One of the best ways of keeping your car running and in tip top condition is to have a weekly or monthly maintenance check. These checks include making sure the water level is topped up, there is enough coolant, tyre pressures are correct and all the electrics are current workings, for example brake lights and reversing lights, etc. But perhaps the most important thing to remember to check is your engine’s oil level. Although it’s a cliché it really is true that oil is the lifeblood of your engine. It is amazing just how quickly the engine will stop working and become damaged beyond repair if the oil level runs low. If you spot the oil pressure gauge is getting low you should take instant preventative action.
To understand why this is the case we have to understand what engine oil does inside your car. Its first job is to protect the car’s moving parts from wear and tear. Oil acts as a protective barrier between the metal components. It allows them to move freely and with less friction, therefore increasing efficiency, and prevents them from grinding against each other. Without this cushioning effect the metal would quickly wear away. In addition, because it helps to cool the inner engine if the oil pressure is low (or the levels are down) components have been known to weld themselves together under the severe heat and pressure inside the engine.
Motor oil also cleans and protects the engine. Because oil covers many of the surfaces inside the engine by including cleaning additives it can be used to inhibit corrosion. It also prevents oxidisation because the internal parts of the engine are covered by oil and therefore do not come into contact with oxygen in the air.
Now we know why oil is so important, and particularly oil pressure, and we know why we have to check its level every few weeks. It’s always a good idea to top up your engine with a quality oil, don’t buy cheap oil changes. You can find out which type of oil is needed for your car in the manufacturers handbook.
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