How Often Should I Change My Vehicle's Oil?

Engine oil or Vehicle oil is used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. Engine oil lubricates moving parts and it also inhibits corrosion, improves sealing, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.

The combustion of a fuel (normally a fossil fuel) occurs in an internal combustion engine. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-pressure gases and high-temperature produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine. So lubrication is very necessary for proper functioning.

Oil serves many crucial functions, and clean oil carries out these functions better than dirty oil. Oil is relatively cheap, and changing your oil at regular intervals is a very cheap insurance policy to avoid unnecessary major costly repairs. Over time your oil breaks down and your filter becomes clogged with contaminants.

Change of oil at right time help to prolong the life of engine. Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle. So regularly changing your car's engine oil and filter is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running well. It is advisable to check oil before you head out on a long trip. While checking oil it is common to park the car on a level surface and thereafter check oil. While checking oil level it is better to keep an eye on the look of oil. Viscosity is a term associated with oil. It is oil's resistance to flow and shear. It is the single most critical physical property of the oil as it affects both the wear rate and the fuel efficiency. It is best to use the proper oil viscosity recommended by the auto manufacturer as it will protect hot and at cold start-ups.

If the engine functions properly, there is enough lubrication present and almost no metal to metal contact. Oil provides lubrication to the engine and it circulates in almost every part of the engine. It cools parts that cannot get near a water jacket. For example, it's becoming common in sport bikes to spray oil on the underside of the piston to cool it. There are no water jackets at all in your transmission.

Most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the oil once a year or every 3,000 - 7,000 miles. For diesel engines and turbocharged gasoline engines, the usual recommendation is every 3,000 miles or six months. Factors like driving in cold climates, towing a trailer, or aggressive driving, can make it necessary to change your oil more often.