The standard advice that people hear for changing their car's engine oil is that it should be done every three months or every 3,000 kilometers. Now, with modern engines, that advice seems as outdated as having a cassette player in an automobile. In reality, modern vehicles only require changing oil every 5,000 to 10,000 kilometers. There are two reasons for this. First, there has been great improvement in engine design in recent years. The second reason is the production of better quality natural and synthetic oils. Most automobiles use a synthetic blend oil or a full synthetic. These oils have longer-lasting viscosity before they break down. Let’s delve a little more into this topic to understand the factors that impact when to change a car’s oil.
Under normal driving conditions, your manufacturer’s recommended oil change interval found in the car owner’s manual will guarantee that your vehicle functions as it was designed to. However, you need to recognize that driving conditions can affect how frequently you change your vehicle’s oil. Automobile manufacturers typically divide driving conditions into two categories: normal or severe. A person who drives in severe conditions will probably need to change the oil more frequently. We define severe conditions as:
• Mountainous or hilly terrain
• High humidity
• Hauling heavy loads
• Extreme temperatures
• Stop-and-go traffic
• Frequently driving for five minutes or less
If these characteristics describe your driving activity, then you may need a more frequent oil change than is recommended by your manufacturer. Often giving your vehicle the oil change it needs may help keep your vehicle on the road longer.
Another factor that could impact how frequently you change your oil is the type of oil you use. Many drivers are confused about the difference between synthetic oils and conventional oils. Synthetic oils are man-made. They are derived from base oil, carrier oil, and powder additives. These work together to evenly distribute the additives throughout your engine. Synthetic oils start with highly refined crude oil. However, synthetic oil is refined and processed to improve molecular size and purity. This leads to lower friction, increased engine performance, and reduced engine sludge. Synthetic oil is helpful because:
• Uniform molecular size creates less friction
• Refinement and purification leads to fewer deposits
• Better function in extreme cold weather
• Cleaner and have fewer impurities
• Includes engine protection additives that can clean the motor Because synthetic motor oil is more refined and has fewer impurities, it can be used longer than conventional oil.
Newer vehicles can go up to 10,000 miles without an oil change by using synthetic oil. For some, this means they only must change the oil and oil filter once a year. Turbo engines in older vehicles may still require oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, even with synthetic oil.
Your driving habits also influence how frequently you should change your oil. A person who mostly drives on open freeways may go a longer stretch before they change their oil. However, someone in stop-and-go traffic all the time may need to change the oil with greater frequency. An important factor is the number of hours it takes to accrue the same number of miles on the road. For example, a vehicle that primarily drives highway miles will accumulate on average 15,000 miles every 313 hours. Conversely, a taxicab driver may take up to 1,000 hours of engine time to reach 15,000 miles. This is because they are constantly stopping, picking up passengers, and dropping off passengers. A person with a commute that has them sit in stop-and-go traffic will take 700 hours to reach 15,000 miles. Engine hours are an important factor to consider when determining when to change your oil. If you are in stop-and-go traffic, your vehicle’s engine will only reach its actual operating temperature for a short amount of time. This can lead to fuel building up in the oil sump pump. This creates lower oil viscosity, which could lead to engine wear. There is no cut-and-dry rule for when you should change oil. However, if you follow your manufacturer's guidelines and are cognizant of how you drive your car and the conditions you are driving in, you will be able to make informed decisions that allow you to change your oil in a timely manner. When it does come time to have your oil changed, be sure to download The Oil Change App to request an oil change from a professional service provider anytime, anywhere!
