How to Properly Inspect Your Oil

01.13.2023
How to Properly Inspect Your Oil | Breast Cancer Car Donations

Photo by Ivan Samkov under Pexels License 

6 Easy Steps for Checking Your Car’s Lifeblood

Oil is the lifeblood of all motor vehicles. It’s the vital liquid responsible for lubricating the moving parts inside the engine and keeping the engine from overheating. It also prevents dirt from building up inside the engine.

Maintaining the quality and volume of oil in your engine will contribute greatly to keeping your car in tip-top condition. Inspecting your oil periodically will help you avoid catastrophic engine failure, saving you a lot of money in repairs. Spending a couple of minutes carefully checking your oil can make all the difference in your vehicle’s performance.

If oil inspection is something that you rarely do, now’s the time to add this simple routine to your regular auto maintenance list.

You only need a rag or a paper towel to do this. In case you’re not familiar with the car parts under your hood, look for them in your owner’s manual. Breast Cancer Car Donations details the following easy steps for checking your oil:

  • Step 1: Warm up your car.

It’s best to check your oil while the engine is still warm. If possible, do it after a quick drive around your neighborhood or anywhere nearby. See to it that your vehicle is turned off before checking its oil.

  • Step 2: Pop the hood.

Find the hood release latch inside your car. You can normally find this under the dash by the driver’s door, on the bottom of the dash under the steering column, or the driver’s side floor. Press the latch, then go outside the vehicle to open the hood. Move the exterior lever under the hood to completely unlock it. Hold the hood in place by using the metal prop rod located on the inside of the engine bay, near the front of the car. Some models don’t require a rod and the hood will stay in place by itself.

  • Step 3: Find the dipstick.

The dipstick is easy to locate in lost vehicles, as it comes with a small colored handle (usually orange or yellow), and is marked with the oil can symbol. Remove it by simply pulling it.

  • Step 4: Clean the dipstick.

Thoroughly wipe the dipstick with a rag or clean towel. Slide it back securely into the tube once you’re done.

  • Step 5: Pull the dipstick again.

Remove the dipstick once more and look at its end to determine its oil level. Each dipstick has a certain indicator — be it carvings, bars, or labels like L/H and MIN/MAX. You’ll know your oil level is fine if it’s between those two indicators.

  • Step 6: Check the oil’s texture.

If the oil level is low, don’t add oil just yet. Feel its texture first by touching the end of the dipstick using two fingers. If it’s clean, you’re free to add new oil with the use of a funnel. If the oil appears gritty, have your oil changed as soon as you can.

 

Got a Car That Needs More Than Just an Oil Change?

If you happen to have a car that requires not just an oil change but a complete engine overhaul, you should know that this will cost you a lot of money. Moreover, this might not assure you that your car won’t face any more problems soon, especially if you’ve been using that vehicle for so many years now. Your best option is to save the money intended for your car repair and use it to help you buy a brand-new vehicle.

As for your beater, you can simply donate it to us at Breast Cancer Car Donations. When you do that, you’ll not only dispose of your unwanted sedan quickly and at no cost to you, but you’ll also be helping save the lives of the breast cancer patients in your local community who are in dire need of help.

Our team will have your donated vehicle fixed before selling it through an auction. We’ll then use the proceeds to help fund the life-saving programs of our charity partners. Thus, thanks to your donation, uninsured and cash-strapped breast cancer patients in your area will be able to gain easy access to top medical facilities and receive financial assistance to cover the costs of their treatments, doctor consultations, hospital fees, medications, and other essential health care services they need.

Our charity partners also provide their beneficiaries with free breast cancer screening and diagnosis as well as cancer prevention, education, and counseling services.

Since our charity partners are IRS-certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, your donation will qualify you to claim the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season.

We’ll also provide you with a professional towing service anywhere in the United States at no cost to you.

On top of these material rewards, your donation will allow you to enjoy a most satisfying giving experience, knowing that your gift will be used to help save lives.

You can donate almost any type of vehicle whatever its age or condition. Visit this page to learn more about this.

To get to know our simple and convenient vehicle donation process, check out our FAQs page. Don’t hesitate to call us through our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 866-540-5069 or write to us here if you have any concerns or questions.

 

Help Save Lives from Breast Cancer Today!

Your rundown car may look worthless to you, but for the impoverished women in your area who are battling breast cancer, this can be their lifesaver. Donate that vehicle to Breast Cancer Car Donations by calling 866-540-5069 or filling out our secure online donation form now!

 

Last Updated: March 9th, 2023