For the car to last long and well, it needs to be serviced regularly. One of the things to take care of is a regular oil change. Changing engine oil is still a controversial topic in society, as there is no single period or mileage after which it is mandatory to change the oil, it depends on the car model, the type of oil and other factors.
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Although the main function of engine oil is to lubricate the car’s internal engine components, it also performs a number of other tasks, such as cooling the engine, distributing heat more evenly, cleaning surfaces and preventing corrosion. The main purpose of engine oil is to prevent direct contact of metal parts to reduce friction and wear. Friction also generates additional heat that can deform engine parts if not lubricated well enough.
There are three types of engine oils, each of which differs in both composition and functionality. Synthetic oils, which is used in almost all cars produced in recent years, is considered the best option because it performs the main functions of engine oil most efficiently. Semi-synthetic oils are made by combining natural and synthetic raw materials. Nowadays, this oil is being used less and less. Semi-synthetic oil is suitable for fast riders and people who often have to drive at very high or low temperatures. Mineral oils are produced only from natural raw materials. Today, it is used less and less because it does not perform the main functions of engine oil as well as synthetic and semi-synthetic engine oil.
“Today, engines operate at high temperatures and high operating pressures. This promotes the oxidation of the oil and adversely affects its molecular structure, resulting in increased resistance, contamination and deposits in the engine. The oil loses its properties in contact with other metals inside the engine. “The criterion for changing the oil is the number of kilometers or time specified by the manufacturer, whichever comes first. Although most car manuals recommend that this procedure be performed within a reasonable time interval, a number of factors must be taken into account to change the oil at the right time.” explains Eva Kalinovska, Total Polska ‘s Director of Marketing and Market Research.
The optimal engine oil change interval is every 10-15 thousand km or at least once a year. This frequency of engine oil changes is also recommended by most car manufacturers. In addition, it is recommended to adhere to such an interval for the owners of cars for which the car manufacturer has indicated as sufficient to change the oil after driving 30 thousand km.
In addition to the manufacturers’ recommendations, the frequency of the oil change depends on several aspects, namely driving habits, type of engine oil, age and model of the car. Driving short distances in the city and the engine is not able to warm up properly will create difficult operating conditions for any oil. These situations will require a more frequent oil change. On the other hand, if long distances are measured on a daily basis without creating too much load on the car, and the engine is warmed up properly, there is a possibility to slightly extend the oil change interval. As a result of aggressive driving, the oil will lose quality and viscosity properties faster. In such cases, the grease will not be able to properly lubricate and cool the car’s engine, which can lead to its early failure.
In addition to regular oil changes, it is very important to use good quality oil, as this affects the service life of any engine as well as other components such as the turbocharger.
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