How often to change the oil in a car engine?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

There are more and more motorists on the roads - this is a consequence of both the growth of the population in general and the improvement in living standards. Having a car becomes simply an obligatory part of the social image of a prestigious person, and not just functionally used as a means of transportation. But not everyone knows how to take care of their four-wheeled friends, and as a result, they start asking questions.

This approach is reasonable, because a car service is not always at hand, but your own hands can solve many problems. One of the questions: how often to change the oil in the engine? Actually, this will be discussed below.

Main FAQ

The question of frequency, in fact, often fades into the background. Especially when it comes to choice. So now a few small subtopics of interest to motorists will also be revealed. Naturally, one way or another, this will relate to the question of how often to change the oil in the engine. You will also receive a direct answer. But that's the whole topic.rather complicated, because for the solution you need to know many variables. That is why everything is so individual.

Where to buy engine oil?

If you look into the relevant stores, you can see that the shelves are literally packed with a variety of oils and other similar compounds. The choice is practically unlimited, because, in addition to branded lines, it is quite possible to find a composition "from the manufacturer".

Before choosing one or another option, you need to know one particularly important thing - any oil, whatever it may be, always consists of a certain base, as well as additives.

How are oils classified?

The division takes place according to the thesis already voiced - that is, taking into account the basis of the product. There are three main types - mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic bases.

Using them as a foundation, they create all those products that are displayed in automobile supermarkets. Oddly enough, you will have to choose from the last two types. Mineral oils as such are virtually non-existent.

You can buy either semi-synthetics or synthetics, where the composition is based on a variety of artificial compounds. The first is usually cheaper and weaker in quality, but is quite suitable for most cars. The second, in turn, is often more expensive - but the feasibility of using it is a big question.

How often to change the engine oil?

This question can be answered exhaustively by any driver– the more often, the better. True, here you encounter certain difficulties, since this process is quite long, and the product itself costs a certain amount. So usually the technical specifications of the machine contain a recommendation from the manufacturer.

Actually, there is simply no unambiguous answer to this question - it can be any figure from 5 to 50 thousand kilometers inclusive. True, a whole chain of factors plays a role here, which will be discussed below.

What aspects should be considered?

As you already understood, any manufacturer technologically calculates the recommended service interval. This is what you should focus on first of all.

Also don't forget about things that can shorten the intervals between regular maintenance. These are usually external factors. They mainly affect the life of the motor itself - so pay special attention to this.

Based on all of the above, you need to calculate an individual replacement schedule. But this will still be something rather conditional, because there are other factors besides time and mileage, and you simply cannot take everything into account until this happens.

Manufacturer recommendation

This point is the most important one in the question. Indeed, is it possible to find out how often to change the oil in the engine ("Ford Focus" 2nd generation, for example)? Yes, there is such a possibility. To do this, you just need to look at such a column as the service intervalin the technical documents for the machine. There is nothing difficult about it.

But you should know that these are just general guidelines. So the average conditions used in the assessment may be completely incomparable with those in which you live. This is quite normal, and you just need to take into account everything that happens with the car and inside it.

How does the manufacturer calculate the service interval?

Cars don't live forever - it's simply unprofitable for manufacturers. Accordingly, a logical conclusion can be drawn from this - any recommended time frame is by no means a concern for the engine of your car. At least when it comes to the long term.

There is nothing particularly surprising in this, since the manufacturer is only interested in one thing - that the machine has worked for the entire warranty period and it could not be sued. There is even some benefit, especially if the mechanism breaks soon after the end of the warranty.

In addition, there is also a marketing moment - the longer the interval indicated in the documents, the more attractive the car will become for the buyer.

Indeed, how often to change the oil in the engine is just another argument with which you can convince to make a completely unjustified purchase.

There is no definite advice about this. Whether to trust the manufacturer is entirely up to you. But in the CIS, the justification and expediency of such an approach may be somewhat different. This should also be remembered.

Factors affecting the interval between replacements

Start with the main reasons. First of all, this is the season, as well as the mode of operation of the machine. That is, in general, it all depends on when and how you use the car. Here we are talking not just about a reasonable grain, but rather about a reasoned conclusion.

