You can never overstate the importance of oil changes. Clean motor oil is the lifeblood of your engine. In fact, regular oil changes will help you get more miles out of the engine. When the oil is changed, the oil filter is also changed. This ensures you have oil circulating at the right pressure all the time. If the oil filter gets clogged, you will have the following problems that can damage the engine severely.
Lagging Performance
As the oil circulates through the engine, it removes dirt and grime from the moving parts. It then flows through the oil filter to get rid of the dirt and grime. If the filter is dirty, the oil will also be dirty. Consequently, instead of cleaning the engine, the oil will cause sludge to build up on the moving parts. This will affect your engine’s performance. It will lag and sputter.
Poor Fuel Efficiency
Unfortunately, this also affects your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. When the engine runs poorly, it consumes more fuel. It does this because it thinks it needs more fuel in order to produce power. As such, you will see a reduction in your fuel mileage that can make it hard to keep your household budget under control. With gas prices what they are these days, you do not want to have to fill up more often.
Reduced Oil Pressure
Another thing that will affect your engine’s performance is a reduction in the oil pressure. The clogged oil filter can prevent the oil from circulating through the engine at its normal force. Consequently, you will have less protective oil circulating through the engine and drawing heat away from the parts. As such, you may notice that your automobile is running hotter than it normally does.
Metallic Engine Noises
Eventually, the oil filter will get so clogged to the oil cannot pass through it. When this happens, you will start to hear your engine parts grind against each other. If you continue to drive your automobile, you may damage the engine irreparably within as little as 30 minutes.
Increased Hydrocarbons
Finally, as we mentioned above, one of the things that the motor oil does is keep the engine clean. If sludge and grime build up inside the engine, they will be burned away and released in the exhaust. Consequently, this will increase the hydrocarbons being released out of the tailpipe.
If your automobile is overdue for an oil change, call our shop right away to schedule a service visit.