admindrive their cars continuously as long as the cars are still able to start and go and the only time they show concern is when there is a problem.
Not servicing your car regularly is tantamount to going for days or months without changing one’s clothes, naturally they become filthy and you become to feel uncomfortable.
That is the same stress that you are subjecting your car to if you do not maintain it or service it properly and regularly. That’s what we are talking about this week.
Most parts in your engine are metals that rub against each other when the engine is running and this causes friction and heat.
In order to deal with these two factors you need oil, which cools your engine down and lubricates the metal surfaces to minimise wear and tear.
Over a period of time, your engine oil gradually loses the ability to lubricate and protect your engine components meaning that wear and tear will increase.
In addition to cooling and lubricating the metal surfaces of your engine, oil carries away dirt and metal particles which are the by-products of the combustion process. Many of these contaminants are removed from the oil by the oil filter, but eventually (usually every 10 000 kms) the oil and filter can become clogged with debris. As a result of the above factors, most car manufacturers recommend replacing your oil and oil filters every 5 000km to 10 000km.
An oil change is particularly important if you have long intervals between each service or your mileage is very high or low. There are many different types of oil. The grade of oil for your vehicle is determined by the vehicle manufacturer, based on the size, type, working conditions and operating temperature ranges of the engine.
Service your car at a garage that only uses top quality oil and the correctly specified oil filter for your vehicle.
Understanding the difference between synthetic oil and standard multi-grade oil is important for your car’s performance. Oils can be differentiated by their viscosity (or thickness) – as oil is heated it becomes thinner
and impairs its protective properties.
Making the oil thicker would mean that a cold engine would be difficult to turn over and start because of the drag of the thicker liquid.
To overcome these problems multigrade oil was developed; thin enough to enable easy starting but resistant to thinning too much when the engine is hot.
Many modern engines with a greater efficiency and higher performance are specified with an enhanced oil (i.e. synthetic oil).
Synthetic oil provides the same level of hot/cold protection as a multi-grade but contains special additives to enable the performance thresholds to be reached more quickly.
Synthetic oils also have greater detergent properties and better carbonisation controls than multi-grade oils.
Before refilling with fresh oil, the entire lubrication system should be flushed with an appropriate cleansing agent. This removes the build-up of tar and sludge, which can block the flow of oil around the engine.
A low cost engine flush only takes a few minutes and the engine can then be filled with new oil.
I recommend an engine flush before fitting a new oil filter and refilling with clean oil. Till next week, enjoy your ride.
- Fact D. Jeke is a motoring enthusiast who has attended auto shows, rallies and has written for various publications in the region for the last decade. She can be contacted via email on [email protected]
Online Reporter