Anyone can change their own oil. You can save a bit of money, and you don’t have to take your car down to the garage, but you could be missing out on essential benefits that you get from a professional service.
If you usually leave your oil changes to someone else, or have never had one before, you might be curious as to what goes on.
Hint, it’s often more than simply swapping out one oil for another!
Step 1. Checking the oil levels
This is usually the first step and gives an indication of the health of the engine and how we’ll its being looked after. The mechanic will also look at the color of the oil which can act as a messenger for problems going on inside the engine. They work with engine oil daily and can easily spot discrepancies in oil color.
It’s entirely possible that your vehicle doesn’t even need an oil change. A good mechanic should tell you this rather than waste your time and money. There’s no sense wasting good motor oil!
Step 2: Drain the old oil
The mechanic will either lift your vehicle or go into a pit underneath to enable them to remove the oil pan and allow the oil to drain out.
Step 3: They’ll check the oil filter
The oil filter is essential to removing dirt, flecks of metal and other impurities before the oil enters the engine. Over time the filter can become clogged with oil and no longer able to do its job; when this happens the mechanic will replace it with a new, lubricated filter.
Step 4: Pour the new oil
Once the filter has been checked they’ll reattach the pan to the bottom of the vehicle and refill the oil from the top.
It’s more than just changing oil!
An oil change is a good opportunity for mechanics to get a look under the hood of your vehicle. This is never a bad thing as they an identify problems you may not already be aware of. Obviously you want to find yourself an honest mechanic who doesn’t find something that doesn’t even need repairing!
A professional oil change should take anywhere from 15 – 45 minutes and are usually inexpensive.
The best advice for when to schedule an oil change is to use your owners handbook. Checking the levels isn’t a reliable indicator as there are many more factors to consider such as the oil’s age, the engine, and driving style.
Ned an oil change in West Haven? Give us a call today to make your appointment: (203) 934-7251