Unless you drive a fully electric vehicle, your engine oil is perhaps the most important fluid within your vehicle. And engine oil needs to be changed on a consistent basis. But how often? And why?
If you’re worried about the oil in your engine, you might be searching, “Auto oil change near me”, “When do I need an oil change?”, “Oil change service near Mt. Hope”, or something similar. At McPhail Auto, we can help. This article reviews what you need to know about motor oil and oil changes.
You can and it’s easy! Just come to McPhail Auto and we can change your engine’s oil for you, as well as provide several other oil services. But what’s the purpose of oil changes and how often are they required?
An oil change is the process of draining the old oil out of an engine and replacing it with new oil. This process is vital to your vehicle, as engines need to ensure they get the cooling and lubrication they need. Of all the fluids in an internal combustion engine-powered vehicle, motor oil is arguably the most important. It certainly is in terms of the functionality of your engine, which is why it’s the fluid that typically needs to be changed most often.
Motor oil cools and lubricates the engine, only if the oil is in good condition, though. If you don’t change your oil, it gets gritty and degraded. Effective motor oil collects particulate matter and cleans the engine. But old oil becomes weighed down by all that particulate matter, and turns to a sludgy matter, when this occurs it can actively damage your engine.
Your vehicle owner’s manual should recommend how often you should change your oil. The recommended interval is typically about every 5,000 km, or every three months, whichever comes first. At McPhail Auto, we can give you a more personalized estimate based on your vehicle and your driving habits.
Synthetic oil has all the same chemical compounds and petroleum molecules as conventional oil. However, synthetic oil is artificially synthesized to eliminate some impurities. This gives synthetic oil some advantages, including longer oil change intervals. Synthetic oil still needs to be changed, but just not as often as conventional oil does.
It’s wise to check your transmission fluid on a monthly frequency, and if it looks opaque or smells bad, it needs to be changed. If you’ve been having braking issues, your brake fluid might need to be changed. Another fluid, important to a smooth and safe drive is hydraulic steering fluid, which should usually be changed about every 50,000 km.
There’s no need to keep looking for auto oil change service near you if you’re in the Mt. Hope area of Ontario. Just come to McPhail Auto. We can change your engine’s oil and we can inspect your engine as well if you suspect something is wrong.
To get a quote on an oil change for your vehicle, or any other type of auto service, please click here. To learn more about motor oil, or any of our other services or products, please contact us via our website or call 905-545-6240