Changing the oil every season - pros and cons

The topic of oil changes is covered quite often on the Internet, but they return to it again and again: however, from different angles. Some consider brands of lubricant, other operating conditions, etc. Today we will try to understand the issue of justification for replacing motor lubricant by season - in spring (early summer) and autumn (before winter).


Each automaker has its own specific regulations on when to perform this operation. Usually an interval of 10-15 thousand km or once a year is indicated (they try to time the procedure to coincide with the next maintenance).


It is further added: when operating the machine in particularly difficult conditions (for example, frost, heavy dust, constant driving over rough terrain, etc.), the oil change interval should be halved. As for the use of all-season or summer or winter lubricant, the opinions of car owners are divided.

About annual replacement

You will still have to fill in fresh oil once every 12 months, even if the car has been driven little or not at all. The fact is that oxidative processes constantly occur in the oil, since it inevitably comes into contact with the environment (the engine is not sealed). One way or another, the lubricant comes into contact with air and the substances it contains, as well as metal (parts), plus moisture gets into it.


Another argument of opponents of seasonal oil changes is the cost of the product and the work performed. Note: packaging of a universal product is more expensive. And you can change it yourself - there is nothing complicated here. In addition, in the long term, which, however, few people think about, the service life of the engine will increase with more frequent lubricant changes.


The next point is that focusing only on time is extremely wrong. The frequency of lubricant changes also depends on the mileage and its conditions. Moreover, the need to fill in fresh oil is not related to what kind of oil you have - universal, summer or winter. How can we determine this? Let's look at the markings on the canisters in which the product is sold.

Marking

We will not go into technical, theoretical subtleties associated with different types of viscosity, kinematics, etc. We will try to talk about the “secret” numbers in a simple way. On the packaging you see, for example, SAE 5W30. The first three letters are “uninteresting” - they show the system for determining the properties of the material. The letter W means winter, i.e. “winter” in English.


The number before it shows the viscosity of the oil during a cold start, and the one after it shows the viscosity of the oil in a well-warmed engine. The higher the number, the thicker the lubricant and vice versa. In the designation taken as an example, we see: the car will start well in cold weather, but when the engine is running, its parts will begin to be lubricated with a relatively liquid composition. This type of oil is universal.

About types of lubrication

We will talk about mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic products. The latter provides the best protection, but is also more expensive than others. If you use the first type, then you need to change the oil every 5 thousand kilometers. This is exactly what the manufacturer of the Soviet Zhiguli recommended to do (however, there was no choice of product then). Semi-synthetics should be refilled every 7-8 thousand km. It is better to use the same interval for residents of large cities, even if they use the best and most expensive oil.

Region dependent

If you live where there is intense heat in the summer, it makes sense to choose a product with a large number after W: for example, 5W40 or 50. To put it simply, it indicates the temperature at which the lubricant does not lose its quality. The hotter it is in your region, the larger the number after the letter should be. Otherwise, the oil will dilute greatly and will not be able to form a protective film on the parts. For example, in mountainous areas, on serpentine roads and in hot weather, the engine operates in extreme conditions.

terms of Use

First, about driving style, including in the city. Some people calmly “sit” in a traffic jam, others like to “rush” from the traffic lights and constantly overtake their “rivals”. For an aggressive driving style, it is better to fill the car with thicker oil in the summer. On the other hand, if your region is cool during the hottest months, and the car is new and rarely used (mainly for country trips), you should change the oil once a year.


Now about the “oldies”: in a car that has traveled more than 100 thousand km, the engine is to a certain extent worn out. This means that the gaps between the parts have increased and the gaskets are slowly hardening. Therefore, the oil being poured must be thicker. For example, 15W40, 20W40, 15W50, 15W60. In general, the more worn out the power unit is, the higher the numbers should be. If the lubricant is liquid, it will not only cease to perform its direct functions, but will also begin to leak through the seals. What else do opponents of seasonal replacement say?

I constantly add oil

The argument here is that the lubricant is periodically “renewed” and therefore there is no point in changing it often. Is it so? Unfortunately no. Indeed, a number of car owners constantly add oil to the engine. This can happen for various reasons: for example, when the engine is very worn. It happens that this is due to the design of the engine, which the manufacturer usually warns about.


By the way: when “replenishing” it is recommended to use the same lubricant: mixing with a different composition is extremely undesirable. Here it’s a matter of decomposition products: oxides, waste remaining on the parts. By adding fresh oil, you do not wash away this dirt. If you change it, at least something will leak out along with the old one. Of course, the best option is to use washes. But we will talk about them in another article.

Extra lubricant change

Don't panic if you pull out the dipstick and find that the oil has turned dark. This is normal: during the operation of the internal combustion engine, waste and dirt are sure to accumulate. An extraordinary lubricant change is necessary after work related to a complete or partial engine repair, when, for example, the head was removed. The reason is simple: not everything always happens in perfectly sterile conditions, and particles of dirt and dust getting inside the engine are commonplace, even for professional car repair shops. Other reasons for extraordinary lubricant changes are well known to many.


This is the ingress of other technical compounds into the oil - fuel or coolant. Usually in such cases an excessively high level is visible on the dipstick: for example, when the cylinder head gasket is broken. And sometimes even after overcoming a water obstacle. In such situations, the lubricant must be replaced, but only after the cause of the “trouble” has been identified and eliminated. And another “motive” for an urgent oil change is adding a composition that does not suit yours. For example, somewhere in the wilderness you noticed that there is little lubricant on the dipstick, and there is no necessary one. You have to pour whatever is at hand, so as not to completely ruin the engine.

Conclusions

So is it worth changing the oil before the start of a new season or using universal formulations? If the car is new, is not used in city mode, trips are rare (less than 8 thousand km per year), and the climate is moderate - it is quite possible to get by with universal oil, which is changed once a year. Under severe operating conditions, or if you have a worn-out engine and drive frequently, it is better to change the lubricant before the onset of summer and winter.