When it comes to vehicle maintenance, no item carries more significance than the typical oil change. Responsible for keeping your engine healthy for hundreds of thousands of miles, engine oil is a critical component to your vehicle’s longevity. But how often should you change your oil, and why? Team Welsh Jeep Chrysler is here to help you get the answers to those questions.
Finding Your Oil Change Interval
Simply, you can consult the owner’s manual of your vehicle to get the right oil change interval and service recommendations for your car, truck, or SUV. However, these suggestions may be too infrequent for certain types of drivers and driving situations. For example, more spirited drivers and those who tow frequently are putting more stress through all components of the drive train, schedule your oil changes more frequently than recommended to compensate. The same is true if you frequently drive in slow-moving traffic, where heat soak can shorten the lifespan of even the best engine oil. And finally, if you often drive in areas where there is a lot of dust, salt, and other debris in the air, refreshing the oil in your engine more often will help reduce those contaminants inside your engine.
Why Oil Changes Are Important
When your engine oil is fresh, it does well to flow and coat the internal components of your engine. This provides lubrication to the moving metal parts, reducing heat and frictional damage. As your oil ages, it begins to oxididize. It both loses the ability to properly coat while also flowing more slowly, so your engine is more susceptible to wear. By changing your oil regularly, you maintain a high level of protection to extend the performance and lifespan of your engine for hundreds of thousands of miles.