What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Oil?

Oil is the essential lubricant for your engine. It allows the metal to press against the metal without damaging it. For example, the pistons lubricate as they move up and down in the cylinders. Without oil, metal-on – metal friction creates so much heat that, eventually, the surfaces are welded together and the engine is seized. Which isn’t good if you’re trying to get somewhere. On the other hand, if you want someone else not to get anywhere, then removing the oil from his or her engine is an effective roadblock.

Bad things can happen if you don’t change your oil. The following are just a few ways that delaying or skipping oil changes could cost you time and money.

Poor Engine Performance

In addition to lubrication, oil also keeps your car’s engine clean. Detergents, dispersants and other additives transport dirt and debris to the fuel filter — which is replaced during oil change. Once your filter has been blocked, all this grime is forced to move back through the engine.

Smooth, clean oil is gradually turning into dirty sludge. The moving parts of your engine have to fight through this muck, forcing it to work harder. Your car might have less torque and torque. And the harder your engine is to work, the more gas it’s going to guzzle. This means that you could stop at the pump more often than not to fork over your hard-earned money.

Complete Engine Failure

Go long enough without a change in oil, and that could eventually cost you your car. Once the engine oil has become sludge, it no longer draws heat from the engine. The engine might overheat and either blow a gasket or seize.

The milky white exhaust of the blown head gasket will force you straight to the side of the road. Fixing a blown head gasket can be a costly repair, which may make no sense to your car depending on its age and value. You may find yourself in a dealership, struggling with the headaches of sales and finance people.

If the heat doesn’t cause the gasket to blow, the parts in your engine will be warped. With the lubricating qualities of the oil neutralized, the metal will grind against the metal. The engine is going to seize. There’s no way to fix this. Usually, the seized engine has to be replaced, and it’s not hard to imagine how much it costs. Again, such a repair cost could make you precariously close to having to buy a new car.

Voided Vehicle Warranty

One of the best benefits of buying a new car is the peace of mind that comes with a warranty. However, the failure to have your car serviced according to the factory specifications could render the warranty null and void.

If the oil doesn’t change, the engine of your vehicle will start to have a lot of problems. The most common issue is that the parts in your engine are going to get too hot. This can make the engine run less efficiently and, as time passes, it can cause the engine components to warp and wear out. The lack of lubrication between these components will also contribute to these problems.

Eventually, if the oil is not changed, the entire engine will be shut down and replaced. This repair can cost thousands of dollars, and many people who have to do this will ultimately decide to sell the car to a scrap yard and buy a new vehicle.