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Every vehicle whether a car, truck or tractor needs oil to keep the engine running. It is essential to maintain the engine, the heart of the car, properly. Healthy and qualitative oil is therefore very important for the life of an engine. In this blog we explain why and how often engine oil should be changed and how you can change the oil yourself. With a number of tips, you can easily maintain your car yourself and change the oil.
Why you have to change the oil?
The engine is the most important part of a vehicle, because without engine and oil your car, truck or tractor will not move forward. Engine oil therefore has an important function inside an engine block and lubricates all moving parts. In addition, it ensures less wear and friction. An engine with too little oil can cause internal wear. This can lead to major engine damage and it is therefore good to check your oil level from time to time. This way you know exactly whether you need to add or change the oil. Timely oil changes prevent a lot of pollution and problems. If it turns out that you often have to add oil, your engine will most likely use oil or suffer from oil leakage.
How often to change engine oil?
Depending on the type and brand of oil, it is wise to change the engine oil after every 10,000 to 15,000 km. If you drive fewer kilometres, once a year is sufficient. By changing the oil, yourself early, you prevent wear and possibly expensive repairs in the future. At a major turn, the oil is always replaced. However, you can also change the oil yourself. For example, you can choose to do a small or large turn yourself. At most car parts web shops, you can easily find the type and type of oil and oil filter by entering your license plate number. Pay attention! Are you going to change the oil yourself? Then you will also have to replace the oil filter!
Replace the oil filter yourself
If you are a little handy you can easily change your engine oil with new oil. With an oil change, it is also recommended to always replace the oil filter. Its task is to purify oil and filter dirt particles. If it is not replaced in time, it will become clogged with dirt residues (including metals) and the new engine oil cannot be filtered. This causes the internal contamination to increase, resulting in overheating and even possibly a seizing.
How do you change your oil yourself?
If you plan to change the oil yourself, it is important to do this in the correct order. In this step-by-step plan, we are happy to explain how you can do this yourself.
- Step 1: Make sure the car is straight on a flat surface.
- Step 2: Add the Lindemann Oil System Cleaner to the old engine oil. This powerful cleaner ensures that all deposits inside the oil system are removed. Let the car idle for 20-30 minutes and the oil system will be completely cleaned.
- Step 3: Unscrew the oil filler cap. This makes the oil flow out more easily.
- Step 4: Place a reasonably large container or bucket (5/6 litre capacity) under the car.
- Step 5: Slowly loosen the drain plug. The old contaminated oil flows directly out. Wait until everything is finished. Please note, the oil may still be hot!
- Step 6: Then unscrew the oil filter. Note, it may be that it is tight and has to be loosened with pliers.
- Step 7: Clean everything well with a cloth and tighten the drain plug with a new ring. A new ring is needed to prevent leakage.
- Step 8: Install the new oil filter. Before mounting it is recommended to grease the edge with old oil. You can do this easily with your finger. Then tighten well!
- Step 9: Add the new oil to the oil system. Look carefully how much and what kind of oil you should add.
- Step 10: Add the Lindemann Engine Performance Treatment or the Worn Engine Treatment to the new oil. These additives provide extra protection and a more efficient running engine.
- Step 11: Start the car, let it idle for a while and turn it off again.
- Step 12: Check the oil level. If the oil is up to level, you do not need to do anything else. If not, you will need to add some extra oil until the oil level is just right.
Use of Lindemann additives
During a major overhaul, the oil and oil filter are usually replaced. This is not always the case with a small turn. You can also choose to change the oil yourself. During this process, we recommend using at least one and otherwise two Lindemann oil additives.
Why? These additives ensure that the oil system is cleaned, and that wear is prevented at all times! The Oil System Cleaner, a powerful cleaner, must be added to the old contaminated oil before draining and the Engine Performance Treatment to the new oil.