Engine oil plays a vital role in lubricating various components, reducing friction, and preventing excessive wear and tear. Regularly checking your engine oil is crucial for maintaining the health and performance of your vehicle, allowing it to run smoothly and avoid costly repairs due to damage.
But when is the best time to check your engine oil? Should you do it when the engine is hot or cold? How often should you do an oil check, and what should you look at? Here we’ll answer these questions and provide you with essential insights on the best practices for checking engine oil.
Should I Check My Oil While the Engine is Hot or Cold?
It is generally recommended to check the oil while the engine is cold. If the engine is still hot, the oil most likely has not settled down at the bottom of the oil pan yet. This can lead to an inaccurate level reading, which means you might end up with an inaccurate refilling.
However, there are scenarios when you have to proceed with the oil level inspection while the engine is still hot. This usually happens when taking long drives but you are nearing the prescribed oil engine inspection for your vehicle. In such cases, make sure you wear protective gloves as you do the inspection. Also, turn off the engine and let it sit for around five to ten minutes to let the oil settle down.
Additionally, make sure that your vehicle is parked at level ground before doing the inspection. You don’t necessarily have to be precise on this, but you can use the Bubble Level smartphone app to help you ensure that your vehicle isn’t parked on a skewed level.
How Often Should I Do an Oil Check?
The frequency of engine oil checking depends on the age and kind of vehicle you have. Generally, it is advisable to do it once a month, especially before embarking on long trips. However, for vehicles that are more frequently used, it may be necessary to do it once every two or three weeks.
What Should I Look at When Checking Oil?
Here are the things you should look at when checking your engine oil:
1. Oil Levels
Cars usually come with their oil level dipsticks that are usually positioned near the front side of the engine. This stick has markings that indicate whether the oil level is normal/good, low, or critical (which oil refilling is needed). Make sure, however, that you clean the dipstick before and after using it to avoid contaminating your engine oil.
2. Oil Color and Consistency
The color and quality of newly manufactured engine oil are frequently described as golden and smooth. It is probably time to replace the oil when it has become hazy, gritty, or smells like it has been burned.
3. Oil Contamination
Aside from the oil level and color, it is also important to examine the oil for possible contamination. This contamination may be in the form of metal flakes, dirt, debris, and other materials that are not supposed to be in the oil pan. If you find these contaminants, make sure you take them out or replace the oil altogether if cleaning is not doable.
4. Oil Pressure
Your engine may suffer from severe harm due to low oil pressure. Therefore, it’s crucial to check your oil level and stop your vehicle as soon as possible if your engine oil pressure indicator illuminates. Low oil levels, a broken oil pump, or a blocked oil filter are just a few of the causes of low oil pressure.
Don’t Miss Out on Car Maintenance
Checking your engine oil is an essential part of car maintenance. By monitoring your oil level, color, consistency, contamination, and pressure, you can identify potential issues early on and prevent costly repairs down the line.
Checking your oil level should be done regularly, ideally once a month or before long trips. In addition, you need to be aware of the kind of oil your vehicle needs and use the right viscosity the manufacturer recommends. If you find any problems with your engine oil, such as low oil pressure or contamination, it’s critical to act as quickly as you can. You can keep your vehicle operating smoothly and effectively for many years by keeping up with engine oil maintenance.
