PMM catches with Castrol to get an answer to a recent question from a reader: “Do you need to change oil more frequently if you make regular, short journeys?”
How do multiple short journeys, or a lack of use, affect engine oil chemistry within the sump?
Regular city driving with frequent stopping and starting due to heavy traffic can impact the performance of your vehicle’s engine. Multiple short journeys can result in water and other contaminants entering the engine and reacting with the oil, causing sludge and deposits to build up within the components and affecting engine health.
How does this affect engine protection?
Engine sludge that builds up over time in an engine, and is not removed during a standard oil change, can have big consequences to the engine. It can clog vital oil passageways, reducing the power, efficiency, and overall engine life. Vehicles that are taking shorter journeys or stopping regularly due to driving in heavy traffic, will experience an increased potential for sludge build-up in the engine.
Do multiple short runs mean that an oil flush is more necessary? If so, why?
Yes. Engine oil can degrade at very high temperatures and over time this can manifest as a build-up of sludge, which is not removed during a standard oil change. This process is exacerbated by frequent short journeys or by late or missed oil changes. An oil flush helps to maintain engine power and efficiency by dissolving and flushing out sludge to maximise the cleanliness of the engine internals, ensuring the new engine oil can perform at optimal levels.
What can workshops offer to customers to help?
Castrol’s Engine Shampoo is an effective remedy that mechanics can offer to their customers whose car engine has experienced a build-up of sludge. The pre-oil change treatment reduces engine sludge by up to 85%, and provides a deep clean of the engine but – importantly – is solvent-free.
Currently, the engine cleaner market is dominated largely by solvent-based products, which can degrade engine seals and dislodge sludge in larger, denser deposits. This can cause blockages in vital oil ways and lead to oil leaks. Castrol Engine shampoo reduces this risk by dissolving and flushing out sludge during the oil change process, helping to maintain engine power and efficiency.
The product can be used safely in both gasoline and light diesel engines, as well as in motorbikes and light commercial vehicles. One bottle of Engine shampoo is effective for vehicles that use 3-6 litres of engine oil. It is recommended for use at every other oil change, mainly for older and high mileage vehicles. However, it can also be used for new vehicles as a preventative measure.
