Your oil filter will get clogged if you fail to change the motor oil when it needs it. For engines that use conventional motor oil, this is every 3,000 miles. For engines that use synthetic oil, this is every 5,000 miles. A clogged oil filter can actually damage the engine beyond repair. This is one reason why oil changes are so important. Let’s talk more about this below.
Rotten Performance
One thing that is going to happen is you will have rotten engine performance if the oil filter is clogged. The oil filter does what its name suggests; it removes dirt and grime out of the oil. This is so you have clean motor oil circulating through the engine at all times. If the oil is dirty, it will deposit grime on the moving parts and affect their performance. Consequently, your engine’s performance will lag.
Rotten Gas Mileage
In addition, the performance will cause a reduction in your fuel economy. This is hard for those who live on tight budgets, especially with gas prices what they are these days. You may not have realized this but oil changes keep your engine running efficiently and improve your fuel economy. The same is true with changing the air filter and the fuel filter when they need it.
Reduced Oil Pressure
One of the reasons why the clogged oil filter will damage your engine is that it will reduce the oil pressure. In other words, you won’t have the proper amount of oil circulating through the engine. This is a huge problem, and, as such, the engine control module will turn on the oil pressure light to alert you that there is not enough oil circulating through the engine in order to protect it.
Metallic/Grinding Noises
In fact, you may start to hear metallic or grinding noises coming from the engine. If you do, it is best to stop driving your automobile so that the engine does not get damaged beyond repair. The reason why you hear these noises is that the metal parts are grinding against each other without oil lubrication.
Excess Vehicle Emissions
Finally, dirty motor oil means a dirty engine. As such, the clogged oil filter can increase the emissions released in your vehicle’s exhaust. If you live in an area that requires emissions testing, your automobile may fail the test because of the clogged oil filter.
We are here to help, so call us today to schedule an oil change if your vehicle is overdue.
