What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Oil

Kiwis don’t change the oil in their vehicles often enough. Don’t make that mistake! For oil changes in Auckland, come to us at our Drury workshop. It’s better to do that than suffer the consequences of not changing your oil on a regular basis – here are just a few of the problems you may encounter if you overlook this vital piece of vehicle maintenance.

• Components wear down. Your vehicle’s engine is made up of a lot of moving parts, such as valves and pistons. Engine oil has lubricating properties that helps to protect these parts by reducing friction. If you don’t change that oil as recommended, it will deteriorate and won’t fully protect the parts from friction. This leads to wear and damage and, eventually, expensive repairs.
• An overheated engine. You can’t rely on your coolant system alone to keep the engine cool.  Engine oil is also important as it can reach places the coolant can’t. As oil gets older, it breaks down and becomes thicker because of exposure to high temperatures. This prevents the oil from absorbing heat, which can cause the engine to overheat, gaskets to blow up, and parts to wear out and warp.
• Dirt buildup. Engine oil cleans the inside of the engine by removing debris and small particles. Over time, dirt can build up which leads to the plugging of the oil channels and the decrease of the engine’s intended lifespan. This buildup will also mean the engine has to work harder and this results in a loss of power. When your oil has not been changed for a long time, it will gel or solidify and eventually become sludge. The oil will no longer be able to reach all parts of the engine, leading to oil starvation in the crankshafts, bearings, camshafts, and other valve train components. This could cause serious damage to the engine. So much so that it may need to be replaced.
• Increased fuel consumption. Old engine oil will thicken and become a sludge, meaning the engine will have to work harder. You’ll need more fuel to generate the same amount of power. You’ll notice this when you have to fill the tank more often.

At the same time as we do an oil change in our fully equipped mechanical workshop, we’ll also check out the oil filter. When both oil and filter are in the best condition, then you will go a long way to avoiding major engine damage while prolonging the lifespan of your vehicle. While an oil change is a quick and easy process for us, it is a vitally important one, and that is why we recommend you ask us to do it on a regular basis.