Oil and filter change
The cheapest thing you can do for an engine, and the one most often left too long.
Oil breaks down. It thins with heat, it fills with combustion soot, and the additives that stop corrosion get used up. The filter catches the debris until it is full, and then it bypasses and the debris goes round the engine.
Specification matters more than brand. Modern engines call for a precise grade and often a manufacturer approval — the wrong oil in an engine with variable valve timing or a particulate filter causes real damage. We look up what yours takes rather than reaching for whatever is open.
How you know you need it
- The service light is on
- The oil on the dipstick is black and thin rather than amber
- More than a year since the last change, however few miles you have done
- You bought the car and have no idea when it was last done
What we actually do
- 1 Engine warmed so the oil drains fully and carries the debris with it
- 2 Sump plug washer replaced — a reused washer is a slow weep
- 3 New filter, correct grade and approval of oil
- 4 Level checked properly once it has settled, not straight after filling
- 5 Service light reset and the date noted
Questions about this job
How often?
Follow the manufacturer interval, but once a year as a minimum even on low mileage. Oil ages in the sump whether you drive or not.
Can I just top it up instead?
Topping up replaces what is burnt, not what is worn out. The additives and the filter are the point of a change.
Does the grade really matter?
Yes. On a modern engine the wrong grade can block oil ways and ruin a particulate filter. We use what the manufacturer specifies for your engine.
Oil and filter change — in Westhampton
118 Mill Lane, Westhampton, Westshire, WX1 4AB. Open seven days, Sunday included.