How To Tell If It Is Time To Change Your Engine Oil
When you are dealing with engine oil, you need to make sure that you are well aware of when it is going to need to be changed. This way, you will not have to worry about you engine locking up or malfunctioning because of dirty or low levels of oil.
The Engine Sounds Louder Than Normal
If you have suddenly noticed that your engine is running a lot louder than it used to, there could be a variety of issues. The first thing you will want to check is the condition of your oil as this is the easiest and most common problem to fix. Also, make sure that you are not just replacing the oil, but that you are adding in quality oil that is the correct kind for the type of engine that you are running. This is also an excellent time to think about changing out the oil filter. After all, you will not want the new oil running through a dirty filter.
You Notice The Oil Is Black
While your oil may naturally have a darker appearance, you will find that it should be slightly transparent. It may also be a light brown color. Therefore, if you go to check your oil and the oil that you wipe from the dipstick is black, you are long overdue for an oil change. This is something that you will want to do right away. The longer you allow the black oil to run through your engine, the more likely it is that it will cause a significant amount of damage to your engine.
The Level Drops Without Any Leaks Present
Even with clean oil, the levels in the reservoir will gradually drop. This is nothing unusual as you are expected to add new oil from time to time as the level goes down. However, if you are noticing that the level is significantly dropping and there are no signs of an obvious leak, then it could be due to the fact that the engine oil is too dirty. For example, dirty oil will not allow the engine to work as efficiently as it should. When the engine is not getting quality oil, it has to work twice as hard to do its job, which in turn makes it go through much more oil than it normally would. Therefore, when you notice that the oil level is dropping a lot, it is time to have it changed.
You can do this yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. Just make sure that the replacement oil and filter is the kind that was made with your vehicle in mind. Visit websites like http://www.smallandsonsoil.com to learn more.