Seattle Auto Repair

Skipping an oil change once or twice can feel harmless, especially if the engine sounds normal and there are no warning lights. The trouble is that oil problems build slowly, out of sight, while everything still seems fine from the driver’s seat. By the time you hear new noises or notice performance changes, the damage has usually been building for thousands of miles. Treating oil changes as cheap insurance is one of the best ways to keep an engine healthy. Why Your Engine Depends On Fresh Oil Engine oil is more than a slippery liquid. It creates a protective film between moving parts, carries heat away from hot spots, and holds tiny metal particles and soot in suspension so the filter can catch them. Modern engines use tight clearances, variable valve timing, and sometimes turbochargers, all of which depend on clean oil at the right thickness. As miles add up, the oil’s additives get used up fighting heat, wear, and contamination. Detergents that used ... read more