What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Oil?

Having your vehicle’s oil changed regularly helps your vehicle’s powertrain in a huge way. Clean oil helps lubricate the moving components of your vehicle’s engine to minimize friction, maximize efficiency, and reduce the risk of damage. So, what happens if you don’t change your oil? Well as oil breaks down over time, it gets less effective at lubricating. This means more friction and heat in the engine area that could cause damage. Learn more with the Brown Honda of San Angelo service center below to keep your car running smoothly around Lubbock. What happens if you don’t get your oil changed? Learn more below!

What Does Motor Oil Do?

In addition to being a lubricant for the significant moving mechanical parts of your engine, oil has the following important roles:

• The main role of motor oil is to reduce wear and tear on moving parts due to friction.
• Motor oil with dispersants is designed to clean sludge from the engine.
• Detergents in motor oil help clean varnish from the engine as well.
• When changed regularly, motor oil can help neutralize acids that form from fuels, improve piston ring seals, and cool the engine by moving heat away.

How Often Should I Change My Vehicle’s Oil?

Some experts say that you should have an oil change every 3,000 miles, however, with new advances in engine technology, most vehicles can go 7,500 to 10,000 miles between oil change services. If you tend to drive long distances often or take the back roads, you may want to have your vehicle’s oil changed more often.

How Do I Change the Oil Myself?

Before you learn the hard way what happens if you don’t change your oil, stay on top of the maintenance schedule. After you check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see what kind of oil your vehicle requires, follow these steps to change your oil at home:

1. Jack your car up with jack stands or steel ramps.
2. Locate the oil drain plug on the bottom of your oil pan underneath your engine. Place an oil basin directly underneath the plug, then unscrew the plug and allow the old oil to drain out completely – this may take up to 15 minutes. When you’re sure all the oil has drained, you can replace the plug.
3. Locate your oil filter, and remove it with an oil filter wrench. Expect a bit of extra oil to drain out when you remove the filter and make sure you keep the basin underneath to catch it.
4. Grab your new filter, being sure to rub a bit of oil around the rubber seal – this ensures your filter is watertight and is an essential step.
5. Set the new filter in place, then tighten it by hand.
6. Now that your old oil is completely drained and a new filter is in place, you can remove your oil cap. Pour in the specified amount of new oil, which you can find in your owner’s manual if you’re unsure. Finally, replace the oil cap.
7. Before you call it a job well done, you should check your oil level by pulling out the dipstick. If you’re still low, you may add another ounce and check the level again. Once you get a proper oil level reading, you’re good to go!

Turn to Brown Honda of San Angelo for Oil Change Service and More

So, what happens if you don’t get your oil changed? Now that you’ve checked out our guide, you have the knowledge needed to take even better care of your vehicle. Should you need help with the oil change or another service, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our service team at Brown Honda of San Angelo. With our service specials, it’s easy to save more on the services your vehicle needs.