WEBVTT - How Often Should You Change Your Oil? 0:00:01.920 --> 0:00:06.520 Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:10.200 brain Stuff, Lauren Vogel bomb here. Oil changes are just 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:13.000 one of the many minor hassles of car ownership, but 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:16.000 they're crucial to keeping your car in good shape. Furthermore, 0:00:16.040 --> 0:00:18.599 if your car carries a warranty, not changing your oil 0:00:18.640 --> 0:00:22.959 on time and with the proper products could avoid that warranty. However, 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:25.959 experts now say that the standard oil change interval of 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:28.720 every three months, or every three thousand miles that's about 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:31.920 five thousand kilometers is old news, and that most cars 0:00:31.960 --> 0:00:34.720 can travel quite a bit farther before needing their oil replaced. 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:38.640 If you're changing your oil more frequently than necessary, it 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:41.280 won't help your car. It doesn't harm it either, But 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:44.960 you're wasting money, time, and resources. After all, throwing away 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:47.519 oil that's still usable puts a strain on the environment. 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:52.200 There are four main recommended intervals for oil changes, based 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:56.200 on factors specific to you and your car. Number one, 0:00:56.680 --> 0:01:00.200 Under some circumstances, experts recommend changing your oil every one 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:04.720 thousand miles that's six KOs, or every six months. Now, 0:01:04.760 --> 0:01:06.839 I know, I know. If some experts say that three 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:09.720 thousand miles is too often, why would those same experts 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:13.520 recommend intervals of every one thousand miles. It all depends 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:16.959 on your driving habits. If you're driving routine consists mostly 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:19.000 of trips that are ten miles or less, you should 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:21.720 consider changing your oil more often than every three thousand 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.319 miles for two reasons. If you aren't making long trips 0:01:25.319 --> 0:01:27.720 at high steady speeds like you would on a highway, 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:30.400 then your engine isn't getting hot enough to boil off 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:33.720 condensation that can accumulate in the system that can cause 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:36.959 oil to break down faster. Most of the wear and 0:01:37.000 --> 0:01:39.319 tear on your engine occurs when you're starting your car, 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:41.880 and if you aren't driving very far, most of your 0:01:41.959 --> 0:01:44.400 driving is of the type that's very hard on your engine. 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:49.040 More frequent oil changes will help minimize that damage. In short, 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:51.960 if you drive your car infrequently, as in much less 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:54.600 than the mileage of your recommended service interval, you should 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:57.360 still change your oil twice a year, since the oil 0:01:57.400 --> 0:02:01.760 degrades over time. In r all number two, that old 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:05.240 standard three thousand miles or five thousand kilometers or every 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:08.480 three months. Some car experts suggest that the three thousand 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:10.800 mile interval is really for the benefit of the shops 0:02:10.800 --> 0:02:13.520 that change the oil, since the more frequently you come in, 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.320 the more money they make. Still, if you have an 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:19.359 older model car that recommends this interval, you're probably better 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:23.919 off adhering to it. Meanwhile, most modern car owners manuals 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:28.640 actually recommend longer intervals, every five thousand miles that's about 0:02:28.639 --> 0:02:32.720 eight thousand to twelve thousand kilometers. However, some manufacturers recommend 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.520 you also take your driving style and habits into account. 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:38.720 For instance, if your car is fairly new and you 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:41.560 usually drive twenty minutes or more and achieve fairly steady 0:02:41.600 --> 0:02:44.640 speeds as opposed to stop and go traffic the entire drive, 0:02:45.040 --> 0:02:48.880 you are a prime candidate for less frequent oil changes. However, 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:50.919 if your car is older, it's best to stick with 0:02:50.960 --> 0:02:56.040 the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule. In some cases, experts recommend 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:58.480 going as long as ten thousand to fifteen thousand miles 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:01.800 that's sixteen thousand to twenty four thousand kilometers, or every 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:05.640 six months. That's in cases where your cars manufacturer recommend 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:08.360 synthetic oil, or if you decide to make the switch. 