Everyone knows that how important it is to get an oil change regularly for maintaining proper engine performance for our vehicles. In fact, regularly changing the motor oil in our car’s engine, as well as the air-filter, is one of the most important tasks for keeping an engine running smoothly for years. However, the average driver with little or no knowledge about motor oil and auto engines will have many questions about the subject involving when and where to change car engine oil, and which recommended motor oil is best for their car’s engine. To help you better understand the process and recommendations for changing your motor oil, here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
1) Is motor oil cheap? Answering the question “is motor oil cheap?” is difficult — there are many diverse motor oil types, and all vehicles have their own motor oil standards. The motor oil your engine requires depends on the viscosity grading of the oil. Viscosity grading, including 0, 5, 10, 15 and 25, are suffixed with the letter W, designating their “winter” or cold-start (lower-temperature) viscosity. Additionally, there are synthetic and natural motor oils to chose from. Synthetic motor oils are typically more expensive than natural motor oil because it lasts longer. In fact, synthetic motor oil needs to be changed every 5,000-7,500 miles, while natural motor oils need to be changed every 3,000-5,000 miles. You can also find motor oil cheap online by purchasing it in bulk quantities.
2) Can I change my vehicle’s motor oil at home? You can, and many people do change their own motor oil. However, if you plan on changing your car’s motor oil without the help of a professional, you should know what type of motor oil your car needs, how to properly change your engine’s oil, and how to properly recycle the engine oil. The type of motor oil you car requires is typically listed in your owner’s manual. Recycling motor oil properly is extremely important — motor oil is very harmful to the environment, and in some states, it is illegal to not properly dispose used motor oil. When motor oil is recycled properly it gets re-used for other energy purposes. 2 gallons of used oil, if recycled properly, is enough to run the electricity of an average home for about 24 hours.
3) How much motor oil should I put in my engine? Again, the amount of motor oil your vehicle’s engine is dependent on the type of vehicle and the engine you’re changing the oil of. It is important to make sure you are putting the right amount of motor oil in your engine — too much motor oil can cause parts of the crankshaft to dip into the excessive oil — this churns air into the oil and causes foaming, as well as fluctuations in oil pressure. On the other hand, not putting enough motor oil in your engine will cause your engine to starve for lubrication, causing the engine to overheat and eventually self-destruct. See more: www.motoroilmatters.org
