Consequences of untimely engine oil change

Almost all motorists know that oil needs to be changed. Except for complete blondes who can hardly drive a car. We will assume that you know about the need to change the oil. And also that you’re at least interested in it. Now let’s understand why oil is changed and what consequences you can expect if the oil is not changed in time.

Timely oil change in the engine of your car guarantees its normal performance. The frequency of oil change depends on the car model and the type of oil used. As a rule, the oil is changed after a mileage of 8000-10000 km. To begin with, let us remind you why we change the oil in the engine in the first place. Oil envelops the lubricated parts of the engine, leaving on the surface of moving relative to each other elements, the so-called protective layer (a very thin layer of oil). This layer helps to reduce the frictional force between them. The oil virtually eliminates friction between the parts when the engine is running. This significantly reduces wear and tear on the parts and extends their service life. But any oil has its own life, after which its properties deteriorate significantly. In addition to reducing friction, oil has a cooling function for the engine. Over time, it liquefies and dissipates heat much worse.

With high mileage on the same oil, it liquefies and copes worse with friction of parts. With increased friction, all engine components are subjected to far superior loads. In the best case, this will threaten increased fuel consumption and reduced service life of parts, but in the worst case – the motor can “knock”. When knocking occurs in the engine overhaul can not be avoided, and its cost is unlikely to please anyone.

What reduces the life of the oil?

There is such a concept as “oil aging”. It says that over time, the engine burns additives and accumulates contaminants. As a result, the oil becomes “dirty”, that is, it loses its color, structure and properties. This means that it ceases to perform the functions assigned to it. Therefore, it is necessary to drain the old oil and pour new oil into the engine. It is also necessary not to forget to replace the oil filter, which also ceases to perform its functions, as a result of contamination.

The biggest test for the oil is short-distance city driving, which does not allow the oil in the engine to warm up to the optimum temperature.

As a result, large quantities of fuel enter the oil unimpeded, which depletes the oil’s additives. And the presence of water in the oil causes the engine oil to change its characteristics. Thus, citizens who often drive in the city or short distances should pay special attention to the condition of the oil. Since it is during such operation of the car that the oil is subjected to the greatest wear and tear.

Naturally, by continuing to drive on the already used oil, you cause great harm to the engine. After all, the oil does not fulfill the functions assigned to it. This leads to corrosion, increased wear of spare parts, and even engine overheating. Another possible result can be clogged oil passages.

To avoid having to resort to costly repairs, there are some rules of thumb to follow. First, do not allow your vehicle to idle for too long. If the engine is not started for a long time, all the oil drains into the crankcase and after starting the engine runs almost dry.

Second, don’t miss oil change deadlines. If, for whatever reason, you failed to change the oil in time, it threatens serious consequences. Right away, of course, you should not panic. If you missed oil change for 1-2 thousand kilometers, your motor is not threatened. An extra 5-10 thousand on the old oil is more dangerous.

In addition to the mileage, you should also look at the oil life. Even with low mileage, it is undesirable to drive on the same oil for more than a year, so when this period is reached, replacement is also necessary.

How often should you change the oil in your engine?

The oil change periodicity of each car is individual. It should be described in the instruction manual of your car. If you use a branded service station, you should be notified about it by the master. If you have slightly overdue oil change, you should not panic at once. One or two thousand kilometers will not cause serious damage to the engine. But more than two thousand kilometers traveled on used oil can seriously affect the resource of your engine.

What problems will have to face with untimely oil change?

Operating a car with old oil can have very serious consequences. In this article we will tell you about the most common breakdowns.

Rotation of connecting rod liners

The most common cause of crank liners rotating is untimely oil change. Used engine oil has a bad effect on the lubrication system and working mechanisms. As a result, the oil channel becomes clogged. The more used engine oil accumulates, the more the crank liners are subjected to stress and therefore to excessive heat, which leads to crank liner rotation.

Turbocharger component wear

Operating a vehicle with used engine oil can cause rotor damage. In the rotor, using used oil will wear out the turbocharger shaft and bearings, causing deep scratches in the rotor.

In addition, the use of contaminated engine oil causes grooves and leads to bearing failure, resulting in damage to the turbocharger shaft and housing. In addition, contaminated engine oil causes clogging of the turbocharger’s lubrication channels, leading to turbocharger seizure.

Wear and tear on engine parts

The most common cause of engine component wear is poor lubrication quality, when the engine oil has a low viscosity. This causes the so-called oil film between the cylinder and the piston to break. Since used engine oil cannot cope with neutralizing soot and acidic compounds produced during combustion.

Also wear of parts occurs due to lack of engine lubrication or deterioration of its quality, which leads to a sharp increase in the temperature of individual parts of the engine, and it lasts until the interacting parts do not melt.

In addition, untimely oil changes can bend or even destroy the valve. The result of valve damage can be a gas leak in the combustion chamber.

The consequences of an untimely change can be very serious because the oil in the engine not only reduces the frictional force between the rubbing parts, but also lowers the temperature between them.

Table of consequences: