Contaminated oil can lead to many vehicle issues. These issues can ultimately lead to engine damage which can be costly to repair as anyone who has ever had to have their engine repaired or replaced knows. If you had a bad oil filter, then the contaminants will build up rather quickly inside the engine. This will create a whole lot of functionality issues in the engine and the vehicle. For no matter how good the oil is, your oil filter still has the important job of picking up contaminants and debris and protecting your engine. Read below for how to know when to replace this vital part of your car.
- Your engine begins to overheat: If oil is unable to pass through your filter then your engine will begin to overheat. The friction caused by the oil being unable to lubricate vital parts will cause friction resulting ultimately in damage to your engine.
- Your exhaust fumes are dirty: If your exhaust fumes are dark in color then it may mean that your oil filter is clogged. If this happens oil will begin to leak into your exhaust system.
- Metallic sounds: As we said earlier, part of the function of oil is to protect the vital parts of your engine from too much friction. Thus, if you begin to hear metallic sounds as you drive, a clogged or defective oil filter may be the cause. If you do hear such sounds, we recommend that you stop driving your car to avoid serious engine damage. Afterwards, you should have the oil filter replaced and introduce more oil into the system immediately.
- Falling oil pressure gauge readings: If you notice that your oil pressure readings seem to be dropping then it may indicate a problem with your oil filter. When oil pressure is at the correct pressure, the readings will remain normal and will not likely drop.
- Poor performance: If contaminants are building up in your engine because the oil is not being filtered properly, then this will lead to an overall decline in your vehicle’s performance. Moreover, if you let this problem go unfixed, your performance will only get worse.
If you heed the following signs of a bad, damaged or wrong oil filter, you should be in good shape with your engine’s oil consumption. However, if you should require a cheap oil change in Torrance then Chevron Fast Lube can help you. We can perform oil change service and a number of other services to your vehicle to keep it up and running at peak efficiency.
