OIL & FILTER CHANGES

We’re proud of the work we do, and would love the opportunity to be your “neighborhood auto mechanic”.

• Auto Repair – Service – Maintenance
• Tune-Ups
• Emission Tests 
• Diagnostics
• Certified Technicians

An oil and filter change involves draining out the old motor oil and replacing it with fresh, new motor oil. The oil filter also gets replaced at the same time.

In general, yes. Getting an oil change for your vehicle is one of the most important things you can do to avoid bringing large bags of money to your mechanic later on.

However, there’s a lot of controversy about exactly when engine oil gets old and how often an oil change is needed. Because there are many factors at work — how you drive, the condition and age of the engine, the external environment you drive in, and stop-and-go versus highway driving — the rule of thumb for most vehicles, however, is to change your oil after at least 8,000 kilometres. Still, some cars might only require full synthetic oil changes after 12,000 to 16,000 kilometres

You may want to consider an oil change more frequently if:

• You drive like a knucklehead: jackrabbit starts, heavy acceleration or high-speed driving
• You live where the climate is extremely hot or cold
• You often drive on dirt roads
• Your engine is old and burns oil
• You frequently carry heavy loads 

Oil undergoes thermal breakdown due to high operating temperature. When this occurs, the oil becomes less effective as a lubricant. And without a good lubricant (read: expensive), parts of the engine rub together and wear each other out. Oil also contains additives that have the ability to neutralize acids. Over time, these additives get used up and stop being effective. Finally, oil can absorb water, dust and combustion byproducts and also hold them in suspension. Eventually, the oil gets saturated with this stuff and can’t absorb any more. Then that stuff remains in the engine and can cause corrosion.

Yes, you need to check the oil level every few hundred miles. With your car parked on a level surface, remove the oil dipstick, clean it on your brother’s best shirt and then reinsert it. Remove it again, and check the oil level. Ideally, it should be right at the full mark. If it’s at or below the add mark, that means you’re a quart low and should add a quart of oil to the crankcase. If it’s in between the two marks, you can add part of a quart to bring it up to the full mark (the distance between add and full represents a quart, so use that to estimate how much of a quart you need). Be aware, however, that since oil flows slowly when it is cool, the dipstick may not immediately reflect any oil you just added. So estimate the amount of oil you need based on your first dipstick reading, and then check it again later that day or the next day to be sure you’re near the full mark.