Paying attention to your car’s maintenance needs is constant care — it ensures performance, comfort and safety, as well as preserving your components and saving money on future repairs.
One of these most important maintenance routines is the oil and filter change. Do you want to know why you can’t do these procedures and why are they important? We answer your main questions about the subject. Check out!
What is the role of oil in an automobile?
Every machine is made up of assorted parts that fit together and work together when they are in operation. Now imagine these components for hours working in motion close to each other.
In this scenario, it is natural that over time the parts of a machine show wear due to friction. When we talk about a car’s engine, this is even more accentuated, since the combustion necessary to make the vehicle move creates violent movements and constant friction between its parts.
That’s why cars need fluids to function properly. The radiator fluid, for example, serves to cool the heat caused by this movement. My friend Bryan who runs All About Fluids has really good guides on car fluids and tips and tricks of different vehicles. If you want to know more about these accessories, make sure you check his site.
Lubricating oil, on the other hand, has the function of spreading out in the spaces between these components and reducing friction on metal surfaces.
Without the presence of a suitable oil, the tendency is for engines to quickly lose their efficiency and even break down, making it impossible to use them without changing several components.
And the function of the filter?
When it comes time to change the car’s oil, there is always a question about the need to change the filter. But what is this filter and what is its importance?
Even with the presence of fluid in the engine, the effort of moving parts will always generate some type of wear. And the result of it is the release of debris in the system.
The oil filter is a component responsible for capturing these impurities and maintaining the oil’s viscosity, in addition to preventing them from becoming another wear agent in the parts.
What is the frequency of oil and filter changes?
Engine oil and filter are two key elements in maintaining your vehicle’s performance and health. While one ensures the lubrication of the parts, the other leaves this system clean and efficient.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain and constantly exchange both. There is no universal period for this procedure. Each car and engine uses oil in a specific way and degrades at a certain rate.
The ideal is to always follow the factory setting indicated in the car manual. It is generally determined on two measures: a fixed period and maximum mileage. Once one of these two measures is reached, it’s time to make the switch.
What are the best practices for exchanging them?
In addition to understanding the importance of changing the oil and filter within the appropriate deadlines, it is necessary to pay attention to how to make this change. To ensure a good procedure, the ideal is to have a dealership authorized by the manufacturer, following the following recommendations:
- use quality oil suitable for your car;
- choose a trustworthy establishment;
- do not use excess oil (follow factory recommendations);
- require a complete change, extracting all the old oil before adding the new one;
- change the filter at the same time as changing the fluid;
- rely on a professional specialized in this type of operation.
If you follow all these tips and change the oil and filter according to what the car manual says, you can guarantee that the vehicle will run better for longer. It will also take less work in the future, and you’ll be able to resell it for a higher price.
