Oil Change - How Often Should You Change?

An oil change procedure is one that takes place in the engine of a vehicle. All machines need this done regularly to make sure that it runs smoothly and efficiently. The engine is made up primarily of steel and metal parts. When it is running these parts sometimes meet, clash and encounter each other. A lubricant is necessary in order for these parts to meet with no, or minimum friction. Our means of transportation are very important to our daily lives that many people cannot function well without the use of public or private transport. These transports serve to make our travel smoother, faster and more efficient, giving us convenience.

Recommendations

Car manufacturers sell their vehicles along with a manual that gives detailed instructions pertinent to the upkeep and maintenance of the automobile. Among the many different aspects found in the manual, an oil change schedule is included. Brand new automobiles have schedules that may be more frequent at the start of the usage. After the vehicle has rolled off the ramp from the showroom, many manufacturers request their buyers to bring the vehicle in for replacement of the lubricant at a specific mileage or at the end of a specific span of time. For some the mileage may be at 1000 miles, more or less or at the three month mark, whichever comes first. The maintenance schedule then extends for another three to five months or at another specified mileage mark. After the first two or three recommendations by the manufacturer, service garages may recommend a specific mileage or time when the next oil change should be done. There are factors that can affect the duration of time or the miles driven which a vehicle will need the next replacement of the lubricant.

Factors

Changing of the lubricant may be dependent on the usage of the vehicle, the climate of the area where the car is frequently used or located and the kind of lubrication used on the engine. The usage of the vehicle can affect its mileage. If the manufacturers recommend replacement every 5000 miles or once a year, the owner need not follow this to the letter. In some instances when the vehicle is not used always, time may be the deciding factor when the oil change should be done. Many argue that time should not be followed when the vehicle is not used always but bear in mind that unused or stagnant lubricant may thicken and ultimately be bad for the vehicle. On the other hand, frequently used lubrication gets dirty easily and should be changed around the mileage recommended. The climate of the area affects the need to replace because warm weather tends to heat the oil more compared to colder weather making it prone to overheating. Ordinary and synthetic lubricants can also affect the state of the engine and can affect the regularity of the oil change procedure. Ordinary may need to be changed more frequently than synthetic. Synthetic is also smoother and has less debris in it which makes it last longer.