As one of the most common and necessary maintenance items on your vehicle, there is plenty of information out there about motor oil. It’s important to be able to separate myth from reality as you seek to understand how to best take care of your vehicle. Here is what you need to know to ensure your motor oil is always in tip-top shape.
Myth: Oil Should Be Changed Every 3,000 Miles
Though the regular 3,000-mile oil change was good advice when engine technology was less developed, you now only need to visit a Jeep dealership near Portage every 5,000 miles or more to replace your oil. As oil and engine technologies continue to improve, this interval can climb as high as 7,500 or even 10,000 miles between changes. Of course, this interval is ultimately tied to your driving habits, so make sure to do your research if you are especially hard on your vehicle.
Basic Info: Synthetic Oil Is Better, at Least in Some Situations
Synthetic oil is often hailed as some sort of automotive hero that will fix all your problems. While synthetic oil is certainly well made, its conventional counterpart is still excellent as well. As with your oil change interval, the choice between conventional and synthetic oil comes down more to your personal driving habits instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. If you pull heavy loads or if your engine is more vulnerable to sludge, synthetic may be the best choice. In most other conditions, either synthetic or conventional oil will do just fine.
Basic Info: What Do All Those Numbers and Letters Mean?
If you’ve ever inspected the front of a bottle of motor oil at a Jeep dealership near Portage, you may have noticed a string of numbers and letters similar to “10W-20.” These numbers are a measure of the oil’s viscosity, or the ability of the oil to move through the engine in its coldest and warmest states. The first number that is followed by a “W” represents the viscosity in winter when the oil would be the least viscous. The second number represents the viscosity of the oil during normal engine operation when the oil has had a chance to reach its full operating temperature.
If you’re in need of an oil change or other vehicle services, contact the experts of Grieger’s Motor Sales Inc. today.
