2 Issues That Arise When You Forget To Change The Old Oil In Your Car

As the owner of a car, you may already be aware that you should be changing the oil as part of its regular maintenance. However, you may have gotten busy in your life and forgot to have it changed.

Since your car still seems to be running as well as it should, you may wonder whether it is really necessary to rush to have the job done. Below are a couple of issues that will eventually arise if you do not have the old oil changed in your car.

1. Dirt and Grime Will Accumulate in the Engine, Reducing Its Power and Fuel Efficiency

One problem that will come up eventually if you neglect to change the oil in your car is that it will start to lose power and fuel efficiency. As part of its function, the oil not only lubricates the moving parts of the motor, but it also cleans out the dirt and grime that accumulates within the engine.

When oil becomes old, it loses the detergents that help to clean the internal parts of the engine. As a result, the dirt and grime will become sludge and build up within the oil itself, which will clog up the filter and become attached to the parts. When this happens, the engine will have to work harder, resulting in the loss of power and increasing its gas consumption.

2. Thickened Oil Will Be Unable to Keep the Engine Cool, Causing It to Severely Overheat

Another issue that will arise if the old oil is allowed to remain is that the engine will severely overheat. Another function of the oil is to pull heat away from the motor to help cool it off.

If the oil becomes sludge, it will lose its ability to pull the heat away, causing the engine parts to become too hot. This could eventually lead to the engine seizing up or blowing a head gasket, both of which are very expensive to fix.

When motor oil gets old, it will no longer be able to fully lubricate and clean the internal parts of the engine. This leads to a buildup of sludge that affects the car's power and fuel efficiency as well as causes the engine to overheat to the point that it blows a head gasket or seizes up. If you know it's been a while since you had it done, take your vehicle to an auto service that offers oil changes as soon as possible.

For more information, contact a company like Flynn's Tire and Auto Service.