Changing the oil often, right or wrong? February 16, 2010

Lately there has been a lot of discussion in the media on the topic of changing oil, specifically on how often it should be changed. Some people convince others to change the oil in their vehicles every 3,000 miles and some convince to change it every 7500 miles. Well, where’s the truth? First of all, the major engine environmental conditions which the oil must deal with are friction, intense heat, and contaminants. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Friction comes from hundreds of moving metal parts rubbing against each other. This creates intense heat and pressure which would destroy the engine in a very short period of time. The oil’s job is to provide a lubricating film between the moving parts of the car’s engine to decrease the friction and its negative effects.

In water-cooled approximately 60 percent of the cooling is achieved by water. The oil performs the rest of the cooling function. As it circulates rapidly through the engine, the oil carries heat away from the all internal parts.

Contaminants can build up in the car’s engine in the form of soot, ash, acid, and moisture. This results in dirt in the form of sludge, varnish, and resins that become baked onto engine parts and interfere with proper performance and oil flow. And all this dirt can be either filtered or drained away only after oil change.

All these factors harm cylinder walls and that’s how hills and valleys appear on them as the oil loses its ability to lubricate, clean and flow freely. It results in the engine losing power and eventually in total engine’s death, which can cost up to $5000 to replace it. So, changing the oil more often will prolong engine’s life greatly and it’s kind of a cheap insurance but with huge cash value. The better you treat your motor the nicer it roars.