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Myths about motor oil

When it comes to car maintenance and preservation, motor oil is perhaps the most important factor. Oil is what allows the various parts of your engine to interact with as little friction as possible, resulting in less wear, lower temperatures, and a nearly zero chance of seizing.

However, when it comes to oil, several myths and misconceptions have either infiltrated general knowledge or were once true but are no longer. It’s time to set the record straight, however, they got there.

Here are the most common myths about motor oil, as well as the truth about each one:

Dark oil must be changed regularly.

False. Dark color does not necessarily indicate that your oil is dirty or no longer performing its function. Indeed, some oils darken quickly as the additives designed to clean your engine begins to work. Gritty or grainy oil, on the other hand, is filthy and should be changed as soon as possible.

Every 3,000 miles, you must have your oil changed.

While 3,000 miles is a good rule of thumb, it is not always applicable. Some cars that use high-quality oil can go 8,000 to 10,000 miles or more between oil changes. The best way to find out how frequently you should change yours is to consult your owner’s manual.

You can’t go back once you’ve gone synthetic.

We’re not sure where this one came from, and to be honest, it’s complete nonsense. Synthetic oil has undergone more chemical processing, but the truth is that switching between synthetic and conventional oil is fairly common. Synthetic blend oils, which combine conventional and synthetic oils, are quite common. It is acceptable to switch between the two.

Oil leaks are caused by synthetics.

When synthetic oils first appeared on the market in the 1970s, they were not perfected, and they could cause additional wear and tear to seals and gaskets in your car’s engine. This is no longer the case today. New formulas are designed to help your engine by protecting these critical components, so most synthetic oils are superior to conventional when it comes to engine protection.

Oil Additives Are All the Same.

That is completely false! Oil additives are designed to help your engine in a variety of ways. Some oil additives are intended to keep the oil performing under high pressure and use, such as in racing engines. Others are intended to extend the life of older, higher-mileage vehicles by preserving seals. When an oil claims to be specially formulated for something, there may be something to it.

Engine Performance is Improved by Additives.

Make no mistake: additives can and do help your engine, but oil cannot restore horsepower or improve gas mileage with a special formula. Any claims about your car’s performance should be taken with a grain of salt.

I didn’t need to change my filter the last time.

The oil filter is in charge of removing a lot of the sludge, grime, and even dirt that can build up in your engine. The more debris it removes, as with any other filter, the worse it performs. Oil filters are typically only designed to last one oil cycle, so you must replace them whenever you change your oil.

The quality of bulk oil is lower than that of bottled oil.

Oil is purchased in single-quart or five-quart containers from an auto parts store. It comes from a bulk supply when purchased from an auto repair shop. One common misconception is that bulk oil is of lower quality than bottle oil. This is completely false: if the oils are the same brand and formula, they are identical. It makes no difference what container it comes from.

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