6 Oil Change Questions with Genesis of Milwaukee
Routine oil changes are crucial for ensuring your engine runs smoothly and prolonging your car’s health, yet many drivers have questions about what an oil change is. What does it entail? How vital is it? And more!
Genesis of Milwaukee is here to answer your questions. We compiled six of the most commonly asked questions about oil changes and answered them to give you a clear picture and understanding of everything in your oil change!
1: What is an Oil Change?
To make a long story short, an oil change is when a technician drains out your old motor oil from your car and replaces it with a fresh batch.
Also, during an oil change, your old filter is swapped out for a new one to remove debris that gets in the way!
2: What Does an Oil Change Do?
Oil changes can do multiple things like:
Lubricating Engine Parts:
Your oil keeps your motor’s moving parts adequately lubricated to ensure the components don’t grind, crash, or scrape into each other.
Cooling your Engine:
Many drivers think coolant is the only fluid that chills their motor, but oil does, too! Fresh oil helps disperse the heat generated so the engine doesn’t overheat!
Removes debris:
When oil travels through your engine, it picks up dirt, sludge, and more that can pile up in your filter. An oil change replaces your dirty filter with a new one that can pick up debris!
Improves Fuel Efficiency:
Fresh oil helps reduce the wear and tear of your engine and boost your fuel economas your motor won’t have to work as hard, unlike with old oil!
3: How to Check if You Need an Oil Change?
In an age when cars are becoming more advanced, there are many ways to check whether you need an oil change.
Dip Stick:
An authentic and timeless method is opening your hood and checking your dipstick. Your oil should be amber in color and should rest somewhere in the middle of the indicators. If you notice your oil is black or outside the proper indicators, schedule an oil change with us!
Dashboard Warning Light:
Another method is to have a warning light appear on your dash. Modern cars also have a setting that can show your oil’s life percentage and quality to help determine when you need to schedule a change.
Every 3,000-5,000 Miles:
An automotive recommendation throughout, but you should change your oil every 3,000-5,000 miles to ensure you don’t run into any issues with your engine.
4: What is the Difference Between an Oil Change vs. Adding Oil
An oil change and adding oil are entirely different from solving issues, temporary fixes, and the work that goes into them.
When you add oil, you only top off low levels. It doesn’t address dirty oil or the filter and is a temporary fix if you have leaks.
When you get an oil change, replace your old oil with a fresh batch, clean out sludge, and switch out your filter. Our technicians can patch leaks or tighten valves if your oil drips out.
5: How Far Over an Oil Change Can You Go?
It is not recommended to go over manufacturer guidelines or ignore warning lights when it comes to your oil.
Why shouldn’t you go over? If you kick the oil change can down the road, you could run into multiple engine problems, leaving you with a hefty repair or replacement bill.
Broken Parts: Clean oil freshly lubricates moving components, but dirty oil sludges up and doesn’t lubricate well. When parts aren’t slick, they’ll grind, spark, and crash into each other, causing the metal to rock around your motor.
Overheating: When you push off an oil change, you risk your engine overheating. Old oil also doesn’t disperse heat, and grinding components build heat in your motor, causing it to overheat!
Possible Engine Replacement: If you wait too long and suffer from overheating and broken parts in your motor, you may have to purchase a brand new engine, and that alone is more than breaking the bank.
6: What are the Different Kinds of Oil Changes?
There are multiple types of oil changes, as there are various categories of oil to choose from.
Conventional Oil:
An oil change like this is standard for many vehicles as it offers essential protection.
Synthetic Oil:
This oil uses advanced properties to give your oil a longer life and improve performance.
Synthetic Blend Oil:
A combination of synthetic and conventional oils, synthetic blend oil is a perfect match for drivers prioritizing performance at a lower cost.
High Mileage Oil:
For vehicles over 75,000 miles, high mileage oil helps aging engines with properties that reduce leaking and prevent sludge buildup.
Do you Need an Oil Change?
Whether you’re wondering what changing your oil does, or how it helps your car, routine oil changes are vital to maintaining your vehicle’s health and longevity!
When you understand what an oil change can do for you, you’ll help fend off nasty repair bills and ensure your engine runs smoothly for years!
If you need an oil change, schedule an appointment with our talented team today at Genesis of Milwaukee in Waukesha, WI!
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