OIL CHANGES

Why should you have your vehicle’s engine oil and filter changed?

• OIL is the life blood of every engine. It not only lubricates the engine, but it cools, cleans and protects it. Oil holds contaminants as road dust and by product from chemical reactions in suspension until such time as the oil is drained.
• OIL itself cannot do all these tasks without some help. Every litre of motor oil can have up to an additional 30-40% of additives combined to improve the oils ability to resist heat, friction, oxidation contamination and improve viscosity.
• The viscosity of the oil also changes over time as the additives become depleted – a condition call ‘viscosity breakdown’. Turbo charged engines likewise, require more frequent oil changes because of the high temperatures encountered. When the engine is shut off, for example, the temperatures inside the turbo bearing housing can soar to the point where it “curdles” the oil, forming hard black crusty deposits that can damage the turbo and your engines’ bearings. The only way to get rid of the accumulated moisture, acids and sludge and to restore the oils’ viscosity is to change both oil and filter periodically. The filter only removes suspended solids such as dirt, carbon and metal particles – not moisture, acid or sludge.
• Regular servicing of your vehicle can also make a difference to fuel consumption.

Oil Must Keep Parts Clean

Engine oils do wear out. By not having the engine oil changed on a regular basis, it depletes the additives in the oil and oxidizes the oils, forming harmful compounds. While good filtration will prolong oil life, many contaminants are primarily unburned or partially burned fuel, but corrosive acids and water are frequently present. The oil must prevent the formation of these materials, or, once formed, keep them in suspension so they do not settle on the engine’s internal surfaces, causing build up of harmful sludge in your vehicle’s engine.

When should you change your oil and oil filter?

• Typical engine oil change periods for cars and light commercials are:
  5,000 to 10,000 kms for diesel vehicles
  10,000 to 15,000 kms for petrol vehicles
  (Or 6 – 12 months), whichever occurs first)
  We advise to follow the service intervals recommended by the Manufacturer.
• Short trips and low mileage don’t mean longer service periods. Short trips, stop and go driving are especially hard on oil, because the engine never warms up enough to boil off moisture that forms inside the crankcase. Water reacts with oil to form sludge and acids; the result is quicker engine wear.

What oils should be used?

All engine oils are not the same. The correct oil should be used to suit your vehicle’s engine. Using an incorrect oil may cause damage to your engine. Use the vehicle’s manufacturer or oil company agent’s recommendations, you can also use Castrol’s easy to use oil selector. to find their recommended oil for your vehicle/engine