Do you know how important engine oil is, to the functioning of a car’s engine? If you didn’t, it is important to learn up. Engine oil lubricates the engine’s moving parts so that it reduces the effects of heat, and wear and tear of an engine’s parts. Of course it also protects the engine against corrosion and rusting, cools the engine’s operating temperature and helps remove contaminants such as impurities from fuel and soot from incomplete combustion.
While this may be common knowledge, a recent survey by Bosch Automotive Aftermarket Malaysia that polled 1,036 Malaysian drivers found that 60 per cent of them do not keep a regular schedule for engine oil maintenance.
Pang Yoon Kong, Country Manager of Bosch AA Malaysia mentions that following to the routine oil change is vital for both the performance and health of your vehicle. If not, this could pose a long term problem, with the most common being engine overheating and worse, a very costly engine replacement. “The standard interval for oil change is every 8,000 km or six months whichever comes first for fully synthetic, and 5,000 km or six months for all other types of oils and older vehicles. Ultimately, we strongly advise following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service interval and engine oil specifications,” said Pang.
“If you notice significant engine clanking noises, higher engine oil consumption than usual, or that the colour of the engine oil has turned black during a dipstick check despite the oil level still being high, please get your car inspected immediately. These are tell-tale signs of engine problems that may be caused by multiple factors aside from a simple leaky gasket,” he added.
There are three types of engine oils – mineral, semi-synthetic, and fully-synthetic. Mineral oils are generally derived from refined crude oil, while fully-synthetic oils are man-made in the lab; semi-synthetic oils are a blend of the two. Every engine is different; therefore, it is important to use the appropriate grade of engine oil based on the car engine’s specifications as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
How can you avoid disruptions to your travel plans when on the road? Bosch insists on having Malaysians check their engine oil levels regularly with a service schedule on their oil change. Bosch AA offers a range of engine oils for all passenger cars that is specifically designed to optimize engine protection over a wide temperature range, and with high oxidation stability that is ideal for tropical climates such as Malaysia’s. The full range of Bosch engine oils is available on Lazada here.
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