What You Need to Know About Your Car’s Engine Oil

​There are two things that make your car work well – gasoline and oil. While gasoline makes the car move, it is oil that keeps the engine parts moving. Without engine oil, the entire process of combustion that should convert gas to mechanical energy will not take place. Thus, your engine will grind to a halt without oil. These are the basic things you should know about your car’s engine oil.

​Mineral vs. Synthetic Oil
Mineral oil comes from the ground and is refined in an oil refining process. This oil is less expensive compared to synthetic types. On the other hand, synthetic oils are chemically engineered. Thus, they are more expensive. Their manufacturing process allows them to go for miles of driving. They are also infused with additives that keep the oil cleaner and, therefore, longer-lasting. Synthetic oil is also more stable at higher or lower temperatures.

Oil Viscosity
The numbers and letters in front of your engine oil bottle tell you much about its viscosity. Viscosity is how easily something flows. Thus, a bottle of engine oil may indicate something like SAE 30 or SAE 20. These are two of the most common viscosities of engine oils from 20 to 60. However, in countries with colder climates, the label and standards would be different. This is because standard viscosity in colder temperatures is different. 

When to Change Your Oil
The basic rule is that you should change your oil every 3,000 miles or 4,828 kilometers. That is roughly every three months. However, with modern cars, oil changes could wait for as far as 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers) or 10,000 miles (16,093 kilometers). There are some cars too that tell you to change the oil as they keep track of the oil. An oil change will keep the engine in perfect shape. Thus, it can save you money in case of a breakdown due to lack of oil change.

Checking Your Oil
This is the car maintenance practice that has never changed through the years. This consists of lifting your hood and checking your engine yourself. You should know where the dipstick is. When the engine is cool, clean off the dipstick. If the oil is brown or black, do not worry. That means that it is performing its job well. 

How to Add Oil to Your Engine
When you can see that you are running a bit low on oil, then just add a bit. Use the dipstick on a cool engine to check how much oil you still have. Unscrew the oil cap on top of the engine. Use a funnel to add oil directly from its bottle. Do this when the engine is cool, and do not overfill the engine. 

Some Final Words
Without adequate knowledge of your engine oil, you will run the risk of allowing your car to undergo wear and tear prematurely. That will then make you spend too much for maintenance and repairs. If you want to protect your car from any problem caused by a faulty engine, it is important to have auto insurance. This will help you deal with any simple or complex car engine problems or accidents that you may have in the future.

At Priority Insurance LLC, we do our best in making sure that our clients are well-protected with affordable and comprehensive policies. We make sure to go the extra mile to help you with your needs. To learn more about how we can help you, please contact our agency at (864) 297-9744 or Click Here to request a free quote.