Posted on 11/24/2025
Skipping service seems harmless when the car still starts and drives. The trouble is that wear and heat build quietly long before a warning light appears. Oil thickens with soot and fuel, filters load up, and small leaks slowly lower fluid levels. By the time symptoms show, damage may already be underway. Here is what really happens inside, how to catch early clues, and the routine that keeps repairs predictable. Why Fresh Oil Matters More Than It Used To Modern engines run tighter clearances, hotter turbo bearings, and extended intervals. Oil is both a lubricant and a coolant for parts that the radiator never touches. As miles add up, fuel dilution thins the film, detergents get used up, and soot particles act like liquid sandpaper. Thickened oil moves slowly at cold start, so cams, chains, and turbo shafts see metal-to-metal contact right when wear is worst. What Skipping Oil Changes Does Inside the Engine Carbon forms on piston rings and oil co ... read more