What Causes a Significant Increase in Fuel Consumption After an Oil Change?
1 Answers
The reasons for a noticeable increase in fuel consumption after an oil change are as follows: 1. Excessive or insufficient oil addition: Nowadays, most cars undergo oil changes during maintenance, with mineral oil changed every six months and full synthetic oil changed annually. As a key lubricant for the engine, oil plays a crucial role. Insufficient oil can lead to inadequate lubrication, naturally resulting in higher fuel consumption. However, some people hold the misconception that more oil means better lubrication and improved engine power output. In reality, excessive oil can completely submerge the crankshaft, increasing its movement resistance, reducing power output, and potentially causing oil burning, leading to blue smoke from the exhaust and ultimately higher fuel consumption. If fuel consumption increases, the first step is to use the oil dipstick to measure the oil level, ensuring it is between the maximum and minimum marks. Otherwise, oil needs to be added or reduced. 2. Mixing different oils: If the car already exhibits oil burning, regular top-ups may be necessary. However, for most vehicles, oil is primarily replaced based on maintenance schedules. Although oil composition is relatively stable, it operates in high-temperature, high-pressure, and friction-intensive environments, leading to degradation, increased impurities, and altered performance. Therefore, during an oil change, all old oil should be drained and completely replaced with new oil to avoid affecting overall performance. Mixing oils, especially from different brands, can prevent the oil from achieving ideal lubrication. Additionally, different oils may have slight compositional differences that could react with each other, significantly reducing oil performance and ultimately increasing fuel consumption. 3. Oil viscosity is too high: The viscosity index is crucial for oil performance. Oil viscosity is divided into high-temperature and low-temperature viscosity. The choice of oil viscosity mainly depends on the local temperature environment, with the most suitable viscosity grade being the best. Too low or too high viscosity is detrimental to engine operation. After an oil change, increased fuel consumption may result from using oil with excessively high viscosity, creating excessive resistance, affecting power output, and leading to higher fuel consumption. If fuel consumption rises after an oil change, it is undoubtedly related to the oil replacement. Although oil is not a direct consumable, it directly impacts the operation of the car engine, which is reflected in fuel consumption. Therefore, in cases of high fuel consumption, promptly check the oil level, whether oils have been mixed, and whether the selected oil specifications are appropriate to quickly identify and resolve the issue.
