The oil in your engine works a lot harder than you think. If you think about it there are hundreds of moving components, with thousands of explosions happening at the same time in your engine, so it stands to reason that Tulsa drivers should have their oil changed regularly!

You’re probably familiar with the guideline: Change your oil every 3,000 miles or 3 months. However extended oil change intervals have been introduced by some vehicle manufacturers, because they think that present-day vehicles driven under ideal driving conditions are able to get closer to 5,000 miles or more between oil changes.

The crucial expression here is “under ideal driving conditions”. If you check out your owners guide, you’ll find two maintenance schedules: one for “typical” driving conditions and the other for “Severe Service” driving conditions, which consists of stop and go, brief trips, transporting loads, as well as hot and cold driving. That’s why we refer you to the severe service schedule, because for most of us this is how we drive our vehicles on a daily basis.

Some of the leading auto makers have started lengthening engine warranties for engine damage caused by oil sludge resulting from longer oil change periods. They discovered that real-world conditions need more frequent oil changes than the 7,500 mile period they had been advising drivers. They consequently advised more frequent oil change periods, as well as evidence of timely oil changes to be entitled to their extended warranty.

Oil sludge blocks engine passages, and stops oil from doing its primary job: lubricating critical engine components. As a result these components wear a lot more rapidly and your engine could fail prematurely.

Sludge is caused by a number of things:

1. Time. Over time the oil is polluted by exhaust gas that inevitably results in sludge. That is where the recommendation to replace your oil every three months originates from.
2. Sludge can also originate from oil polluted by water through ordinary condensation. A few minutes of highway speed driving lets the oil to warm up sufficiently for the water to evaporate. The problem is our trips are often too short to enable the engine to warm sufficiently for the water to evaporate. This is particularly true during winter.
3. Sludge also develops when the engine get too warm, resulting in the oil breaking down. Stop and go driving in the summer, and transporting loads are all ideal conditions for producing sludge.

With these factors, it’s easy to see how estimating when have schedule your oil change is fairly complicated. Some vehicles now have programs in that record the amount of cold starts, the number of times the cylinders fire, engine temperature and other factors. With all the data it’s able to estimate when you should change your oil, and notifies the driver. If you don’t have this nifty feature in your vehicle, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Rather come in or contact us at RC Auto Specialists to see if the 3,000 miles or three month period is a good recommendation for you based on your driving style.

Here at RC Auto Specialists we also make it easy to schedule your next oil change, just go to our Schedule Appointment page to do so!

Along with greater fuel rates in Tulsa comes lots of “gas saving” advice. Some of it is really exceptional. Some is delusion. And some is simply produced to take advantage of Tulsa drivers who are desperate to save some hard earned cash on gas.

When you get one of those e-mails that’s going “viral” advising you just how to conserve gas, don’t assume it’s all true.

Does it really work? Does it somehow defy physics?

Do some research on the internet or inquire your Tulsa Oklahoma auto service advisor at RC Auto Specialists.

There are no magic tablets you are able to drop in your gas tank, neither has the federal government covered-up a gadget you could secure on your gas line to make your vehicle run on air. Nope, not even in Tulsa!

So when you receive one of those e-mails, run it past a vehicle professional. You’ll obtain even more bang for your buck by having an oil change or a motor air filter replacement.

We’re RC Auto Specialists, call us at 918-872-8115 for excellent straightforward advice concerning your car.

Many car & truck owners in Tulsa wonder if using premium (or high octane) fuel will make their vehicle run better. RC Auto Specialists has often been asked if there really is a difference. Yes, there is a difference, but it may not be what you expect.

Gas comes in different grades, or octane ratings. “Regular” gas is at the bottom end with the lowest octane rating, and “Premium” has the highest octane rating. Almost all gas stations in the Tulsa area also offer a middle-grade that falls somewhere between the two. Some regions of the country have different ratings based on altitude.

The main point to remember about octane ratings is this: what does your vehicle manufacturer recommend for your specific car or truck? The reason is that engines are designed to run on a certain kind of fuel. One example is turbocharged engines. They are designed to run on premium fuel, and there’s a reason for it.

Of course, if you have any questions about your vehicle and the best fuel for it, always feel free to contact us. RC Auto Specialists is located at 5822 S 107th E Ave, Tulsa OK 74146. Our phone number is (918) 872-8115.

We recommend that you take a moment to reference your owner’s manual to see if it’s okay to use gasoline with different octane ratings. Many cars & trucks in the Tulsa, OK area have an engine control computer that has the ability to adapt to different octane ratings. The end result is perhaps a little less performance and fuel economy, but some savings at the pump. There’s no risk of damage.

However, there are engines that can be damaged by using a lower octane than is recommended by the manufacturer. And this kind of engine damage is NOT cheap to repair. Don’t take the risk- find out out what your car or truck needs. It’s foolish to save a little at the gas station only to loose it plus a whole lot more in repair bills.

Here’s another important point: Since today’s vehicles are computer-controlled and designed to run best on a certain fuel grade, there is no benefit to using a grade higher than what is recommended. You won’t experience any noticeable improvement in fuel economy or performance.

Keep in mind that current regulations require that ALL gasoline grades have detergents to help keep your engine clean, so whatever fuel you use, you’ll get this benefit. By the way, if you hear noises coming from your engine like pinging or chattering, it’s worth having it checked out here at RC Auto Specialists. It might be nothing, but it could be the telltale signs of a pending problem.

Since gas prices have be high, we’re all doing our best to make the dollar go further, especially when it comes to our vehicles. Do yourself a favor and use the octane rating recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Also, make sure your tires are inflated to the right pressure. Finally, keep your vehicle serviced regularly. All these things will help you save in the long run.

In times of high gas prices, we’re all conscious of making our fuel dollar go further. Be sure to use the right gas for your car. Keep your tires properly inflated and your vehicle well maintained and you will get the best fuel economy possible.