Listen to that little blinking light on your dashboard when it harasses you to get an oil change or routine maintenance. There is a reason why car manufacturers and dealerships set a specific mileage limit for this—usually around 5,000 miles or so. Oil changes do more than just keep your car running, they actually help improve your gas mileage. Old oil can have the exact opposite effect.

Oil’s primary job is to provide lubrication to your engine. It essentially acts as a cushion to your engine parts. These metal parts are continuously rubbing and pushing against other parts, which creates friction. Friction in your engine? That doesn’t sound too efficient.

In addition to providing friction, motor oil has three other functions. It also cools the engine, controls and diminishes the corrosion of engine parts, and seals piston rings.

So, new oil essentially reduces the friction in your engine, allowing it to perform more efficiently. With old oil, the engine has to work harder to overcome the friction caused by the less viscous make up of your oil. In short, the harder your engine has to work, the more fuel it burns. This is exactly why new fuel will yield to better gas mileage.

Need an oil change or maintenance on your vehicle? Call Havoline xpress lube of Kernersville, NC at (336) 993-7697.