What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Oil?

When you are on the road everyday, it can be easy to ignore the little light that pops up on your dashboard that notifies you that your vehicle is due for an oil change. You may think it’s fine and you’ll do it tomorrow. However, it’s important to keep up with your regular maintenance routine. Motor oil naturally breaks down over time, and it becomes less effective at keeping your engine’s moving parts lubricated. As a result, if your engine gets too hot, serious damage can occur such as warped components. Learn more about what happens if you don’t get your oil changed with Apostolakis Honda of Cortland.

What Is the Significance of Motor Oil?

Motor oil is the lubricant that keeps your engine parts moving smoothly. Warren drivers can rely on their motor oil to reduce wear and tear on moving parts caused by friction. It also is designed to clean up any sludge that could accumulate around the engine. The detergents inside of it help clean varnish from the engine, and regular changing helps it neutralize acids that form from fuels. Motor oil improves piston ring seals and is a part of the process of cooling the engine. Motor oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle’s engine. 

How Often Should I Change My Vehicle’s Oil?

Typically, driver’s can go 7,500 to 10,000 miles between oil changes. Better motor oil and engines are helping to lengthen this time. It’s important to consider your own driving habits, so if you drive long distances or dirt roads, then you should change your oil more frequently. 

How Do I Change the Oil Myself?

If you want to change your oil yourself, follow these simple steps. Confirm the type of oil in your owner’s manual, get yourself a funnel, jack stands, and an oil basin. Then follow these instructions to change your oil:

1. Lift your car with the jack stands or steel ramps. 
2. Find the oil drain plug on the bottom of your oil pan underneath your engine. Put an oil basin directly underneath the plug, and unscrew the plug. Allow the old oil to drain out completely, be patient, this could take up to 15 minutes. Once you’re certain all the oil has drained, replace the plug.
3. Find the oil filter and remove it with an oil filter wrench. There will be some more oil drainage when this occurs, so be sure to keep the basin underneath. 
4. Grab your new filter and rub a bit of oil around the rubber seal.
5. Put the new filter in place, and tighten it by hand but not too hard. 
6. You can now remove your oil cap, and pour the proper amount of oil into the oil tank. You can confirm the correct amount in your owner’s manual.
7. Confirm you have enough oil by pulling out the dipstick, if you are low, then add some more oil. Do this a little bit at a time until you are at the correct level. Once you have enough oil in the tank, you should be ready to go!

Come to Apostolakis Honda for Oil Change Service and More

Now that you know what happens if you don’t get your oil changed, you can properly maintain your vehicle. Performing an oil change at home can seem like an excessive task, so you can always come to our dealership outside of Youngstown. Our Cortland service center is happy to help you. Be sure to check out our service specials before you come in to see how you can save money on your next routine maintenance. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us to get some answers!