Engine oil is like your body’s synovial fluid which helps your joints work smoothly, and it’s constantly produced by our system, which doesn’t apply to automotive oil. That’s why changing your oil is one of the important checklists you need to do to keep your vehicle running efficiently.
So what happens when you fail to change your car’s engine oil, say for every 3,000 to 5,000 miles? In this read, we’re going to talk about the consequences and importance of replenishing your vehicle’s oil.
What’s The Function of Your Engine Oil?
Motor oil contributes multiple benefits and functions to your car’s healthy operation, which includes the following:
- It lubricates your engine and its many parts to reduce friction
- It helps keep your car engine cool by absorbing heat
- Helps maintain your engine clean and protect it from fast wear and tear
Fortunately, the new synthetic car oils in the market are made better since they are made from 70% to 90% base oils and 10% to 30% additives. They have additives that help prevent corrosion while maintaining proper viscosity.
When Can You Tell If You Need To Change Your Oil?
According to this site, you need to replace your motor oil every 3,000 to 7,500 miles so that you won’t experience any mechanical breakdowns while driving on the highway. Besides, here are the most obvious signs to tell you that you need to change your car oil:
Visible Smoke On Tailpipes
A healthy car doesn’t emit visible smoke on its tailpipes, so if you see one, that means your motor oil is extremely old in cleaning the engine. Additionally, a dark exhaust means there’s a problem with the gasket.
Louder Engine Operation
If you hear a knocking or ticking sound while your car is running, that could mean your motor oil is too old to lubricate the engine.
Dropping Car Oil Level
Upon topping on your oil level, if it quickly falls, that means there’s a problem with your motor oil and you need to replace it.
Coming from A Long Drive
If you have done two or three longer trips than your usual mileage, that entails you need to replace your oil earlier than its expected schedule.
Rough Oil Texture
Color is one sign you can observe to check if your oil requires a replacement, yet it’s not always accurate so another way for you to know is to feel the oil’s texture. If you feel gritty or sandy particles on your motor oil, then it needs to be replenished.
Look at Your Check Engine Light
Look at your dash and see if the check engine light is on, if it is, that means oil change is one of the main things you need to do. If you have an “oil change” light, that’ll be easier to know if you need one today.
Car shaking while Idle
If you feel an unusual vibration of your vehicle when not moving, that’s one sign that your engine is having a hard time working since the oil is old for lubrication.
Hard Start and Ticking Sound Upon Starting Your Vehicle
When your motor oil is old, it has a gritty texture which contributes to the delay in starting the engine. After you’ve started your car, you might also hear a ticking sound and this comes from the valve which helps move the oil.
Why Do You Need To Change Your Car’s Oil?
Every car model has its corresponding mileage where you need to replace its motor oil to keep its proper operation. When you forget to change your oil, that can lead to multiple engine problems, so you need to consciously do this errand for you and your car’s welfare.
Here are reasons and importance for changing your motor oil:
Faster Wearing of Car Components
There are various moving parts inside your car, and the pistons and valves are some of the important ones which require lubrication. To reduce friction on these moving parts, your motor oil must be of good quality, that’s why you need to regularly change them on time.
Overheating of the Engine
Your motor oil also helps keep your engine cool since it can take away the heat during its operation. As the car oil ages, its heat-absorbing ability decreases too, so it can no longer aid your coolant from keeping your car cool.
Accumulation of Dirt and Debris
Besides cooling your engine, car oils also help in cleaning it since it carries with it those debris and dirt produced as your car engine works. As time goes by, dirt accumulation gets high on your motor oil, making it unhealthy for your car.
Decreased Fuel Efficiency
When you continue using your old motor oil, debris and dirt build up until your oil turns into sludge. This makes your engine work harder than usual because it needs to apply more force to move its parts due to the viscous oil.
Vehicle Warranty is Voided
If you buy a new car, it comes with a warranty service that gives you a hassle-free solution when you need to fix or replace something in your car. However, you need to religiously service your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s specifications so that your warranty won’t be voided, and changing your oil on time is one of them.
Car Breakdown
To avoid overheating or engine breakdown, you need to replace your motor oil on or before the schedule. In that way, your car oil is of good quality and it can properly do its function of lubricating and cooling the engine.
Should You Change Motor Oil Before or After A Long Drive?
There’s no straight answer to this question, but here are some things you need to consider in making a sound decision:
- Check the current mileage of your motor oil. If it’s near to the point where you need to change the oil change, do that before your long drive.
- Check your dipstick to see the viscosity, texture, and color of your motor oil. If it feels gritty and dark already, you need to replace them before your long trip.
- How many miles will you cover for the entire trip? If the total mileage will hit the boundary for an oil change, better do it in advance to avoid engine problems.
- What type of motor oil are you using? If you’re using those new synthetic oils, you can still drive 10,000 to 12,000 miles before replacing your car oil.
Additionally, you also need to check on the following items before hitting the road for your long trip:
- Air filter
- Brakes
- Tire pressure
- Windshield wipers
- Lights and mirrors
- Coolant
- Motor oil
- Fuel level
You can also visit a car shop to have your vehicle checked before you take that long drive for your vacation or work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can you use your vehicle without changing the oil?
Typically, you can drive 5,000 to 7,500 miles before replacing your car oil. If you use those modern synthetic oils, then you can ride 10,000 to 15,000 miles before oil changes.
What’s the danger of not changing your oil?
If you keep your old oil, it cannot properly lubricate and cool your engine. The debris and dirt accumulated on your oil turn into sludge and it can lead to corrosion and engine failure.
What happens if you don’t change your oil every 5000 miles?
There’s a little extension when you forget to replace your car oil on time, yet if you don’t change it, then expect a lower engine performance. Your car engine will also heat up easily since the old oil cannot efficiently absorb heat.
Can your vehicle explode if you don’t change the oil?
Overheating is one major effect when you don’t replace your car oil and this can lead to bursting of parts, which leads to engine breakdown.
Can you go 20,000 miles without changing your oil?
There are those high-end synthetic motor oils sold in the market, which can help you drive 20,000 miles before getting an oil change. However, if you are using the basic motor oils, it’s best to replace them every 3,000 to 7,000 miles.
Can you run your car without motor oil?
The safest is running your vehicle for less than 30 minutes without motor oil.
Final Words
We can say that engine oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle since it affects the operation and condition of your car engine. Without it, your engine will have a hard time working since it doesn’t have the liquid to run it smoothly.
If you want to maintain the great condition of your car, you need to be conscious of the schedule of changing its oil. Remember that prevention is always better than the cure.
If you have some comments, suggestions, or questions, feel free to contact us, and we’d be more than happy to help you.