Five Indicators Your Engine Needs An Oil Change

Oil lubricates the moving parts of your engine, but how do you know when its time for an oil change? Over time, oil becomes dirty, making it less effective in keeping your vehicle running smoothly. In our article from K&M Tyres, Crowborough, we outlined the benefits of regularly changing your oil and this time we give you five of the key indicators that let you know your oil definitely needs changing.

Checking the oil level in your vehicle

First of all, it’s necessary to start right at the beginning and that’s checking the oil level of your vehicle. Here, you need to find the dipstick and take it all the way out and wipe it with a clean cloth. This will help to give you an accurate reading when you put the dipstick in again. The dipstick has a minimum and maximum oil level and the reading should fall between the two in order to maintain optimum performance. Overfilling your car with oil can be just as detrimental to the engine as having a level that is below the minimum.

How to tell your vehicle needs an oil change

• Oil colour and consistency
• Dashboard light or message
• Increased engine noise
• Manufacturer’s mileage recommendation
• Smell of petrol or exhaust fumes

Dark, black oil indicates an oil change is required

Once you have removed the dipstick, check the colour of the oil. Clean oil is amber in colour and slightly translucent. Over time, the oil will turn darker and become thicker and this is a strong indicator that it needs changing. In order to check consistency, rub some between your thumb and finger and if it feels gritty, that’s a clear sign that contaminants have made their way into the oil.

Oil replacement dashboard light is on

Vehicles have dashboard warning lights that the engine oil needs replacing. The newer the car, the more sophisticated the system. Most manufacturers set the reminder light at the recommended oil change interval and once you have been to your local oil change specialist, the indicator is reset.

Engine noise and knocking

Oil lubricates engine parts and if it is not doing its job properly, engine noise will increase. Alarm bells should sound if you hear engine knocking or rumbling noises, as the engine oil is not lubricating the moving parts of your engine. Major damage could occur if parts are grinding against each other.

A lot of miles have been clocked up

You will need to check the Owner’s Handbook regarding mileage between oil changes. Different manufacturers set different recommendations. For example, Peugeot and Citroen typically recommend an oil change every 10,000 miles or every year. For older cars, it may need changing every 3,000 miles.

Smell of petrol or exhaust fumes

An oil leak could lead to you experiencing the smell of petrol or exhaust fumes inside the vehicle. It most certainly indicates your vehicle is overheating and you need to get in touch with your local service centre for immediate maintenance.

K&M Citroen, Crowborough is your local specialist for oil changes

It’s a simple procedure to change the oil in your vehicle at K&M Tyres. It is an important part of your vehicle maintenance, whether you have a car, van or a SUV and will extend the life of your engine as well as helping to protect the environment with cleaner emissions. K&M Citroen is a Castrol Service Centre and we offer a low cost oil change service. Call us on 01892 653131 to book your vehicle in.