Engine oil change: frequency, replacement timing, oil selection and procedure

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

The basis of every car is its engine, which must run like clockwork. Engine oil helps to avoid premature wear of parts, which lubricates its parts and minimizes friction between them. You can read more about how often you need to change engine oil and how to do it yourself in this article.

Engine oil

Every car enthusiast knows that a car cannot function properly without engine oil. It is necessary not only in the engine of the car, but also in the transmission and in the gearbox. The importance of lubricants cannot be overestimated, because without them, parts would have to be replaced every few months or even weeks. In modern engines, oil is in every node and mechanism. It performs its main task - it protects the surface of parts from excessive friction. But in addition to this, engine oil also carries out a number ofother tasks. For example, it removes slag and processed products from parts, preventing them from rusting or oxidizing. It is for this reason that the oil darkens towards the end of its use. At this point, it should be replaced with a new one.

Functions of engine oil

What are the functions of engine oil?

• Cooling surfaces.
• Corrosion protection.
• Remove soot.
• Neutralization of formed chemical compounds.
• Energy saving and better fuel economy.
• Increase the life of parts.

Agree that motor oil "works out" its small price for one hundred percent. Allows him to cope with his duties so effectively with his composition and various additives.

Why you need to change your oil regularly

Changing engine oil in an engine is extremely important for its operation. Gradually worsening his work, the old oil leads to the failure of the car in a matter of months. After constantly running the engine on the old lubricant, you will soon be forced to do an overhaul of the motor, which will cost much more than changing the oil every six months. What effect does old oil have?

• It is beginning to be less able to withstand the high temperatures that it is exposed to inside the internal combustion engine. As a result, a thin film on the surface of pistons and cylinders ceases to form and friction deteriorates.
• Reduces traction and maximum vehicle speed.
• The timing belt is gradually failing, on which the old oil is alsohas a negative impact. After a while, it may break, causing serious damage to the engine.
• More and more impurities appear in the composition of the oil, which settle on the walls and interfere with the normal operation of the engine.

The result of an untimely oil change can be anything - from a deterioration in speed to a complete failure of the engine. This is especially true for older cars, which are more sensitive to the quality of the lubricant.

Engine oil change intervals

How often do you need to change the oil in your car? The answer to this question depends on many factors:

• season;
• type of oil (synthetic or semi-synthetic);
• driving manners (calm or sporty driving);
• vehicle age;
• driving behavior;
• short or long haul;
• fuel quality.

On average, it is recommended to change the engine oil in the engine every 12,000 kilometers. It is after such a run that it ceases to perform its functions. If you have driven a longer distance, then be sure to flush the engine with a special compound to remove excess carbon deposits and deposits.

Oil change on older cars

Engine oil changes on used vehicles follow a completely different schedule. Experts recommend visiting the service station to change the fluid every 5-7 thousand kilometers. Why are the replacement terms different from the standard ones by almost half? The whole thing lies inold car parts that are already subject to wear and tear and perform differently than new cars. As a result, the internal parts of the internal combustion engine require more lubrication. Therefore, if your car has more than 70-80 thousand kilometers, or its age is more than 5 years, then it is advised to change the lubricant much more often.

Terms for changing engine oil are also reduced for residents of large cities. The fact is that they spend more time than others in traffic jams and congestion. Idling is even worse for engines than normal driving. The motor still does its job, but the mileage does not wind up. As a result, engine oil exhausts its maximum resource after 7-8 thousand kilometers. Recommended to change the fluid more often and lovers of sports driving, which contaminates the oil much faster.

Types of oils

All oils are divided into three groups:

• Mineral lubricants are made from petroleum products.
• Semi-synthetic oils are a mixture of mineral and synthetic oils.
• Synthetic oils are made on the basis of the synthesis of chemical products with a more perfect composition.

How to choose the right lubricant

Changing engine oil in a car is a very important undertaking. For the car, you need to choose the right lubricant that will match the season, car brand and other parameters. Currently, there are synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral oils with different viscosities.

Synthetic is considered the best, as it can work longer withoutchanges and has a better composition. But the price of such a lubricant is much higher. Mineral oils lose their properties much faster, so they are recommended to be replaced every 8 thousand kilometers.

The choice of oil viscosity depends on the ambient temperature. For winter, more viscous oils are used, which do not freeze even at very low temperatures and help facilitate the "cold" start of the engine. In summer, it is preferable to use liquid lubricants, which can withstand high temperatures and prevent the engine from overheating. However, at the moment there are more and more all-season oils on the market that can cope with their functions both in winter and in summer.

When choosing engine oil, do not forget that a lot of counterfeit material is imported into Russia, which worsens the condition of the car. Most manufacturers provide their products with special serial numbers and holograms to help verify the authenticity of the product.

