Austin's Best Choice for Auto Repair

What You Need to Know and Why Are you using the proper oil in your vehicle? Motor oil comes in a range of types and weights, and every brand seems to have slightly different additives featured. If you're feeling lost comparing motor oils for your next oil change, find out all you need to know about oil viscosity and convenient oil changes. What Is Viscosity? Viscosity refers to the thickness of your motor oil. More importantly, it describes the thickness of oil at various temperatures. As your engine is running, your motor oil heats up and thins out. Cooler temperatures, particularly freezing temperatures, dramatically thicken the engine oil. That this means is that your oil weight and climate both play a part in the efficiency of your engine. Why Does It Matter? To properly lubricate your engine, your oil needs to remain within set parameters of viscosity. Too thin, and it won't properly coat moving components. Too thick, and it won't flow properly to avoid friction. This balance can ... read more

What It Is and Why You Don't Want It! Don't let sludge damage your engine. As unpleasant as it sounds, engine sludge is contamination and buildup that occurs over time with normal use. Enjoy frequent, reliable oil change services in your area to prevent this buildup from damaging your engine and reducing your horsepower and fuel efficiency. What Is Engine Sludge? This unpleasant sediment comes from congealed oil and additive breakdown. Over time, motor oil breakdown causes both hard and soft sludge to build up in your engine, which can reduce the efficiency of your oil and cause moving parts to stick. Older vehicles may have more buildup, particularly if you're using conventional oil from a budget brand. Most oil includes additives to help clean and lubricate your motor, but even these additives can break apart and create sludge. While synthetic oil reduces the amount of engine sludge, no oil brand, weight or type will prevent sludge buildup. The best protection strategy for your engin ... read more