Get an Oil Change, Avoid Black Death

What is Black Death? No, not the plague that ravaged through Europe, carried by rats and fleas that nearly wiped out the entire population. Although you would be close if you guessed that, "Black Death" in this reference means the buildup of oil and dirt that could seize up your car's engine due to improper car oil maintenance and kill your engine. After all, both of these forms of Black Death did originate in Europe.

Black Death originated in the 1980s, and eventually the root cause was discovered to be faster roads, higher engine temperatures, and insufficient oil change maintenance. This deadly commendation was responsible for turning golden yellow oil into an unrecognizable, black, tar-like gunk that clung to every nook and cranny of a car's engine and ultimately lead to the engine's seizure and demise.

The root cause of black gunk comes down to not changing your oil properly. When you maintain your engine correctly your oil is changed in a set schedule, based either on a mileage or time frame. If you do nothing to regulate your oil change, the oil that runs through your car will become dirty and contaminated with road debris. Then, instead of keeping your car's engine lubricated and cool, your dirty oil will thicken and eventually turn into black gunk.

Anybody who has ever owned a car knows the horror of their engine seizing up, because when it comes right down to it, the most expensive part to replace is not the exterior body, it is the engine itself. The engine is the very heart of any car and if it is not properly taken care of, you could be taking your gorgeous, perfectly groomed vehicle to the junkyard for parts.

It's not hard to avoid Black Death, which is now known-- appropriately-- as "sludge." The very simplest requirement to avoid this disaster is a timely oil change for your vehicle. How often you need to actually change your oil will depend on the type of oil that you use and how hard you drive your car. Older cars need to have an oil change more often the newer cars because their parts are more worn out and tend to go through oil faster. By the same token if you are using mineral oil you will need to change your car's oil more often than if you are using a synthetic blend.

If you're not sure what type of oil is right for your particular type of car, be sure to talk your mechanic and find out what type of oil they would recommend. After all, your mechanic has probably seen more than their fair share of cars that were mistreated, as well as cars that were maintained properly. They have the best understanding of what type of oil works best for your particular type of car needs. The important thing is to change your oil and avoid Black Death.