In the army, we called it preventive maintenance. After I retired from the Army I spent some time as a truck driver and truck driving instructor for one of the largest trucking companies in the United States. They were big on preventive maintenance as well. Later I owned my own truck, and took what I had learned and made it a part of the way I ran my business. It's paid me back many times in NOT being broken down by the side of the road, NOT having to pay for major repairs, and NOT having to wonder if my vehicle was going to do something nasty on a long trip or a run to the grocery store. I think it's fair to say that most of us realize that preventive maintenance, rotating tires, changing oil, checking the battery and the cooling system, is the most important aspect of car ownership that prolongs the life of the vehicle and cuts maintenance costs. However, of all the preventive things we can and should do to keep our car running efficiently and perhaps improve the retail value, there is one act which is consistantly recommended by car care specialists. Regular oil changes. Long engine life depends on regular oil changes, and the engine itself is one of the most expensive components to replace or repair. The oil within the engine does not simply lubricate moving parts thereby saving direct wear and tear by friction. The oil within the engine, at its most efficient, helps provide a cooling function. This is very important for long engine life, as heat is the great destroyer of most machines, including the engine in your car. Oil breaks down over time. Simply put, it loses its ability to lubricate the moving parts within the engine. This allows wear and tear through friction and breakdown of seals and other components through heat. In addition to the normal breakdown of the oil, it also becomes contaminated by things such as dirt or antifreeze. Even the additives in oil, which are there to improve its performance, gradually begin to breakdown themselves. As the oil and the contaminants begin to lose their original ability to lubricate and cool the engine and its parts, they begin to form sludge that begins its own wearing process as it also impairs the efficiency of the engine. Severe types of driving take their toll as well. You don't do any driving under severe conditions? Here's a surprise. If you do a lot of stop and go, short trips to the store or mall, or drive in cold weather, you are driving your car under severe conditions. Even a car parked for a long period of time is subject to oil contamination due to moisture accumulation. The usual recommendation once was to change your engine oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is still a reasonable rule of thumb, but if you do drive under severe conditions, you may want to consider changing oil a little more often, and always change the oil filter as well. You should check your owner's manual to determine what the manufacturer of your car recommends. Make sure that you are using the correct oil for your vehicle. The type of oil required should be listed in your owner's manual. If you don't have an owner's manual, a call or visit to a local automotive parts store or garage should turn up the correct information. While many prefer certain brands of oil, the brand or price is less important than the frequency of the oil changes. The idea is to change the oil before there is a chance for breakdown of the oil. If you think you might go too long between oil changes, you might want to use a synthetic motor oil, as these tend to retain their lubrication affect longer and more evenly than standard petroleum based motor oil. While this article is fairly specific in nature and deals with mainly one item in a vast range of maintenance points, you can learn more about oil changes and other maintenance issues by visiting such sites as http://www.aoca.org/, the web site of the Automotive Oil Change Association. Regular oil changes, and this includes changing oil filters as well, are probably the most effective means of prolonging the life of your car, and its value as well. |
