Car Maintenance with Differential Oil

One of the important components in the maintenance of motor vehicles, whether motorcycles or cars, is called differential oil. The presence of this oil in your vehicle is used as a friction-making element in the automatic transmission between components to make it smoother, thus preventing fatal damage to your vehicle's gears.

Differential Oil

Differential oil is one of the maintenance components in motor vehicles used to regulate wheel speed when the vehicle turns. The function of car differential oil is to allow the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds when turning.

Just like when you observe or follow the movement of a line, when turning left, the left side will reduce its speed, while the rightmost side will increase its speed so that it can turn precisely together. Likewise, in your car, the presence of oil serves to lubricate the surfaces of your car's gears so that when turning, the right and left wheels have different speeds.

In addition to functioning as a lubricant for the surfaces of the car's gears, oil also provides a cooling effect. Since oil lubricates the automatic transmission parts, friction occurs, causing the oil to gradually thin and decrease in volume, resulting in a buzzing sound. The emergence of this noisy sound indicates that the oil needs to be replaced.

Replacing Car Differential Oil

The schedule for oil replacement is important to ensure that your vehicle's components remain durable and well-maintained. So when is the right time to replace the oil in your car?

The right time to replace the oil in your car is when the mileage has reached 8,000 km. However, if that distance has not been reached, it should be replaced at least every 3-4 months. The replacement and refill of oil usually requires only about 1 liter of oil.

Oil replacement can also be due to the oil itself being depleted. Depleted oil can be caused by a loose drain bolt or a leak in the seal. Oil should also be replaced if symptoms such as a buzzing sound, vehicle vibration, and contaminated oil appear.

1. Buzzing Sound

Oil that has become saturated and is not replaced will produce a buzzing sound from the lower area of the car. The buzzing sound arises because the engine gears are not lubricated properly due to the saturated and unusable oil. The buzzing sound will become louder as the car's speed increases.

2. Vehicle Vibration

Saturated oil can also cause the car to vibrate suddenly, especially when the car goes downhill. The car vibrates suddenly due to inadequate lubrication, causing the differential support to not work well to hold the weight of the car.

3. Contaminated Oil

Good oil usually has a viscosity of about 90 - 140 SAE. Saturated oil has low viscosity. It is advisable not to frequently change oil brands because different brands have different viscosities, which can also protect your car's components from damage.

Oil that is depleted or saturated and not replaced or refilled can cause the differential to overheat, which will eventually expand and jam. Additionally, if the oil has become saturated or is thinning or thickening and has not been replaced, it will cause the differential to rotate heavily, resulting in extra power output, which affects fuel consumption and leads to excessive use.

Oil Maintains Car Components

As previously described, what is the detailed performance of oil in maintaining your car's parts?

When you replace the oil with new oil, the noisy sound of your car's engine will automatically disappear and be replaced with a smooth engine sound. The noisy engine sound disappears due to the smooth friction reaction between the car's engine components caused by the lubricant. This is also beneficial as it facilitates the performance of the automatic transmission.

Oil also plays a role in protecting car components so that they do not wear out or rust quickly. Oil that acts as a lubricant can also function as a cathodic protector for the car's engine made of metal, preventing oxidation and rusting. However, saturated oil can actually accelerate the rusting process, making oil replacement important.

Oil can also reduce air pollution. How is that possible? It has been explained that if oil has become saturated and is not replaced promptly, it causes the engine to work harder, thus requiring more fuel. Fuel consumption can lead to air pollution. If the car is filled with oil that has good viscosity, it can save fuel consumption, thereby reducing air pollution. Additionally, saturated oil causes the emitted smoke to be black and thick.

The presence of oil prevents the vehicle's engine from overheating quickly. Saturated oil causes the vehicle's engine to overheat quickly. Worse, it can even cause sparks that damage components due to burning. Oil that is replaced regularly will smooth the differential gear components and cool the engine temperature, so when gear handling changes occur, there are no issues, and the engine temperature remains normal.

Differential oil plays a very important role in maintaining your car, in addition to contributing to reducing pollutants. It is also important to note that when you replace the oil, try to match it with the previous product brand or according to the recommendations of a workshop expert or adjusted to the type of vehicle you own.