When should engine oil be changed?
Engine oil is one of the main working fluids in a car. The performance and service life of the engine depend on its quality, as well as on the timing of its replacement.
The job of engine oil is to provide sufficient lubrication to the drive unit, as many of its individual components operate at high speeds and are subjected to significant stress. Without oil, the engine wears out within minutes of being started. In addition, engine oil dissipates heat, dissipates dirt, and protects the interior of the unit from corrosion.
Regular oil change
However, in order for engine oil to do its job, it needs to be changed regularly. Oil change intervals are set by the vehicle manufacturer. Nowadays, modern cars usually require replacement every 30. km. Older ones, for example, the beginning of the 15th century, every 20-90 thousand. km. Cars manufactured in the 10s of the XNUMXth century and earlier require replacement, usually every XNUMX thousand. km mileage.
Detailed oil change intervals are specified by car manufacturers in the car's owner's manual. For example, Peugeot recommends changing the oil in the 308 every 32. km. Kia recommends a similar instruction for the Cee'd model - every 30. km. But Ford in the Focus model prescribes an oil change every 20 km.
Extended oil change intervals are partly a result of user expectations and competition in the automotive market. Car owners want their vehicle not to come to the place for inspection as long as possible. At present, cars, especially those used as working tools, travel up to 100-10 km per year. km. If such cars had to change the oil every XNUMX thousand km, this car would have to come to the site almost every month. That's why car manufacturers and oil producers have been forced in some way to improve their products.
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However, it must be remembered that the oil change intervals are set by the car manufacturer for fully serviceable and optimally operated engines. Meanwhile, according to many experts, the timing of an oil change really depends on the driving style and operating conditions of the car. Is the vehicle being used for commercial or personal purposes? In the first case, the car definitely has less favorable working conditions.
Oil change. What to search?
It is also important where the car is used - in the city or on long trips. The use of the car in the city can also be divided into commercial, which is associated with frequent engine starts, and trips to work or to the store. Total Polska experts emphasize that it is especially difficult for the engine to cover short distances home-work-home, during which the oil does not reach its operating temperature and, as a result, water does not evaporate from it, which enters the oil from the environment. Thus, the oil quickly ceases to fulfill its lubricating properties. Therefore, it is advisable to change the oil more often than indicated by the vehicle manufacturer. In this case, it is recommended to change the oil every 10 XNUMX. km or once a year.
According to the Premio service network experts, if the car has a long monthly mileage, the engine oil should also be changed once a year or even more often. A similar opinion is shared by the Motoricus network, who say that difficult driving conditions, high levels of dust or short city driving require a reduction in the frequency of inspections by up to 50 percent!
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Oil change frequency is also affected by solutions that reduce exhaust emissions, such as DPFs used in diesel vehicles. Total Polska experts explain that soot from exhaust accumulates in the DPF to be burned while driving on the road. The problem arises in the case of vehicles operated mainly in the city. When the engine computer determines that the diesel particulate filter needs to be cleaned, additional fuel is injected into the combustion chambers to raise the temperature of the exhaust gases. However, part of the fuel flows down the walls of the cylinder and enters the oil, diluting it. As a result, there is more oil in the engine, but this substance does not meet the requirements of the technical specifications. Therefore, for the correct operation of vehicles equipped with a DPF, it is necessary to use low-ash oils.
Oil change in a car with HBO installation
There are also recommendations for cars with LPG installation. In autogas engines, the temperature in the combustion chambers is much higher than in gasoline engines. These adverse operating conditions affect the technical condition of the power unit, therefore, in this case, more frequent oil changes are advisable. In cars with a gas installation, it is recommended to change the oil at least every 10 XNUMX. km of run.
In modern cars, the on-board computer increasingly shows how many kilometers are left before changing the engine oil. This period is calculated on the basis of several factors responsible for the quality of oil consumption.
Owners of vehicles equipped with a turbocharger should also remember to change the engine oil regularly. If we have a turbo, we should not only remember to use branded synthetic oils, but it is also worth reducing the intervals between changes.
And one more very important note - when changing the oil, the oil filter should also be changed. Its task is to collect impurities such as metal particles, unburned fuel residues or oxidation products. A clogged filter can cause oil to not be cleaned and instead enter the engine at high pressure, which can damage the drive.
According to the expert:
Andrzej Gusiatinsky, Director of Technical Department at Total Polska
“We get a lot of questions from drivers about what to do if the car manufacturer recommends changing the oil every 30-10 km. km, but we drive only 30 3 a year. km. We change the oil only after XNUMX thousand mileage. km, i.e. in practice after XNUMX years, or at least once a year, even if we do not drive the estimated number of kilometers? The answer to this question is unequivocal - the oil in the engine should be changed after a certain mileage or after a certain period of time, whichever comes first. These are general manufacturer's assumptions and you should stick to them. Moreover, it should be remembered that even if we are not driving a car, dissolved fuel, air ingress, and contact with metals in the engine cause engine oil to oxidize, i.e. its slow aging. It's all a matter of time, but also of operating conditions. If you go a little deeper into the topic, oil change intervals can and should be shortened if the oil is operated in difficult conditions. An example of this is frequent city driving for short distances. In the same way, we can lengthen them a little when we are driving on the highway and the oil has time to heat up to the right temperature. ”
