Oil Change
How often
do I need to change the oil in my vehicle?
There are many variables that determine how often an oil change is needed (climate, drive time,
highway or city street driving, etc.). You should refer to the Scheduled Maintenance section in
the appropriate owner's manual for specific information.
Why change oil? There are literally thousands of sparked explosions going on in your engine every second. Engines burn fuel and some of the by-products of combustion end up as junk in the oil. An automobile engine also breathes in air to mix with the fuel to make these explosions happen. The oil and air filter are the engine's defense against dirt and grit. A certain amount of metal will also float into the oil as the engine naturally wears. An oil filter can only hold so much dirt before it ends up in the oil itself. The filter has a by-pass, once the filter is full, the filter literally quits filtering. Dirt and debris suspended in the engine oil will cause accelerated engine wear. Changing the oil and filter gets rid of the dirt. The engine stays cleaner and lasts longer. Yes this is the secret of long engine life.
While having someone else change the oil and filter is all fine and good, it is a task that the average guy can handle. What is important is that you get the oil changed, and on time.
I like Castrol oil and Fram filters. I just swapped an engine that had 160000 miles on it. When I removed the oil pan the pan was clean. Castrol does what it says it will do, no gunk. As for the Fram oil filters, I like the way they come off. I don't care for the hastle that comes with removing some oil filters. The Fram filters always spin right off for me.
By the way, I change the oil in my cars every 3000 miles.
Contributors: Indiucky