Looking for an oil change in Niantic, Waterford, or Old Lyme? You found the right place. The friendly staff here at Pro Tek Auto can assist you with your oil change and all your routine maintenance. With each service, our certified technicians will do a complementary courtesy inspection to let you know the current status of your vehicle.
The first thing people tend to think of when they hear routine maintenance is oil changes. So what is an oil change? Why is it so important? At Pro Tek Auto, we can help you understand why oil changes are important and why you should do them according to your factory scheduled maintenance program.
The Lifeblood of Your Car
Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle. There are three main functions of oil in today’s engines. The main function of oil is to lubricate the internal engine. Oil properly lubricates internal components, reducing the friction and heat. It also reduces the chance of components failing due to the friction.
The next function of oil is to keep the combustion chambers cool. As oil flows through the engine, it redistributes the heat of the engine and effectively cools off the internal parts, allowing the engine to run more efficiently. This is the same reason why elephants have such large ears; the blood cools though them and essentially cools off the body!
The last function of the oil is to help prevent carbon and varnishes from accumulating. When carbon accumulates in the engine, it becomes thicker and turn into sludge. Sludge can block passageways and prevent the oil from properly doing its job. Regular oil changes significantly increases all these functions of your car’s engine.
How Often Should I Have an Oil Change?
Oil changes typically depend on the type of car and the recommended oil for the car. At Pro Tek Auto, we recommend an oil change every 3,000 miles, or six months months, for conventional oil and oil filter. For synthetic oil and filter, we recommend an oil change every 6,000 miles or, or six months. For more information about your vehicle, contact us and we can let you know what your service intervals should be.
What if I Don’t Change My Oil?
This is one of the worst things you can do for your vehicle. Being the lifeblood of your vehicle, everything relies on the oil to keep your car running. As oil gets older, the oil becomes a thick sludge and starts clogging components such as the crankcase and around the camshafts and valves. Fixing the problems caused by sludge is not as easy as an oil change. In most cases, a costly repair would need to be performed, having different parts of the engine taken apart and cleaned thoroughly.
As cars get older, they naturally consume more oil, and over time the oil level drops. With below acceptable levels, the oil cannot do its job in lubricating and cooling off the engine. This can cause the internal parts to rub together,causing metal parts to break or fail. If significant damages are made, a new engine will need to be installed.
Having any of these repairs done is a significant expense on a preventable service. Is your vehicle in need of an oil change right now? Schedule an appointment today! Pro Tek Auto, located in downtown Niantic, can do oil changes on all makes and models, including Audi, Volkswagen, and Volvo.