When Should You Honor A Severe Service Interval?
Have you ever noticed that your vehicle has a schedule in your owner’s handbook for what is termed “severe service” maintenance? Let’s explain what severe driving conditions aren’t: The most comfortable driving a vehicle activity is moving on the interstate for 20 miles (32 kilometers) or more at a constant rate of 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour) in 75°F (24°C) weather with only passengers on board. Alter any one of those parameters, and you are adding pressure to your engine. Change them significantly, and you are operating under severe circumstances.
The Length Of Your Car Drive Matters
Let’s study the parameters one a time — first, the length of the journey. Little excursions around Reno and Sparks are tougher on an engine than longer ones. As your engine cools down, h2O in the air condenses onto the engine. When you warm the engine again, the water evaporates off, which is normal. But on short trips, the motor doesn’t stay hot enough for long enough to evaporate all the water. So it begins to build up in the engine oil leading to sludge, which can clog up your engine and lead to significant engine destruction. If your excursions around Reno and Sparks area are less than four miles, you should be using the severe service maintenance schedule. Changing your oil more frequently at Wayne’s Automotive Center in Sparks will help prevent the formation of sludge.
Hot And Cold Weather Can Affect Your Engine Life
Most of us Reno and Sparks drivers think of severe Northern Nevada weather situations when we consider harsh driving conditions. And we’re right. The cold Nevada environment takes its toll on the oil in your car. If you don’t drive for up to ten miles, the water may not evaporate out of your oil. Water in your oil long term is not healthy for your engine. Small trips in the cold are hard on your motor if you don’t drive for long enough.
The hot Reno and Sparks climate can also take its toll on your vehicle. Engines getter hotter when they run. The longer it is on, the hotter it gets. It begins to break down if it gets too hot. So it has to be continuously cooled to keep running. Hot Nevada weather means your cooling system has to work harder to keep your engine from getting too hot.
So, in the end, most of us Sparks auto owners drive under severe conditions some of the time. Smart Northern Nevada residents will ask themselves the question: “Should I follow the severe service maintenance schedule?” An honest evaluation of our driving habits is the best way to determine which schedule to follow.
Wayne’s Automotive Center And Express Lube
55 CONEY ISLAND DR
SPARKS, NV 89431
775-356-6996