How Often Should You Put Engine Oil in Your Car? (Answered)

A common concern among car owners is how often they should put engine oil in their car. This is a valid concern given that irregular oiling can cause serious damage to the car.

The interval at which you should oil your car depends on the age of the automobile, the type of oil it needs and its current driving condition. If you’re not careful about the interval at which it needs to be oiled, then you will end up deducting its lifespan.

So in this article, we will provide you a thorough insight into how often you should put engine oil in the car. We will also discuss what happens if you do not top up engine oil at the right interval. So read ahead to learn more about it.

How Often Should You Put Engine Oil In Your Car?

How often you should put engine oil in your car depends on car’s condition, its age, and the type of oil it needs. Cars built over a decade ago use conventional oil, whereas the newer one use synthetic oil. The general guideline is to put engine oil after every 3 months. Some need 5 months interval.

Different cars have different intervals at which you should put engine oil. How often you should put engine oil in your car depends on a few factors.

Such as, you will have to consider the car’s manufacturing year, its age of operation, the type of oil it uses, and its current condition.

Note that the cars that were built more than a decade ago generally use conventional oil. On the other hand, the newer models use synthetic oil. This is an important factor to consider as well.

The general guideline that is suggested by manufacturers indicates that you should put engine oil in your car after every 3 months, or after your car has run about 3,000 miles.

On the other hand, some manufacturers push it a little more. They suggest owners to put engine oil after every 5 months or after the car has run 5,000 miles.

You will need to put engine oil a little more frequently if you take short trips under five miles with your car on a regular basis.

In addition, if you drive the car in harsh weather conditions, such as under freezing temperature, then the interval should be less as well. Moreover, you will need frequent top up of engine oil if you’re using the car for towing or hauling heavy loads as well.

So you will need to read the car manual and consult experts in the manufacturing industry before deciding on the interval at which you put engine oil in the car. 

How long does engine oil last in a car? How long can engine oil stay in a car?

Depending on the age and condition of the car, as well as the type of oil that you used during the top-up, engine oil lasts between 3,000 to 5,000 miles or 3 to 5 months in a car.

In the past, it was normal to change the engine oil after every 3,000 miles. But thanks to modern inventions, the interval has been extended.

With the modern lubricants, especially the synthetic oil, you can wait between 5000 to 7500 miles before changing the engine oil.

And if your engine uses a full-synthetic motor oil, it can last as long as 15000 miles in the car between services.

And if you’re not using the car, car engine oil can stay as long as six months in the car. You do not have to worry about the engine going expiring for that long. You can store engine oil in the car for as long as half a year.

How often should you check your engine’s oil?

Engine oil is one of the most prominent methods for keeping tabs on the maintenance requirements of the car. The engine’s oil gives you a clear indication as to whether or not you need to take your car out for maintenance.

So you should check your engine’s oil at least once a month. And if you can, you should do it a bit more often.

This is important because how fast the engine oil is wearing out is a clear indication of the condition of your car. So you will need to keep a close eye on the car engine’s oil.

Do you need to top up engine oil?

You will need to top up engine oil after a certain interval. But topping up your engine is not recommended before the engine oil has reached a certain level.

To know whether the time has come to top up engine oil, you will need to check the engine oil level every once in a while.

You should top up engine oil once the engine oil has reached its minimum mark. Once you notice that your engine oil has reached at or below its minimum mark, make sure to take your car to the nearest autocare service in order to get an oil change service.

Not topping up the engine may even cause the engine to sustain serious damage, including uncontrollable vibration, and more.

So you need to top up engine oil after certain intervals. Depending on the type of oil your car needs, car’s age and condition, this interval ranges between 3000 to 75000 miles.

Why do I have to constantly put engine oil in my car?

You will need to put engine oil in your car after a regular interval. It is an essential part of the car’s maintenance.

So you should pay special attention to the engine oil, otherwise there might be some serious trouble. If you’re wondering why you have to constantly put engine oil in your car, read ahead:

To avoid damaging car parts:

You will need to put engine oil in your car after it has reached the minimum mark. It is not advised that you put the oil before that, but you should not wait when the minimum mark is touched.

If you’re not careful and do not top up oil after the tank has reached its minimum mark, then you may end up causing some damage to the car.

If you do not maintain the top up oil level for your car, the volume in the sump of the engine will decrease. This is highly likely to end in a disaster. 

If you do not put engine oil in time, you may end up damaging some costly car parts. So it may prove to be a very costly mistake later.

To run the car smoothly:

If you want your car to run smoothly for a long time, you will need to pay close attention to the engine’s wellbeing. And engine oil plays a vital role in ensuring the car engine’s wellbeing.

Some manufacturers suggest that you put engine oil after every 3,000 miles, while some push to as far as 7,500 miles.

This mainly depends on the type of oil and the condition of your car. So follow your manufacturer’s guide in deciding the interval at which you should put engine oil in your car.

What happens if I don’t top-up engine oil?

There can many issues if you don’t top up the engine oil. Let’s get to know them.

Damaged car parts:

You may end up with damaged car parts if you don’t top-up engine oil after certain intervals. Engine oil plays a vital role in ensuring that all the parts of the engines are well and running.

So if you want your car’s engine to run well and keep all the parts well, you should top-up engine oil after a certain interval.

Otherwise, you may damage a costly car part, which may result in a few trips to the mechanic. So to save you all the hassle later, make sure to top-up engine oil as soon as the engine oil reaches its minimum mark.

Nasty vibrations in the engine:

If you don’t top up engine oil regularly, you will experience nasty vibrations in the engine. It is normal that the car engine will vibrate up to an optimum level.

But if it runs low on engine oil, the vibration will grow more and more severe. You will then have to deal with damaged parts as well as strong vibrations and shaking engines.

Final Thoughts

There is no definitive answer to how often you should put engine oil in your car. It depends on the condition of your car, and type of oil. The interval usually ranges between 3,000 to 7,500 miles. For conventional oil the interval is less, while synthetic oil doesn’t need a top-up that frequently.