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Engine Maintenance: 3 Indicators You Should Change The Automobile Lubricant

by Vicky Mills

Changing the engine lubricant is a simple yet crucial car maintenance practice. Oil is the lifeblood of your automobile. The lubricant oils the moving parts and prevents overheating. Usually, a delay in changing the lubricant could lead to irreversible harm to your motor vehicle. Most car owners depend on the vehicle mileage to determine when to change the oil. However, other factors can signal it's time to change the oil. They include the following.

Dashboard Warning Light Comes On 

Unless you're driving an old car, your vehicle has a system that calculates the life of the engine lube. Normally, you will see the service oil or maintenance light illuminated for a few seconds every time you start your engine. However, if the light doesn't disappear, you must change the lubricant or filter. The warning light will only disappear when you change the motor oil, filter, or both. To ensure that you replace the old lubricant with genuine motor vehicle oil for your specific type of vehicle, visit a garage with highly trained technicians. 

Black Engine Lubricant

Motor oil changes color for a variety of reasons. Usually, the new engine lubricant is amber in color and will be much darker and dirty when it gets old. There's no exact time when the motor vehicle lubricant starts changing, so you should check its condition at least once every month. You can do a simple inspection by checking the dipstick from under the hood, using a clean cloth to wipe it, and checking again. If you can see the measuring stick through the oil, your lubricant is in good condition. However, if the motor vehicle oil is dark, you should make an appointment at your auto repair shop immediately to change the lubricant. 

Reduced Gas Mileage

When you run your automobile on old lubricant, you will notice a decrease in fuel economy. This happens because the old, sludgy lubricant builds up on metal surfaces and increases friction. In addition, old motor vehicle oil breaks down more easily when exposed to heat, and it loses its lubricity making your car use up more power. Therefore, if you continue to operate your vehicle on old oil, it will consume more to function normally, greatly reducing the gas mileage. 

When you notice the above warning indicators, your car is overdue for a motor vehicle oil change. To avoid irreversible damage to your vehicle, call in an experienced diesel maintenance technician to inspect your vehicle and change the motor vehicle oil.

Reach out to a company like M R W Truck & Trailer Repair Inc. to learn more.

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