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:11.720 Though synthetic oil is much more expensive than regular oil, 0:03:12.000 --> 0:03:14.560 it has more benefits. It's better for the environment and 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:18.640 can perform better than regular oil. That's because synthetic oil 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:22.080 doesn't break down like regular oil. Synthetic oil can also 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:24.800 withstand more extreme temperatures. It won't break down in a 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:28.160 hot engine or during hot weather. In winter, synthetic oil 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:30.600 can resist the effects of cold, which means it will 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:34.840 start flowing as soon as you start your car. Opinions differ, though, 0:03:34.880 --> 0:03:38.280 about whether upgrading is worth it. While some experts suggest 0:03:38.360 --> 0:03:41.680 doing it in most circumstances, Consumer Reports says that generally 0:03:41.760 --> 0:03:44.360 you shouldn't switch to synthetic if your car doesn't need it. 0:03:44.800 --> 0:03:47.760 If you frequently tow heavy loads, synthetic oil can help 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:50.400 ease the extra strain on your engine. If you own 0:03:50.440 --> 0:03:52.680 a model known to be prone to sludge issues, that is, 0:03:52.720 --> 0:03:55.080 when your engine gets clogged with the residue of degraded oil. 0:03:55.440 --> 0:03:58.480 Synthetic can help alleviate those problems and prolong the life 0:03:58.520 --> 0:04:01.200 of your engine. It's best to keep track of the 0:04:01.240 --> 0:04:04.360 miles you drive between oil changes, though some cars make 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:07.080 this easier with a dashboard indicator that tells you it's 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:09.120 time to head to the shop as part of what's 0:04:09.120 --> 0:04:13.240 called an oil life monitoring system. These systems track your mileage, 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:15.760 and also use data from your driving that's analyzed by 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:18.120 your car's computer to determine when your car and use 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:20.720 an oil change. When the light illuminates, it's best to 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:22.839 get the oil changed as soon as possible, but it's 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:26.680 not necessarily urgent if your car has an oil life 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:29.640 monitoring system. Note that this light is different than your 0:04:29.640 --> 0:04:32.480 oil pressure light, which illuminates on your dash If your 0:04:32.480 --> 0:04:35.720 car's oil isn't flowing properly due to low level, failing 0:04:35.720 --> 0:04:38.520 oil pump, a leak in the system, or some other issue, 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:41.240 check your owner's manual to learn the difference between the 0:04:41.240 --> 0:04:43.839 two dash lights. Because if the oil pressure light comes on, 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:46.080 you need to stop driving as soon as possible to 0:04:46.120 --> 0:04:49.479 avoid engine damage. Get in the habit of checking your 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:51.440 oil at least once a month to ensure your car 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:54.160 is not leaking or burning oil. If the level is 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:57.320 low at oil, a good oil should be a transparent 0:04:57.360 --> 0:05:00.279 brown black color. If the oil is murky or pake 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:02.640 it might be time for a change, and if it's milky, 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:06.279 your engine maybe leaking coolant. However, if your car has 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:09.039 one of the aforementioned oil monitoring systems, you might not 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:12.839 have a dipstick to check the oil with the moral 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:14.560 of the story here is that if you don't know 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:16.920 how often to change your oil or how to check 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:20.400 it between oil changes, consult your owner's manual. These habits 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:28.440 will help ensure the longevity of your engine. Today's episode 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:30.800 was written by Shery's three Wit and produced by Tyler Clang. 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:33.679 Brain Stuff is a production of iHeart Radio's How Stuff Works. 0:05:33.880 --> 0:05:36.080 For more on this and lots of other high performing topics, 0:05:36.160 --> 0:05:38.800 visit our home planet, how stuff Works dot com. And 0:05:38.920 --> 0:05:41.279 for more podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the iHeart 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:43.960 Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 0:05:43.960 --> 0:05:44.640 favorite shows.