Some new manufacturers are now recommending much higher oil change intervals than they have in the past. Up to 15,000 kilometers, sometimes more. Following these recommendations is very important to avoid engine damage. When drivers go too long between oil changes, oil starts to turn to sludge. This causes small oil passages to clog and engine parts to fail.
What causes oil sludge? It’s a factor of time and mileage. There are hot spots in every vehicle engine that cause oil burn off that leads to sludge. Also, water from normal condensation can build up in the oil. This water also creates sludge. Severe driving conditions lead to more rapid sludge formation.
Severe driving includes short trips under seven kilometers or trips under fifteen kilometers in cold conditions. The engine just doesn’t get warm enough for the water in the oil to evaporate. Severe conditions are at the heart of the problem. Stop and go driving, towing, dusty conditions, heavy loads, very hot or very cold temperatures, a car top carrier – these are all conditions that would suggest that the severe service schedule should be considered.
The severe service schedule has much shorter oil change intervals. Drivers just need to honestly evaluate how they drive their vehicle to determine if they should change their oil closer to the severe service schedule, or to the normal schedule. It's also important to remember that an oil change is not just due on distance travelled, but also on a timeframe. An oil change should be performed on kilometers travelled but no longer than every 12 months (which ever comes first).
Some vehicles give oil change reminders but it’s important to know how that reminder is determined. For some, the reminder simply comes when the standard mileage interval has rolled around. Others use a computer program that takes into consideration the number of cold starts, trip length, engine temperature and so on. It’s programmed to approximate where on the standard/severe service spectrum you fall. Some more expensive vehicles actually have sensors that test the cleanliness and effectiveness of the oil.
For the rest of us, better safe than sorry should be the guiding principle. Talk with your Oil Changers service advisor and work it out together. Find out what kind of oil the factory sends out in your vehicle. Sometimes it’s a premium grade that costs more than standard oil – but it may be what’s needed to meet a higher factory recommended interval.
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