Oil changes are one aspect of automotive maintenance that many of us ignore, even though we drive every single day. We take it for granted that our cars will run fine. To maintain your car’s health, it is important to regularly perform maintenance on your vehicle.
Failing to change your oil will cause your motor oil to congeal into sludge and block up the filter and oil passages in your motor. Ultimately, your bearings will run out of lubrication, which can lead to a loss of lubrication in your bearings and ultimately cause your engine to “spin”, resulting in a failure. Normal intervals for changing oil are critical.
In this article, we are going to discuss the effects of not changing your oil and how long you can go without changing it.
What does oil do for your engine?
Motor oil is designed primarily for lubricating the rotation of the moving parts of the engine so that the engine operates smoothly.
The oil pump pushes motor oil out through the filter and into the bearings, pistons, and valve train of the engine. The motor oil is then sent back into the oil pan and passed back through the oil filter to begin the cycle of being used repeatedly as a lubricant in the engine again.
There are several other functions that motor oil provides in addition to lubrication; it protects against corrosion, keeps the engine free from carbon buildup, and decreases the friction created between all the different moving metal components of an engine.
What does the oil protect the engine from?
Motor oil contains additives that keep debris and friction out of the motor, prevent bubbles from forming in the oil, and keep it clean. These additives include antioxidants that keep the motor oil from breaking down and wearing prematurely.
Motor oil also has non-corrosive cleaning agents, which keep metals from becoming oxidized, as well as dispersants, which stick to carbon deposits and other contaminants, so they do not enter the engine, but instead, go to the oil filter.
Motor oil has an anti-wear agent from zinc. Zinc makes a film around engine parts so they do not prematurely wear and protects engines from failure if oil pressure is lost from foaming.
Related Article: How often do you have to change Engine Oil?
What happens if you don’t change your oil?
Delaying or skipping your oil change can lead to bad outcomes. The following are several ways in which delaying or skipping an oil change can result in lost time and money:
#1. Wear and tear on parts.
An engine consists of numerous moving parts, including pistons and valves. The lubricating capabilities of engine oil give those parts protection from friction.
Once the engine oil has reached the end of its recommended oil change interval, the oil will oxidize and will no longer be able to protect the components of the engine from friction, which creates wear and tear on the engine components.
#2. Engine overheating.
Your coolant system is not the only system that cools your engine. The oil in your engine has a significant function in cooling your engine by providing cooling in regions of the engine that are not exposed to the coolant.
As the oil becomes old, it will experience thermal breakdown due to being exposed to very high temperatures, and therefore, will become much thicker.
The thermal breakdown of the oil will prevent the oil from drawing the heat from the engine, and, as a result, will lead to your engine overheating, blowing head gaskets, and causing your engine components to warp and wear out.
#3. Dirt buildup.
In addition to lubricating and cooling, the function of oil is to cleanse as well. Engine oil removes tiny particles and debris that can accumulate over time, creating deposits that can plug up oil channels, greatly shortening engine life.
When dirty oil clogs up oil channels, it creates more work for the engine and results in a reduction in horsepower.
When an oil change has not been performed for an extended period of time, the oil can gel or become congealed in the engine, eventually forming sludge.
Sludge buildup will prevent proper oil distribution to the entire engine, resulting in oil starvation for the crankshafts, bearings, camshafts, and other components of the valve train. This can cause catastrophic damage to an engine to the extent that the entire engine must be replaced.
#4. Increased fuel consumption.
As engine oil ages, it thickens and turns into sludge. This means the car has to work harder and use more fuel to produce the same amount of power.
The increase in fuel consumption can be between 1% and 2%. In addition, the burning of old engine oil causes your car to produce toxic smoke.
#5. Voided car warranty.
Your vehicle’s manufacturer provides a warranty if you follow their service schedule. Failure to properly service the vehicle will void this warranty. If your engine becomes damaged, it may cost you a lot of money that won’t be compensated by the manufacturer.
Changing the oil and oil filter is much less expensive than repairing a damaged engine. Engine oil, when changed with a quality product, at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals, gives your vehicle the ability to operate at its highest possible level and provide the longest lifespan.
Engine oil is the second most important fluid for a vehicle. Be sure to purchase the correct engine oil.
#6. Complete Engine Failure.
The longer you wait to get your oil changed, the higher the chances that you will lose your vehicle. As your oil turns into sludge, it will lose the ability to cool your engine and will ultimately cause an entire engine shutdown, which will require the purchase of a completely new engine or even a new car.
If your oil change is too far delayed, ultimately your entire engine will lock up and need to be replaced, which can be very costly, often costing several thousand dollars. Often, when an engine shuts down, owners sell their vehicle as is to the scrap yards and buy a new car.
The bad news is that there can be a lot of potential danger that comes with having an oil change too long delayed, including overheating, warranty voiding, and more, but the good news is that oil changes are one of the least expensive and least time-consuming maintenance services available.