Scientists and engineers have spent an inordinate amount of time developing the best possible engine lubricant for your car or truck. They know that this oil has to deal with extreme conditions within a typical motor and have carefully designed the finished product to do the best job possible. Yet this oil can nevertheless break down as the weeks and months go by due to thermal activity and a specific process known as oxidation. What happens here, and what can you do to try and reduce the consequences and help you save money?

Increasingly Harsh Conditions

Modern-day engines are increasingly sophisticated in their own right. They have been designed to be smaller for cost and weight saving conditions and often designed to operate at higher revolutions to produce the right amount of power output. Considering that big turbochargers now drive relatively small engines, you can imagine the pressure on internal components. Further, you can see just how important a quality lubricant is and what type of strain it might be under.

Thermal Degradation

In addition to friction, high-temperature is the archenemy of any lubricant. The oil must be able to absorb and then dissipate heat as it moves through the entire system, and the experts have designed the product to perform these tasks under given temperature variants. However, as the oil gets older, it will lose its efficiency, and the temperature inside the motor will gradually increase. This is a double-edged sword as it will produce additional thermal breakdown, accelerate degradation, and reduce the oil's efficiency even more.

Oxidation

In addition, tiny particles of oxygen will invariably find their way into the solution. This oxidation can create sedimentation within the oil, which will then be carried through the system and can be deposited in and around sensitive components. The oil will become more acidic as it begins to oxidise, further reducing its efficiency.

Why Servicing Is so Important

With so much going on inside your engine, you always want to ensure that you have the highest quality lubricant. This is why it is crucial for you to take your vehicle in for each log book service so that the old oil can be withdrawn and the latest specification replaced. If you do this without fail, you have the best chance of protecting your engine and maintaining the vehicle's overall value. In addition, a prospective new owner will look at the log book and see that you have taken reasonable care of their future purchase.

For more information on a log book service, contact a professional near you.