Why Are Oil Changes Important?

Your engine relies on motor oil to be able to run, and to disperse heat. The internal parts in your engine run on extremely close tolerances, between pistons and cylinder walls, bearings and journals and other moving parts. These clearances are tight enough to generate a lot of friction and heat – without the lubricating film of motor oil, engine parts would quickly overheat to a point where they fuse and weld to each other, seizing the engine. Gobble's Automotive in Cleveland, TN offers the best automotive oil change services.

The combustion process also produces incredible heat, with hundreds of thousands of tiny explosions that provide power and torque to get your vehicle down the road. The byproduct of those explosions is carbon, however, and as motor oil is doing its job, it becomes contaminated with carbon, acids and microscopic metal shavings, all of which are the byproducts of the combustion process.

Replacing the Oil Filter is Necessary

The oil filter’s paper pleats capture a lot of the contaminants that circulate in oil, but in time the filter can’t absorb any more. Carbon and sludge can begin to build up on important engine assemblies, compromising engine life and accelerating wear.

How Do I Know if I Need an Oil Change?

Pull your engine’s dipstick. Your motor oil should be translucent and a somewhat lighter color than honey. Oil that’s darker but still translucent can be good for a couple of thousand more miles. Oil that’s the color of black coffee, with a sour, acidic smell, should be changed right away.

Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil

• Conventional motor oil was the standard for many years, and modern formulations of conventional oil have additives that can enable it to go 5,000 miles between oil changes. While synthetic/conventional blends are on the market for high-mileage vehicles, manufacturers now recommend full-synthetic for all new engines. Synthetic oil has many advantages over conventional mineral-based oil:
• Synthetic oil is more stable and consistent at the molecular level. Synthetic oil won’t thin out in hot weather or thicken in winter. Its improved flow properties mean better protection for the engine’s upper assemblies when you start up. While more expensive per quart, the extra cost of synthetic oil is offset by the fact that it can easily go 10-12,000 miles between oil changes (always consult owner’s manual for manufacturer’s recommended oil change interval).