What Are the Misconceptions About Changing Engine Oil?
2 Answers
Misconceptions about changing engine oil include the belief that higher viscosity oil lasts longer, only adding oil without changing it, mixing different oils, using gasoline engine oil in diesel engines, blindly using premium oil, and changing oil just because it turns black. Below are some related issues about changing engine oil: 1. Conditions for changing engine oil: Use the oil dipstick to check if the oil level has reached the minimum. If it has, you need to add or change the oil. 2. Precautions: (1) Carbon buildup occurs because old oil becomes thinner over time, leading to more carbon deposits. (2) Mixing oils from different brands is not recommended, as different brands use different technical formulations. Since engine oil is a chemical product, different formulations may cause adverse chemical reactions, altering its inherent properties and causing wear on the lubrication system components, leading to increased noise.
Many people believe that changing engine oil should strictly follow the odometer reading, refusing to change it before reaching 5,000 kilometers. However, oil in vehicles that are driven less can deteriorate, while those driven more frequently should change it even earlier. Last time, my neighbor waited too long, resulting in severe engine carbon buildup. Another misconception is changing only the oil but not the oil filter, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of filtering impurities. Some also blindly trust big-brand full synthetic oils, when in reality, matching the oil to the vehicle's certification is what matters most. Even worse is buying counterfeit oil packaged to look genuine—this can destroy an engine in no time. Now that the weather is colder, cold starts cause the most wear, and the fluidity of good oil directly impacts engine lifespan. Remember to check the brake fluid and coolant while changing the oil to avoid making multiple trips to the repair shop.