In addition, the quality of the gasoline used should also be taken into account - this can be a key point. Also pay attention to other consumables. In fact, the same oil can greatly affect how often it needs to be changed.

There are also internal problems with the car that can greatly affect the resulting figure.

Basically, these are various leaks or waste. In the first case, you should contact a professional service as soon as possible, since some part of the oil pipeline is damaged, and this can lead to the worst consequences. In the second, you can figure it out on your own, but a lot depends on the reasons that led to such consequences.

Manufacturers also often use such a magic phrase as "heavy duty", but this needs to be said separately. In general, this greatly affects the service interval. True, descriptions of such processes are a rather laborious thing.

What is heavy duty?

You can guess what you imagined when you heard this phrase. So, just forget - here you will be wrong. So, the main points of non-portable for the carconditions:

1. Infrequent use - Cars that are driven every day perform best. Otherwise, this leads to the need for frequent oil changes, as well as other problems in the engine mechanism.
2. Regular trips for short distances - here the essence of traveling on a cold "engine". Actually, in most cases, especially in cities, the engine simply never warms up to normal, at least when passing through the daily route.
3. Ride on the principle of "start-stop" - usually this happens at any traffic light or intersection. At the moments of start, the oil heats up especially strongly, and therefore is consumed.
4. Loading the car or using a trailer - just putting too much stress on the engine affects the oil itself.
5. Air Pollution - Any dust or dirt entering the engine through the air filter can have some effect on engine performance.
6. Poor quality of gasoline – no further explanation needed at this point.
7. Idling.

Additional factors

There are also certain difficulties that cannot be ignored. The main one, on which the emphasis is placed, is a vacuum oil change. Here you need to know that, despite all its advantages, such as an order of magnitude accelerated process, and clean hands in the end, this method also has its own disadvantages.

Firstly, in this way it is impossible to drain all the oil to the drop - and in the traditional version, everything just happens. Also, at the bottomsediment remains on the tray, which cannot be removed by vacuum suction.

In general, if you use this method, then remember a few tips - intersperse it with the usual one. Also keep in mind that you will need to carry out maintenance after such a replacement a little earlier - just for the sake of engine safety.

Domestic cars

And yet, how often to change the oil in the engine of the 2107th VAZ? Specific questions require specific answers. This is the only thing that worries most motorists. So, you have to focus on numbers from 10 to 15 thousand kilometers. In the same way, you can answer the question of how often to change the oil in a VAZ-2109 engine.

For some other domestic cars, the figures may be slightly different. But in general, for example, the same Ladas do not differ much from VAZs. For example, on a domestic car, how often do you change the oil in the engine (Kalina is no exception)? The answer will be the same. Ten, maybe fifteen thousand kilometers. As you can see, there is nothing difficult in orientation. Also, due to the popularity of the model, you can often hear the question: how often to change the oil in the engine on the Priore? "Priora" 2170th model is being repaired according to the same principle. The numbers don't change much.

Besides, there are more modern models of Russian cars. We need to talk about them a little more.

For example, how often to change the oil in a VAZ-2114 engine? According to the factoryspecifications, we are talking about fifteen thousand kilometers. But the reviews of motorists, rather, hint at a slightly lower figure - ten. Yes, and with regular maintenance to avoid related problems.

If you are interested in how often to change the oil in the VAZ-2110 engine, the answer will not change. It's still the same ten thousand kilometers. In some cases, fifteen.

Popular foreign cars

Of European small cars designed for the city, Russians are especially popular with several brands. Therefore, the questions are relevant: how often to change the oil in the 2nd generation Ford Focus engine, for example? The answer lies in the technical documentation - 20 thousand km. But, given the characteristics of environmental conditions, motorists recommend slightly lower numbers. Usually opinions agree on 15 thousand, but the car may well pass all 18.

Also, many are interested in how often to change the oil in the Renault Logan engine. Interest is fully justified, given the prevalence of the model. Again, the manufacturer indicates 20 thousand km. But Russian roads and harsh operating conditions cut the figure in half.