Take Care of Your Oil

A vehicle that performs at it's peak will realize the best fuel economy. If something interferes with peak performance it will decrease gas economy and will cause you to use more gas and spend more money. For that reason proper management of the oil in your engine is a critical component of good fuel economy.

You need to make scheduled oil changes a priority in maintaining your car. Following the auto producers oil change recommendations is a major component of keeping your car running at its peak and keeping your gasoline economy at its best.

The purpose of the oil in your vehicle is to prevent metal- to-metal contact of engine parts by lubricating its moving parts, thereby minimizing friction and carrying away excess heat. All of those attributes create better gasoline efficiency.

Motor oil also removes dirt, metal shavings and other impurities from the engine and captures them in the oil filter. You can pay a severe penalty for neglecting engine oil, possibly even needing to replace the engine itself. Keeping track of your last oil change will save you money at the gas pump and decrease your fuel consumption.

The interval between oil changes is very important. It is important to following the car makers maintenance schedule. If the manual says to change the oil every three months do it. If the manual says to change the oil every three thousand miles do it. When oil is left in an engine too long, it becomes saturated with the very dirt and impurities it is supposed to remove. Once the oil is saturated it will be less efficient in doing its job. Your car's performance will decline and your fuel economy will get worse.

Another facet of proper oil care is to make sure that you are using the right grade of oil. You should use the grade of oil recommended in your owner's manual. The fuel efficiency of the engine can improve as much as 2 percent versus using the wrong grade oil especially when starting in cold weather.

Using the wrong grade of oil may cause your car to run poorly as the weather changes. The wrong grade will get thick and heavy in cold weather. Oil that is too thick and heavy requires the engine to work harder because the thick and heavy oil's resistance is greater. The harder the engine works the more gasoline it will use. The wrong grade of oil can cost you 1 to 2 percent of your gas economy.

If you use, for example, 10W-40 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-40 it can lower your gas mileage as much as the two percent mentioned earlier. In addition if something goes wrong with your car, and the manufacturer can show you used the wrong oil, it could void your warranty.

Many drivers make the mistake of procrastinating in getting the oil changed. The more a driver puts off changing the oil the worse the fuel economy will be. Using the proper grade and changing the oil on time will help you get better gas economy.