The Importance of Regular Oil Changes for your Car
Neglecting to change your car’s oil is about the worst thing you can do for your engine. Motor oil is the lifeblood of your car, cleaning out debris and particulates as it circulates through all the pipes and crevices of your engine. So having fresh oil is vital. Go tens of thousands of miles without changing it, and really bad stuff can happen. Here’s the proof.
Evidence of Neglect in a 2.3-liter EcoBoost Engine
The I Do Cars YouTube channel got the opportunity to tear down a 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four taken out of a Ford Ranger with 104,000 miles on the clock, filming the entire process for a long-form video. Evidence of neglect appears early on. The timing chain cover is covered in varnish, a tell-tale sign of old, overused oil. Removing the valve cover reveals a level of sludge and debris that could only come from a lack of oil changes.
Severe Consequences of Neglecting Oil Changes
Things get worse as the channel’s host, Eric, digs deeper into the engine. There’s a thick layer of sludge sitting at the bottom of the oil pan, and more varnish on the block, the oil pump, the camshafts, and the crankshaft. Eric suspects whomever worked on this engine last dumped a bunch of oil-flush additive into the motor in an attempt to clean out the sludge. That had the opposite effect, loosening the sludge and clogging it in several of the engine’s tiny oil passages.
The Effect on Engine Performance
According to Eric, the build-up of sludge and debris eventually starved the engine of oil and caused it to spin a rod bearing. The damage was so bad that one bearing fused itself to the crankshaft, partially disintegrating. After disassembling the engine, Eric references the Ranger’s CarFax, which reveals no evidence of oil changes for the past 50,000 miles. So it’s possible this truck was running on the same oil for the entire second half of its life.
A Lesson Learned: Importance of Routine Maintenance
This case serves as a lesson for all car owners. Regular oil changes are crucial for the health and longevity of your engine. Neglecting this simple maintenance task can lead to catastrophic consequences, as seen in the case of the Ford Ranger’s engine breakdown. By staying on top of routine maintenance, such as changing your oil at recommended intervals, you can prevent costly repairs and ensure your vehicle runs smoothly for years to come. Next time you’re due for an oil change, don’t put it off – your engine will thank you.