Lube services and oil changes are crucial to keeping your car in good shape. But, if you are cash strapped or time-poor, you may wonder what all the hype is about, and why is it so important?
When you get your car serviced at Mac’s Automotive and Radiator Repairs, your car is in safe hands. The team at Mac’s is committed to delivering the highest quality automotive services. We want to take some time out to demystify some technical jargon and make it easier for you to understand the service we provide.
Let’s start by exploring some basic need to know information about lube services and oil changes. Then we’ll dive down into the detail and explain common problems detected related during the service.
What is a lube service and oil change?
Oil changes are preventive maintenance – similar to your doctor check-ups – but for cars instead. By regularly caring for and protecting your vehicle, particularly the engine (or the heart), you minimize the likelihood of major repairs in the future.
When the team at Mac’s is servicing your car, we might detect some issues. By addressing these immediately, we will save you many heartaches, expenses, and inconvenience in the long-term. To summarize, when we perform our lube service and oil change we:
- Drain all the old oil out of your car and replace it with new oil
- Replace your old filter with a new one
- Lubricate the chassis (aka the base frame of a vehicle)
Our lube and oil change jobs also include checking and refilling your car’s antifreeze or engine coolant and windshield wiper, transmission, and power steering fluids.
Why are regular lube service and oil changes so important?
Your oil filter is an essential part of your car’s overall system. The oil filter keeps your oil clean by keeping dirt, rust, and all other particles and sludge (broken down oil) out of the system. When engines operating on clean oil increase the lifespan of your car’s engine and improve its overall performance.
Additionally, if you don’t regularly service your car, it will lead to inadequate engine lubrication, which means your vehicle will start consuming more fuel.
When is the right time to get a lube service and oil change?
Traditionally you should aim to get a lube service and oil change every 3,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first. These days if you are driving a reasonably new car or are driving in optimal operating conditions, you can typically go for longer and change your oil every 5,000 miles.
That said, the frequency that you change your oil largely depends on your car manufacturer’s recommendations.
What types of engine oil is available?
Oil is the lifeblood of your car’s engine. You must select the best quality, most suitable oil for your vehicle. Using the correct viscosity (thickness) of oil is essential to preserving your engine’s performance.
When you schedule an oil change, the team may ask which kind of oil you put in your vehicle. Here are the three types of engine oils available:
- Full-synthetic engine oil
- Part-synthetic or synthetic blend engine oil
- Conventional (regular) engine oil.
If unsure of which type of engine oil you require, Mac’s qualified mechanics will be able to provide point you in the right direction.
Common problems detected during an oil change
During your car’s service, your mechanic may detect the start of a major issue. Two critical problems detected during an oil change are bad head gaskets and o-rings.
Bad or blown head gaskets
Bad or blown head gaskets can lead to problems with your engine, including reduced power and shaky or rough performance. If one of our mechanics informs you that your car has a bad head gasket, it is essential to replace it immediately.
Head gaskets are found between the engine block and the cylinders. They keep oil and other fluids from leaking into cylinders. Because head gaskets play such a critical role in preventing oil leaks, broken gaskets are often identified during oil changes.
Bad o-rings
If your car has bad o-rings, it is highly likely to be leaking oil. And leaking oil isn’t good for your vehicle and the environment. If one of our mechanics informs you that your car has bad o-rings, we recommend addressing the problem immediately.
O-rings seal the oil filter and stop leaks. O-rings play such a critical role in preventing oil leaks; this is why mechanics regularly detect bad o-rings during oil changes.
At Mac’s Automotive and Radiator Repairs, we aim to deliver the best possible automotive service to our local community. We are committed to delivering the highest quality service because we understand how important your car is to you.
If you have any questions or would like to book your car in for a lube service and oil change, click here to contact your local Mac’s Radiator.
