Tips
5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Changing Your Car Engine Oil
The engine oil remains a very vital fluid in your car. Its usefulness and function to the heart of your car – engine – cannot be overemphasized.
Every car needs a good engine oil to run optimally.
There are several mistakes you should avoid while changing the engine oil of your car.
Most times, you might not be the one to directly make these mistakes, your mechanic might.
So, always ensure that the right things are done to your car.
Here are the 5 mistakes you could make when carrying out oil change in your car
1. Filling your engine with the wrong oil
One of the most common mistakes when carrying out an oil change is to use the wrong engine oil.
Taking Andrew liver salt when you have headache instead of an aspirin is analogous to using the wrong engine oil for your car.
The viscosity of the engine oil you use matters a lot. Always check your car manual to see the type of engine oil recommended by your car manufacturers.
2. Improper fixing of the oil filter
Another terrible mistake is not properly fixing the engine oil filter. The function of the oil filter is to keep the oil going into the engine clean and free of debris.
You can either not fix the oil filter properly or even put the wrong one. Either ways, it’s detrimental to your engine.
Putting the wrong one might cause leakage
3. Hand-tightening the oil filter alone
This is part of not properly fixing the oil filter. Hand-tightening it alone is not enough. Oil wrench is needed to tighten it up a bit.
You should as well ensure it isn’t over tightened.
Over tightening the oil filter can either strip the threading, or break the O-ring.
4. Failing to lubricate the filter seal
This is another thing not to forget. Don’t forget to apply some oil onto the seal before tightening it. The oil applied serves as a lubrication to avoid leaky or loose filter.
5. Over-filling or under-filling the engine oil
Pouring in the fresh engine oil is the last step in changing the engine oil. If you under fill the engine oil, you will end up putting your engine to stress. It might cause the internal components of your engine to experience more friction than normal. That’s a potential damage you know.
Overfilling on the other hand is bad as well. This might cause your engine seal and gasket to leak.
