5 Keys to Getting a Great Oil Change

If you want to take care of your car, you need to get your oil changed. How and when you get your oil changed is important if you want your car to perform at optimum levels. There are things you can do to enhance the quality of your car oil change.

Warm Your Engine Up

Before you change your oil, you are going to want to warm up your engine. When your engine is warmed up, all the contaminants and dirt particles that sit at the bottom of your engine when it is cold get mixed up and suspended in the oil, which is a good thing. When your oil is changed, that means all the contaminants and dirt particles will drain out with your oil. Draining out the contaminants will help clean your engine and help it run correctly.

Keep Your Vehicle Level

Next, you are going to want to keep your vehicle level. Having a level vehicle will help ensure that the oil drains out properly. If your vehicle is not level, all the old dirty oil may not drain out properly. You want to get as much of the old dirty oil out of your vehicle before putting in fresh, clean oil.

Use the Right Grade of Oil

All oil is not the same. You want to ensure you are using the right type of oil in your engine. You should look up in your owner's manual to know the proper oil grade that your engine needs. Your engine may be designed to handle diesel oil, synthetic oil, or conventional oil. You want to give your engine the oil that it was designed to work optimally with it.

Pay Attention to the Thickness of the Oil

Next, you want to pay attention to the thickness of the oil, which is different from the oil grade. The thickness of the oil will depend upon your particular vehicle and the climate's temperature where your vehicle is located. You want to get oil that is thick enough to operate well in your vehicle and where you live.

Stick to the Mileage Recommendation

Finally, you want to stick to the mileage recommendation for when to get your oil changed. You can write down a reminder, or if you go to a service center, they will give you a sticker that lets you know when you should get your oil changed. Don't go more than a few hundred miles over the recommended mileage to change your oil.

For the best oil change, use the right grade and thickness of oil for your specific vehicle. Warm up your engine before changing the oil, and make sure your vehicle is flat when changing the oil. Get your oil changed at the recommended mileage ratio. 

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