Maintaining a Healthy Engine.

We now know that it is important to maintain proper tire pressure and keep your brakes in check, but without a proper functioning engine those tires or brakes won’t even be necessary. Maintaining a clean engine is important to its function and also how long of a life it lives. 

So, why is it important to change your motor oil every 3 months, 3,000 miles or as instructed by the manufacturer of your vehicle? Motor oil gets contaminated by substances like dust, metallic shavings and even antifreeze. Sludge is formed when all of these contaminants are whipped into the oil. What then happens is this sludge begins to stick to the engine causing the engine to perform less efficiently. If left long enough the sludge can cause engine failure. 

Driving in severe driving conditions, such as the conditions around the Chicagoland area, it is important not to neglect the health of your engine. Chicagoland is a prime example of what severe driving conditions are. Making short trips, driving in stop-and-go traffic, extended idling, driving in dust or dirty air, towing trailers and cold weather driving are examples of severe driving conditions. 

For these reasons it is important to pay attention to how often your motor oil should be changed. It is important to the health of your engine and will prolong the life of your vehicle.