles can go 5,000 to 7,000 miles between oil changes. For vehicles that take full synthetic oil, this number may increase even more to anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000 miles.

It’s important to consult your owner’s manual to ensure you’re putting the right type of oil into your vehicle and at the correct intervals. It also helps to partner with a service team that can take the guesswork out of this process, setting you up with a service plan and ensuring you always get the right type of oil. Your driving habits are another factor that greatly affects how long oil will last; those traveling more frequently, as well as those who find themselves completing tough work on the job site or traveling on difficult terrain, will require more frequent oil changes. Be sure to speak with your service provider about your driving habits to ensure you’re being set up on the best plan for your engine’s performance.

How Oil Affects a Vehicle’s Engine

Engine oil has a huge job to do underneath your hood, so being sure to keep up with oil change intervals is crucial to your car’s performance. You see, there are many moving parts under your hood, and engine oil helps keep these parts lubricated so they can continue to do their job properly. Daily driving makes oil dirty; the dirtier it gets, the less able it is to do its job. This results in a decrease in your vehicle’s performance, as well as its fuel efficiency. It can also result in major problems developing with your engine, but this can all be avoided by keeping up with regular oil changes.

Can I Drive With Low Oil?

Now that you know how oil affects the engine, it’s not recommended to drive with low oil at any time. This will affect the ability of the oil to lubricate the engine’s moving parts, which will, in turn, cause problems under your hood. Driving with low oil can cause your vehicle to overheat, as the oil helps to cool many of your vehicle’s internal components. It can also cause more frequent trips to the gas station since, as you now know, fuel efficiency is drastically affected by the quality of your oil. Oil also helps to protect your vehicle from corrosion, and when you travel with low oil, this increases this risk.

You may be confused as to where the oil goes after it’s deposited under the hood. Why would oil be low if you put enough of it in when it was last replaced? Well, this is due to the fact that oil tends to degrade over time. Low oil can also be an indicator that you may have a leak, which needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The more you drive with low oil, the more you’re at risk of burning up your engine and facing an expensive repair bill.

Signs an Oil Change Is Needed

One of the first signs that you need an oil change is your oil light illuminating on your dash, which must be taken very seriously. You may also be in tune with how your car drives, and if you notice its performance or efficiency slipping, an oil change may regulate these issues and get it operating in peak condition again. If you’re one to check your oil yourself, pulling out the dipstick and inspecting the color and consistency of your oil can let you in on whether or not it’s time for an oil change. Oil is typically light brown in color, turning darker as time wears on, so if your oil is very dark when you pull out the dipstick, that’s a good indicator that it’s time to change it.

What Happens If My Car Has No Oil?

It won’t take long for the repercussions of having no oil to become apparent, especially now that you know the important role oil plays in your vehicle’s performance. For one, the parts of your engine will not be properly lubricated, leading to a build-up of heat and friction; this will result in your engine overheating and burning up, which will require a brand-new engine in most cases. You can tell there’s no oil in your vehicle when the engine’s components are unnaturally loud; you’ll hear clunking and grinding underneath your hood as the engine’s parts struggle to move without the proper lubrication.

Your vehicle will also stall more often. Again, this is due to the fact that there’s nothing to lubricate your engine’s parts. You may also notice smoke coming from your engine as it overheats, as well as a burning smell emanating from this area. When you don’t have enough oil in your vehicle, it simply won’t be able to function, and unfortunately, once the damage has been done, it’s too late. You’ll need a replacement engine to fix this problem, which can end up costing thousands.

The Importance of Oil Changes

Fortunately, avoiding this is easy when you stay on top of your vehicle’s regular maintenance needs. You won’t have to worry about burning up your engine and forking over thousands of dollars for replacement parts. It all starts with a service center you can trust—one well-versed in working on your particular vehicle, and one that will help craft a service plan that meets your unique driving habits. When you trust in a team like McCluskey, you won’t have to worry about when to bring your vehicle in for service because we’ll have your vehicle on a detailed schedule.

Now that you know how crucial oil is to your engine, you’ll be sure to maintain your vehicle properly. Stop by and let us help you keep moving with assurance, keeping you confident and safe behind the wheel. When your vehicle is operating optimally, you won’t have to worry about frequent breakdowns or other unsafe scenarios occurring. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your time on the open road in a vehicle you can count on.