3 Ways To Tell If It's Time For An Oil Change

Regular maintenance plays an important role in keeping your car's engine running efficiently. While there are many types of maintenance tasks to attend to, making sure that you get regular oil changes is essential when it comes to preventing your engine from overheating.

If you don't want to invest in an oil change before it's absolutely necessary, here are three signs you can look for to determine if it's time for an oil change in the future.

1. Check your oil level.

As oil circulates through your car's engine bay, it can begin to evaporate. Checking your oil levels can be a simple way to determine if it is time for an oil change to give your vehicle a fresh supply of motor oil to draw from during daily use.

With your car's engine bay completely cool, pull the dip stick out of the oil reserve. Wipe clean with a paper towel, and replace the dipstick fully. Remove once again, and check to see that the amount of oil falls within the normal range. If your engine oil levels are low, schedule an oil change in the near future.

2. You hear knocking sounds coming from your engine.

One of the primary purposes of engine oil is to keep the moving parts within your car's engine bay properly lubricated. As oil circulates through the engine bay, it picks up dirt and debris that can reduce its effectiveness.

If you begin to hear knocking sounds coming from your engine, these sounds could be a sign that your oil is no longer providing the protection your engine needs to run efficiently. As soon as you hear any type of engine knock, scheduling an oil change to replace outdated and deteriorated oil supplies with fresh oil is advised.

3. You notice blue smoke coming from your vehicle's exhaust pipe.

If your car's engine is burning oil excessively, you may notice blue smoke being emitted from your exhaust pipe. Rather than circulating throughout the engine bay to lubricate your car's moving parts, the oil is escaping into the combustion chamber.

Loss of oil could spell disaster for your vehicle's engine, so it's important that you closely monitor oil levels once blue smoke appears. Scheduling an oil change with your local mechanic will help you prevent serious repairs and identify additional problems that could be contributing to the blue smoke coming from your exhaust pipe.

For more information, contact Terwood Auto Repair or a similar company.

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