Archer Volkswagen Maintenance Tips: 5 Things To Know About The VW Engine Oil System
The oil inside your car's engine is more important than you might think. It's doing a whole lot more in your car than just giving the folks at the local quick lube garage something to do every 3,000 miles. It's actually essential to keeping your engine running at a safe temperature without damaging itself! If you want to know how the engine oil system works on your Volkswagen, take a look below. We've compiled the five most important things to know about how the oil in your engine works to keep it running smoothly. When it's time for an oil change, just schedule a visit at the Archer Volkswagen service center, where expert technicians can give your VW the care it deserves.
5. The Oil Protects The Engine From Wear
Perhaps most importantly, the engine oil lubricates the moving metal parts, allowing them to slide against one another without damage. If the oil pump were to fail in your engine, the pistons and valves would move without proper lubrication, which can damage the cylinder walls and the valves and pistons themselves. They can scrape against one another causing internal damage over time. But the physical damage from unlubricated parts is only part of the equation.
4. The Oil Helps Cool The Engine
Since those metal components are moving so rapidly, the engine generates a ton of heat from friction and from the explosive combustion process that makes your engine run in the first place. Your engine has a cooling system too, but the engine oil also helps to keep the engine running at a safe operating temperature. As it flows through the engine, it draws heat away from the engine's moving parts. Without engine oil, the engine would quickly overheat.
3. The Oil Keeps The Inside Of The Engine Clean
Particularly in the first 1,000 miles of the life of the engine, as metal parts wear in and mate to one another, tiny pieces of metal debris will come off the engine and collect inside. You can also get dirt, dust and other debris in the engine from the surrounding environment. These particles remain suspended in the engine oil inside the engine where they won't cause damage. Furthermore, your oil system has an oil filter that helps to pick up these particles before they can cause damage. Whenever you get an oil change service, make sure it includes a new oil filter as well. This keeps your engine protected from debris.
2. The Oil Conditions Your Seals And Gaskets
Since there are so many chambers and fluids inside your engine doing various jobs, modern engines are built with a variety of gaskets and seals. These keep the engine's fluids in their assigned chambers. Over time, these seals can start to degrade. The rubber will become more brittle and crack while the metal gaskets can warp and begin to fail if things get too hot.
The oil system helps to keep the seals supple and well conditioned so the engine doesn't develop any leaks. A leaking head gasket, for example, could mean an expensive repair is in your future, but changing the oil regularly helps keep all your gaskets and seals in the best condition over time.
1. Choosing The Right Oil For Your Car
The oil system is designed to do its job correctly only when the correct weight, viscosity and type of engine oil are included. When it's time to get an oil change in your Volkswagen, break out the owner's manual and find out exactly what oil is recommended for your car.
For instance, the 2015 VW Passat was filled with SAE 5W-40 or SAE 5W-30 full synthetic oil. That means it's not wise to use conventional oil in your car. Find a good, synthetic 5W-40 oil whenever replacing the oil in this car. Not driving around a 2015 Passat? Find your owner's manual or just call one of the VW experts at Archer Volkswagen. We can lookup the correct oil for your car, perform a fast and affordable oil change and even replace the oil filter with a new, OEM oil filter that'll keep your engine protected for miles and miles to come.