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Walled Lake, MI 48390

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Autor Repair Tips: What Happens When You Don’t Have Enough Oil?

Posted July 26, 2011

July 2011

Do you feel like taking your car in for an oil change is always on your to-do list? There’s no real harm in skipping out on your oil change at that 3,000 mile marker, right? The truth is that you will cause permanent damage to your vehicle by passing on this necessary maintenance.

Oil is one of the most critical fluids in your automobile. Clean oil is crucial to engine life and the reason that it needs changing so frequently is because of the amount of work that it does.

There are dozens of moving metal parts in your engine, and oil provides a protective layer that significantly reduces friction and heat. When the oil level drops, more pieces are rubbing together without that barrier of protection, much more heat is produced, and the metal in the engine can warp, or even melt.

There are two main reasons that your oil level decreases and that you need to change it every 3000 miles. The first reason is because of leaks. Your engine is a complex collection of tubes and filters and ducts and sometimes the seals between them break down. You’ll sometimes notice that this is happening by the stains on your garage floor.

The other reason is that your oil breaks down over time. Just like when you heat up cooking oil in a deep fryer a few times it begins to smoke and smell and become rancid, engine oil can only be heated so many times before it begins to break down.

As your oil breaks down it starts to turn into a thick sludge, which means that the protection your oil once provided the parts in your engine is significantly diminished. When this happens, and your engine begins to break and warp and melt, you trade a 30-minute, inexpensive oil change with a possible week-long, $4000 engine repair/replacement.

The only real secret to preventing a frustrating, expensive replacement is to change your oil at regular intervals at a professional facility that employs ASE certified technicians. Getting your oil changed in West Bloomfield regularly ensures that you are one simple, inexpensive step towards prolonging the life of your car.

Check out this blog on preventing oil loss to learn more auto repair information. You can also stop by or call us at (248) 668-1200 to set up an appointment today!

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