The importance of clean engine oil

Your cars engine oil is its vital life blood, lubricating the moving parts of the engine and preventing friction and engine wear. Without oil, the engine would quickly overheat and seize, resulting in irrevocable damage. It’s amazing then, that some people seldom check their oil level or get the oil changed.

Older engines may use oil at an increased rate, particularly as engine seals become brittle with age, so the level needs checking regularly. You can buy specially formulated oil for higher mileage engines which contains conditioning agents to help refresh engine seals. It is recommended that you change your oil every 6 months/ 5,000 miles, but you should check the manufacturers recommendation in the service schedule.

Over time, small particulates will build up in the oil, causing it to become sludgy and to break down. Additives in the oil combat this degradation, but eventually these are exhausted and the oil will stop doing its job properly. Degraded oil will lead to increased engine wear and can significantly reduce the engines lifespan.