Engine oil significantly affects the performance and engine structure of your vehicle. Over time, the low level of engine oil can cause serious problems in your engine. For this reason, it is very important that we check the engine oil periodically. In this blog post we are going to examine the answers to the questions such as; “What is Engine Oil?”, “How to Check Engine Oil?” and “How to Put Engine Oil?”.
What is Engine Oil?
To understand what engine oil is, we first need to know what the lubrication system is. The lubrication system is a system that provides the lubrication of the working parts and minimizes the friction force between these parts during the operation of the vehicle. We can say that engine oil is the chemical that allows this system to work properly. This fluid, which provides lubrication of the parts moving in the engine, exists to increase the performance of the parts and to facilitate their operation. That is why this fluid is very important for our vehicle and it should be checked periodically.
The oil gauge or engine oil lamp informs the driver of the status of the amount of oil in the vehicle's engine. If the amount of oil in the vehicle has decreased, it will flash continuously in some vehicles and keep us informed about the situation. However, it would be a mistake to fully trust this indicator. Sometimes an electronic error can mislead you and this can lead to undesirable situations. We can check engine oil every 1000 km. Although the amount of reduction varies depending on the vehicle model and engine size, it is considered normal to lose 0.3 to 1.5 litres of oil at a distance of 1000 km. If there is a serious decrease in the oil level of your vehicle, you should definitely take it to a professional service and have it checked. Over time, wear on the engine parts such as; piston damage, crank damage or cylinder head damage may occur due to the engine's inadequate cooling.
How to Check Engine Oil?
If you want to check your engine oil, your vehicle's engine must be cold first. It is useful to check your vehicle without starting it. However, if you are going to check after a certain time after the car moves, you have to wait at least half an hour after parking your vehicle and turning off the ignition. It is important that the place where you park your vehicle is flat. Because you will measure the oil level, this is necessary to get the right result from the oil tank. Then open the hood. After opening the hood, find the part next to the engine assembly, which is usually yellow and has a rounded assembly with a hand for index finger. The piece you find is a piece of the dipstick, remove it and wipe the oily part with a clean cloth or paper. Reinsert the cleaned dipstick and remove it after making sure it is firmly seated. If the trace left by the oil is between the minimum and maximum values, the engine oil level of your vehicle is normal.
How to Put Engine Oil?
If the engine oil level of your vehicle is below the minimum level, you should add oil to your vehicle. To do this, first put the dipstick back to the place where it was removed. Meanwhile, make sure that the oil does not contaminate the engine. Remove the oil fill cap located on top of the engine. If you can't find it, you can check your vehicle's manual. Pour in the oil gradually as needed with a clean funnel. Finally check the oil level again. It should not exceed its maximum level.