When performed at a contemporary automobile repair center, changing the oil in your vehicle is usually a quick and painless procedure.
Lubricating oil in your vehicle is highly critical to its overall health. So why do many people wait until there’s a visible problem before changing their oil? Clean, fresh oil improves the efficiency of your automobile and extends the life of the motor.
Many drivers rely solely on mileage to determine when to change their oil, but other factors such as the quality of the oil, the car’s age, and how the car is driven all play a part. Fresh, clean oil increases your vehicle’s performance by lubricating parts and keeping the engine clean and healthy. However, the fluid degrades over time and loses its ability to perform its duties. When this occurs, your vehicle will most likely display at least one of the warning signs listed below.
Check Engine or Oil Change Light
The car will be the most obvious sign that there is an issue with your oil. When there is inadequate oil in the system, your vehicle’s oil change light will appear, so check the dipstick to figure out what’s wrong. The check engine light will illuminate in the worst-case situation. This is your car notifying you that things have deteriorated to the point where the engine may be destroyed owing to faulty parts or a lack of lubrication.
Engine Noise and Knocking
Oil functions as a seal between engine components, eliminating metal-to-metal brushing and keeping the engine quiet. If your oil isn’t doing its job correctly, engine noise will increase. In extreme cases, you may even hear banging or rumbling sounds, indicating that your engine is disassembling itself piece by piece owing to a lack of lubrication.
Dark, Dirty Oil
The hue of clean oil is amber, and it is slightly transparent. As it is utilized, it fills up with particles collected from the engine and darkens. It will not be visible when this begins, so you must be attentive and check your engine oil at least once a month. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean before replacing it in the oil tank. Now take it out again. If the dipstick cannot be seen through the oil, it is time for an oil change.