News

If you're reading this blog post, you're probably not the type of  person who skips an oil change here and there, but you might be curious what might happen to your car's engine if you start letting a few oil changes slide here and there. In short, it's not pretty.

Think of your engine's oil like the blood in your body.  The absence of it... you die.  If it turns into sludge... you die. If it is not clean and filtered properly... you die.

The following is a little breakdown of what would happen if you decide that regular oil changes are not that important.

• Dirt and other contaminants will accumulate in your oil. Your oil filter will remove the contaminants for a while but eventually it will become clogged and contaminants will bypass the filter through the filter's relief valve. This dirty oil is thick and abrasive.  It will start to cause premature wear on engine parts.
• The cooler parts of your engine,  like your crankcase and around your valves and camshaft, will start to develop build up.
• The detergents, dispersants, rust-fighters, friction reducers and other additives in the oil will breakdown , so the oil won't lubricate your engines moving parts as it should.
• Your engine will start to develop carbon deposits - the SLUDGE as some call it, coming from the old oil. Cleaning your engine at this point would require removing various parts and would be fairly expensive.
• Not changing your oil for extended periods of time can result in the oil becoming so thick that the oil pump can't pump it. Your pistons rings start to wear out and once this happens, Your engine starts burning oil. Now you are looking at a major engine overhaul.
• It can get even worse.  The pistons could eventually seize thus damaging the camshafts. Start pricing this sort of repair and it makes a $25.00 oil changes look like really cheap engine insurance.

Oil is truly the lifeblood of your engine. It lets metal rub against metal without causing damage. It lubricates the pistons as they move up and down in the cylinders. Without oil, this metal-on-metal friction creates an intense amount of heat. So much heat that without good clean oil, ultimately the surfaces could weld themselves together and then your engine would seize.

Don't freak out or get paranoid. Your engine won't melt down into a fiery glob of molten, metal goo if you forget to change your oil one time and it goes over the recommended oil change interval by 500 or 600 miles. You would theoretically have to run the same oil through the engine for quite a long time.., actually many thousands of miles before it caused catastrophic engine failure.

How often do you need to change your oil?

"Change your oil every 3000 miles!" That's what my what my dad always said. Times have changed though, and that 3,000 advice may or may not apply to you and your car.

The 3,000 mile oil change is a conservative and safe approach to maintaining your vehicle and according to General Motors, this advice dates back to 1968. It's also an oil change interval that continues to be encouraged by the automotive oil change industry.

Our advice... Let your owner's manual be your guide.  We recommend that you don't let that little sticker on your windshield be the primary determining factor as to when you change your oil. Your vehicle manufacturer's recommended service intervals located in your owner's manual is likely your best bet. Every automobile manufacturer establishes recommended oil change intervals for each model they manufacture and oil change intervals can now be as much as 5,000 to 7,500 miles for many new cars.

If you have lost or misplaced your owner's manual, you can likely find the information on online.

You should be aware that there are several factors to be considered when determining oil change frequency. Your personal driving habits, the condition and/or age of the engine as well as the environment you drive in. Are you primarily a highway driver or an in town, stop-and-go driver? There is really not one clear cut answer.

Your owner's manual will likely list 2 separate service schedules. One for normal driving conditions and one for severe driving conditions. We are providing the lists below to help you determine for yourself which description fits your personal driving habits.

"Severe" Service Conditions:

• Take short trips of less than 10 miles.
• Drive in heavy traffic with many stops and starts.
• Drive at high rates of speed.
• Tow heavy loads or drive off-road.
• Drive in dusty conditions.
• Drive in extremely cold or extremely hot climates.

"Normal" Service Conditions:

• Trips of 10 miles or more.
• Sustained speeds of 50 to 75 miles an hour.
• Driving in low-traffic situations with few stops and starts.
• Ambient temperatures above freezing and below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

As a last resort, you can also trust the Oil life Monitor on your dashboard.  Most auto manufacturers now install oil life monitors in most of their vehicles and some are more sophisticated than others. The more primitive versions are just a reminder and are strictly based on how many miles you have driven since the oil monitor was last reset.

There are also more complex monitors that collect data from various sensors in the vehicle to determine or predict the life expectancy of your oil.  One thing to remember is that monitors and sensors can become defective or inaccurate.

It is a fairly safe bet that you don't go past 5,000 miles without an oil change service.  5,000 miles may be too soon for many people and too late for a few, but for the vast majority, a 5,000 mile oil change will suffice.  A 3,000 to 3,500 mile oil and filter change should help your engine live to a ripe, old age.

The advice that we give here at Texas Tire Sales when it comes to engine oil viscosity and oil change frequency is:  follow the oil specifications and oil change intervals shown in your owner's manual and you should have nothing to worry about.

How much is an oil change?

At most reputable shops, the average cost of oil change serviceis usually $25.00 to $30.00. Most automotive repair shops run oil change specials, offer oil change discounts and even FREE oil change deals combined with some other vehicle repair or service. 

At Texas Tire Sales, the starting price for an average synthetic blend oil & filter change is $24.95 before any promotions or oil change coupons which we offer on a regular basis. Our basic oil change service includes:

• Changing the oil filter
• Adding up to 6 quarts of synthetic blend motor oil
• Checking the air filter
• Checking and topping off all fluids under the hood
• Lubricating all fittings
• Checking engine for leaks
• Checking belts and hoses
• Checking tire pressure and tire wear
• Inspection of entire undercarriage