Ask a Technician: Do I Need to Get My Oil Changed or Can I Just Add Fresh Oil?

Q. What would happen if I never changed the oil in my car but I kept adding fresh oil?

A. If you never changed the oil, but just kept adding fresh oil, you’d eventually be in the market for a new car. Old oil doesn’t just go away. It doesn’t evaporate or somehow work itself out of your engine. Old oil gets nasty. Really nasty. So nasty in fact that it used to be called the "Black Death" and it’s just about as much fun as its namesake.

Today, it’s more commonly referred to as sludge, and it can be an engine killer. Oil not only lubricates your engine, but it cleans as it goes, just like mop water gets dirtier and dirtier the more you mop. Also, oil breaks down over time. Old, over-used oil oxidizes and creates a sludgy, dark mess. This gums up the works, literally. It’s a bit like plaque in your arteries and the results are pretty much the same. Less oil circulates and the oil that does is less efficient. The car will get sluggish and eventually just completely poop out.

Adding new oil might stave off the inevitable for little while, but the sludge will still be there. You also run the risk of adding too much oil, which can do serious damage to your engine.

Oil changes are inexpensive and one of the best ways you can care for your car. Help fight the Black Death - get an oil change!