If you have never checked your own oil, or even watched someone do it, don't let this scare you off. There isn't much more to it than checking the level of dish soap in the dispenser except that it is under the hood of your vehicle.
Three and a half simple steps are all there is to checking your own oil.
First, locate the hood release inside your vehicle (or under the front of the hood if it is an older model) and pull it. Remember the other part to this as there is a safety latch under the front of the hood that also has to be released.
Second, locate the oil dipstick. Pull the dipstick all the way out and wipe with a clean rag or folded paper towel.
Third, reinsert the dipstick all the way and then pull it out again. This time you look at the markings on the dipstick to see where the oil level is, wipe again and put it back in all the way. Add oil only if it is necessary.
Remember, you don't have to do this yourself if you don't want to or physically can not do it. But, if you know what it really takes to check your oil, you can't be taken advantage of by some shady service person who wants to make you think it is some big job when in reality it is only about five minutes to do it.
3 Mistakes When Checking Your Oil
Keeping the oil level at proper levels in your vehicle isn't all that hard but there are several things you should know.
If you overfill or underfill it the engine can be damaged. Overfilling the oil can cause damage to the engine as it will create air bubbles. These will carry heat and cause warping and damage in the engine itself. On the other hand, too little oil will cause excess friction and heat which can cause warping and internal damage also. Your oil level should be, in the words of Goldilocks, “Just right!”.
Another issues that can arise is a loose drain plug or oil filter. These both should be double checked for proper tightness when they are reinstalled after an oil change. A loose drain plug and/or loose oil filter can create a leak large enough to lose some or even all of the oil from the engine not to mention the mess it will make!
Lastly, using the incorrect oil type and/or incorrect weight of oil can cause big problems. The type of oil will depend on the vehicle requirements but there are three main types, conventional, synthetic blend and full synthetic. The weight of oil refers to how thick or thin the consistency is. If it is too thick the motor will have to work harder causing extra strain and heat in it. If it is too thin then it will not lubricate the motor properly and will cause friction and extra heat. This will cause excessive wear on the engine parts too. All of the parts including rings and seals are designed for a proper lubrication level in order to perform at their peak.
3 Myths About Checking Your Oil
There are a lot of myths out there about the oil that is used in a vehicle. Most of these will cause an immense amount of trouble at some point so be sure you don't fall into the trap of these myths.
Myth #1 Mixing types and weights of oil is ok. It really isn't. Maybe the problems won't show up right away but it is a bad idea. The truth is that mixing conventional and synthetic oils together is definitely going to cause problems at some point as they are just not compatible. This would be very similar to mixing a solid shortening and olive oil when the recipe calls for only shortening. The end result is probably not going to be very good because each type of oil has specific properties. If you combine engine oils they can cause goop and sludge to form in an engine which can cause severe damage.
Myth #2 Many people think it is ok to use a different weight of oil than what the manufacturer recommends. The fact is that the manufacturer designed the engine to run with a very specific lubrication requirements and if something different is put into the motor that doesn’t meet those specifications then it will not operate like it was designed to do. Sometimes it can even cause it to not operate at all!
Myth #3 is a real doozy. It is NOT possible to look at the oil and know what the type or weight of it is. This was a request that I got regularly I worked for an Automotive Parts retail store. Customers would come in and ask if we could check their oil (that was simple) and tell them what was put in the last time it was changed. The fact is that no one has that skill. If it was possible it would definitely be useful skill but an up to date Vehicle Maintenance Log, available here, is a much better choice to save a lot of time and trouble.
3 Tips for Adding Oil to a Vehicle
Adding oil to the engine, when it is needed, is not rocket science nor does it require an engineering degree. If you can refill a soap bottle then you can add oil to your vehicle. It just takes a little practice and a little patience.
A dry, empty water bottle, an advertising flyer or even several sheets of paper can be used as a funnel in a pinch. Cut the bottom off of a water bottle and remove the lid to create a makeshift funnel. The flyers or even a newspaper can be rolled together in a tube shape to make a funnel as well. Be cautious when doing these as the oil left in this kind of a funnel or in the container will need to be properly disposed of.
Lastly, there is a cleaner and neater way to pour oil when you don't have a funnel. It is totally counterintuitive to what you would think too. When I first learned this trick it took a while to break the old habit but it was totally worth it because when I need to add oil now there is no need for me to carry a funnel. Want to know what the trick is? Click here to join the Shifting Gears…From Clueless to Confident!
If you want to add oil yourself these tips will definitely make it much easier. And, if you don't want to add oil yourself you can confidently check to make sure it was done properly after someone else has done it for you.
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