When it comes to maintaining the health of your vehicle's engine, oil viscosity is critical. Without a good supply of engine oil circulating throughout the engine bay, your vehicle could break down.

Most drivers know that they need to invest in regular oil changes, but it can be easy to overlook the importance of completing an engine oil analysis on a regular basis as well. Understanding the valuable information that an engine oil analysis can provide will help you justify the expense of performing these periodic test on your personal vehicle in the future.

An engine oil analysis can reveal the health of your engine.

Because engine oil travels throughout your vehicle's engine, it can be a useful tool when it comes to determining the overall health of the engine itself. An engine oil analysis will show the concentration of metal fragments and other particulate matter that has been collected as the oil travels through your engine.

A higher concentration of particulate matter in your engine oil could be indicative of a mechanical problem that will need to be repaired quickly to avoid further damage. Many of these mechanical problems would go unnoticed without an engine oil analysis.

An engine oil analysis can save you money.

When it comes to maintaining your vehicle, investing in repairs can be costly. Preventative maintenance is the best way to reduce your total repair costs over time, and an engine oil analysis allows you to invest in proper preventative maintenance.

Since potential problems can be identified early with an engine oil analysis, you can have your mechanic address these problems before they become too serious. Your repair costs will remain low and you can avoid having to invest in a new engine or new car because your vehicle's engine experienced a major mechanical malfunction that might have been avoided with preventative maintenance.

An engine oil analysis can help you set an oil change schedule.

Knowing when to change your vehicle's oil for maximum protection and performance can be a challenge. Many factors affect your engine oil supply, including climate and driving patterns.

Manufacturer's recommendations can be used as a guideline, but an engine oil analysis will help you determine exactly when oil changes are needed to improve your vehicle's efficiency. Since an engine oil analysis measures viscosity, you will know when your oil supply starts breaking down and needs to be replaced. A customized oil change schedule will help you better maintain your vehicle in the future. Contact a service, like Nelson Petroleum, for more help.