How much oil is needed for different cars

Different cars need different amounts of engine oil. Its quantity depends on the technical characteristics and on the size and type of the internal combustion engine. On average, maintenance requires from three to 6 liters. There are many options on the market with a similar volume. It is better to buy several packages at once to avoid underfilling of lubricant and confusion in the future. If the engine volume is from 1.8 to 2.5 liters, then 3.5 liters of oil will be required. For foreign cars volumethe required lubricant is slightly more - 4.4 liters.

Determine how much engine oil you need to replace, you can do it yourself. It is enough to look into the vehicle registration certificate or just pour a little "by eye". When topping up, do not forget to take breaks and check the dipstick, at which the oil level should reach a certain mark.

Change your own oil

Replacing engine oil with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to have all the necessary tools and follow a certain procedure. If you decide to change the oil in the winter, then you will also need a warm room, such as a garage. It is best to change the oil when the car is slightly warm, so start the engine and let it idle for 5-10 minutes before starting work.

1. Stop the engine and wait 15 minutes. During this time, the oil and parts will cool down and can be touched. However, it is still better to wear protective gloves.
2. Before draining the oil, check the oil level. If it is lower than during the previous measurement, then perhaps the car should be given for diagnostics. On serviceable engines, there should be no oil leakage.
3. Next, you need to raise the car using a lift. An alternative would be a recess that can fit an adult.
4. To change the oil, you will need to pick up a container whose capacity will be no less than the amount of lubricant in the machine itself. The most optimal considers a capacity of 5liters.
5. Unscrew the crankcase and carefully drain the waste material.
6. While you are waiting for the oil to leak out, you can change the oil filter. To do this, just take a special key and use it to replace the item.
7. Close crankcase and remove sump.
8. Pour in the oil. There are minimum and maximum level marks on the neck of the oil hole or on a special dipstick. It will be enough to add oil so that the level is in the middle of these marks.
9. Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes.
10. Turn it off and check the oil level again.

Changing the engine oil and filter can be done even by non-professionals, but if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to contact any service station.

Engine flush

In some cases, it may be necessary to flush the engine during an oil change. When is it shown?

• You bought a secondhand car. In this case, you do not know how the previous owner treated it, so you need to clean the engine just in case.
• If low-quality oil or fuel is suspected. Burning, counterfeit gasoline leaves a lot of slag in the internal combustion engine, heavily polluting it. Flushing can correct the situation and remove all deposits.
• If you don't remember what oil was used last time. The oil must always be of the same composition, because when it is replaced, lubricant particles still remain on the walls of the parts. When mixing different types, there is little effect formotor may not be positive.

Changing engine oil in a car engine does not always require flushing. Moreover, it can be quite detrimental to parts. But if you forget the brand of oil or want to try a new product, then this procedure can extend the life of the car.

What if the oil changes color?

Very often, when checking the oil level, the car owner is faced with a darkening of the lubricant. Do not be afraid of this process, because to some extent the darkening of the liquid is normal. This indicates that the oil is doing its job, it contains cleaning additives that wash away carbon deposits and slags, providing a darker color. However, this is not always a good sign. If the oil has become too saturated in color, then perhaps the reason lies in the following factors:

• Old oil left in the engine may darken the color.
• You got a low-quality oil or a fake.
• The oil has undergone an oxidation process due to the wrong additive composition.
• Pistons or cylinders are worn out and need to be repaired.
• Driving style also affects the color of the oil. If the driver uses a sporty driving style, the grease may darken more quickly.
• The car's cooling system is malfunctioning and the engine is overheating.

Replacement Tips

Experts advise not only to change the oil regularly, but alsofollow some rules that will allow your car to go longer without breakdowns.

• Check the oil level regularly. If the level on the dipstick is below the minimum, then the oil should be added.
• If you decide to change the oil in the service, try to observe the entire process of changing. Not all service stations work in good conscience, so repairmen can change your oil to the wrong one or not change it at all.
• Be sure to change the oil filter along with the oil, because it serves as an obstacle to most large particles from entering the engine.
• Do not save on filters and buy oil only from trusted sellers. After all, when buying low-quality goods, you will have to spend much more money on repairs.
• The engine oil change interval should not be too long. It is better to change the oil sooner rather than later.

Oil change cost

The cost of an oil change is usually around 1.5-2.5 thousand rubles, depending on the type and amount of oil. The replacement work itself usually costs from 700 to 1000 rubles. Considering how much the average motorist spends on gas and car maintenance, this is not a very large amount. In addition, it will help keep the engine in order and extend its life, so experts advise changing the fluid every 10 thousand kilometers.