Why you need to change the engine oil, even if it is still light

The oil in the engine seems to be time to change, but it still looks quite fresh. The color is light, the motor runs smoothly: that is, there is nothing to worry about. The AvtoVzglyad portal figured out whether it is worth delaying changing the lubricant when it seems that you can wait a little with extra expenses

First you need to figure out why engine oil darkens, and why it remains relatively light, even after 8000-10 kilometers. Here we make a reservation that, in principle, it cannot look like new, because the process of oxidation of the lubricant is underway and, unfortunately, it is inevitable. However, the color of oils of some manufacturers is still lighter than others. But simply because oxidation inhibitors are added to the oil. They slow down the process of changing the "shades of gray".

Oxidation takes place faster in mineral oils, and not in “synthetics”. Therefore, the "mineral water" darkens much faster. In general, if the oil did not turn dark on a run of about 5000 km, this means that the additives that slow down the oxidation process “swelled” there from the heart.

To make any modern motor oil, two things are used: the so-called base and an additive package. The latter have cleaning and protective properties, clean the engine from soot and other wear negatives. The products of combustion are washed into the crankcase and settle there, and not on engine parts. From this, the lubricant becomes dark.

If the oil remains clean on an average run, this only indicates that it is of poor quality, the protective functions are weak, and combustion products remain on the parts of the cylinder-piston group. Over time, this will adversely affect the operation of the power unit. This oil needs to be changed immediately.