Oil changes are the main routine you want to follow as a car owner. For most vehicles, this service is required every 3,000 to 5,000 miles or every six months, but you can check your owner’s manual to see your car’s specific needs. To get an idea as to why this routine is important, you’ll need to know the purpose that oil serves and the dangers of skipping or delaying an oil change.

Driver’s Guide to the Importance of a Timely Oil Change

What Oil Does

Oil serves many purposes in your engine. First and foremost, oil lubricates all the metal parts, so they can move against each other at high speeds without wearing down or creating friction. This keeps the engine from overheating and extends its longevity. The engine can work more efficiently with oil lubricating and cooling it, giving you better gas mileage.

The Consequences of Low or Dirty Oil

As the oil lubricates and cleans the engine, some of it will burn off and the rest of it gets dirty. Those dirt particles cause friction between the engine’s moving parts, which will wear down and create heat. The engine can overheat and leave you stranded on the side of the road. Eventually, the old oil breaks down and turns into a thick sludge, which may cause carbon buildup. The burning sludge releases carbon as a waste byproduct, which builds up on the inside of the engine to restrict airflow and impact movement of parts. Carbon buildup and worn parts will cause a wide range of issues which requires very costly repair, and in some cases, complete engine replacement.

The experts at Bland Street Auto Center know the type of preventive maintenance your vehicle needs to extend its lifespan and efficiency. From your routine oil change service to replacing and rotating your tires, they will handle it all. All their technicians are ASE certified, and their team has won the Reader’s Choice Award for the Best Auto Repair Center seven years in a row for the Bluefield, WV, area. Contact them online to schedule your routine service or call them at (304) 327-5025 anytime for emergency towing services.