If you listen to us mechanics, you have heard us say that motor oil is the lifeblood of your engine. This statement is so true because the engine can seize up and die in less than 30 minutes without motor oil. It is crucial that you have plenty of oil in the engine and that you get the oil changed when it needs it. For conventional oil, this mileage milestone is 3,000 miles. For synthetic motor oil, this mileage milestone is 5,000 miles. Let’s talk more about motor oil below and why it is so important.
Protects
The primary job of motor oil is to protect your engine. There are numerous parts in the engine that would grind against each other if they did not have motor oil lubricating them. The motor oil also helps clean the engine as it circulates through it to prevent sludge from building up. We will talk more about this below. You need motor oil circulating through the engine to keep all of the moving parts protected and free of excess friction. Let’s talk about this next.
Reduces Friction
As the engine parts rub together, they generate friction. Unfortunately, this friction can generate heat and overheat your engine. This is why you need motor oil circulating through it. You want the parts lubricated so they do not produce friction while the engine is running. The motor oil quotes the moving parts as it circulates through the engine to keep them moving together in a smooth and uniform manner. Friction reduction is one reason why motor oil is important.
Reduces Heat
As we just mentioned, the oil also reduces heat. As it lubricates the moving engine parts, they do not produce as much friction as they normally would. This, in turn, reduces the amount of heat that is produced in your engine. You never want your engine’s temperature to be above 220 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the point at which the engine will overheat. You need clean motor oil circulating through the engine to reduce the friction and sludge and, thereby reduce the heat.
Cleans
Finally, as promised, motor oil cleans the engine. It removes the dirt and grime that build up on the moving engine parts and carries that to the oil filter. The oil than flows through the oil filter where the dirt and grime is trapped. This keeps your engine clean and efficient.
Call us today if your vehicle is overdue for an oil change. We will schedule an appointment that works well with your schedule.