Oil Changes And Benefits Of Having Them Done Sooner Rather Than Later
The conventional wisdom is to have your oil changed once your odometer reaches a certain mileage. This is not always the best advice, and you may want to have the oil in your car changed more frequently for several different reasons. There are several factors that can affect when you want to have your oil changed. The following oil change information is going to help you understand when you need to have this maintenance done:
Understanding the Mileage and Oil Changes
The first thing to consider about oil changes is the mileage you put on your car. The standard for oil changes is often said to be several thousand miles, but this can depend on many factors. For example, a gasoline engine should have the oil changed more frequently than a diesel. The type of oils that the manufacturer recommends for your car are other factors to consider. Some oils are more resistant to breaking down, and others may need to be changed more frequently.
Low-Mileage Commutes and Oil Changes
Sometimes, you may not put a lot of mileage on your car, and the oil needs to be changed sooner. Often, stop-and-go commutes can be just as bad or worse than putting a lot of mileage on the engine. Therefore, you may want to change the oil every few months. If you drive in urban city traffic or dirt roads, you may want to change the oil and do other essential maintenance to your car more frequently. You may want to do other things for maintenance to prevent wear in these driving conditions, which includes cleaning the radiator, regular filter changes, and regular inspection of your brakes and tires.
Seasonal Oil Changes to Prevent Problems
There are also some areas and driving conditions where it is better to have the oil changed seasonally. Therefore, you may want to try to time your oil changes for these times of the year. This is due to summer and winter weather and the temperatures that can affect engine oil and other automotive fluids. You want to use thinner oil and fluids during the winter months because they become gel-like in colder temperatures. During the summer months, the fluids should be heavier because they can break down and cause problems with viscosity breakdown.
These are the things that you want to know about oil changes and when you really need them. Contact an oil change service for help with this important maintenance to reduce engine wear.