An important component of your car is the oil. Oil is the driving force of your vehicle. It lubricates parts of the engine to prevent them from grinding and keep it cooled. The oil helps the engine in numerous ways. It helps protect the engine by keeping it clean from dirt, which protects engine operation. Oil lowers friction and wear, which can also enrich the performance of the fuel. Lastly, it reduces the heat within the engine and redistributes it to other components of the engine.
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Regularly checking the engine oil level can help keep the driver maintain proper oil levels and help ensure oil health. To avoid touching hot engine parts, it’s a best practice to test the oil when the engine has cooled down. When checking the oil level, many dipsticks have lines to show if the oil levels are low and need to be topped off. Also when using the dipstick, you can check the oil color. If the oil is smooth and a lighter color, it shouldn’t be changed. But, if the oil looks sludgy and dark, then it’s best to replace it.
If your dipstick regularly shows low engine oil levels then it’s possible that you may have a leak. There are numerous ways to test for oil leakage, which is important because a leak could bring harm to your vehicle’s engine. If there are dark puddles under your car, this is possibly a result of its oil pan slowly leaking oil. The smell of burning oil or smoke from the engine could possibly be an essential indicator of an oil leak. Also, the engine overheating could possibly be a result of an oil leak.
Learning when to replace your car’s engine oil is critical to negate harm to the engine in your car. While some may suggest a short oil change interval from 3,000 to 5,000 miles, it is recommended to have your oil changed every 5,000 to 7,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first. However, if you are worried about when to have an oil change you should contact our service department for more accurate information about your vehicle.
Sterling McCall Toyota invites you to schedule your next oil change at our Houston area service center. Our factory trained Toyota technicians are certified to service all manufacturers’ vehicles. Schedule your next visit online or in-person.