Is your engine running rough, making noise and spitting out smoke? Sometimes these problems are serious, and other times they are issues with the oil and other lubricants. The oil in your engine can tell you a lot about the problems you are having. Here are some tips to help identify problems with the telltale signs that your oil is giving you:

1. Cold Weather Starting and Idling Problems Due to The Type of Lubricant You Are Using 

Using the right type of lubricants for cold weather driving is important. The wrong lubricants could be the cause of winter engine problems. If you live in an area with cold winters, Mystik Lubricants has thinner formulated oil and other fluids formulated for your winter driving needs. Using these lighter lubricants help eliminate problems like a diesel engine starting issues during cold weather. Using the right lubricants for the weather outside will help improve performance during the coldest months of the year.

2. Oil Leaks and Burning Lubricants Causing Your Car to Smoke

When your engine begins to leak oil, the heat can cause your car to smoke. Some obvious signs of an oil leak are smoking and a burning smell. Usually, these problems can be repaired quickly by finding the leaks and repairing them. Look for obvious areas where oil leaks are a common problem, such around the valve covers, heads and oil pans. Check for leaks anywhere there are seals or gaskets that seal connections to the motor. Often, the areas where the oil leaks are located will be extremely dirty. Sometimes leaks can be caused by overheating, which can be better controlled with a performance oil temperature monitor.

3. Synthetics and Natural Lubricants: Should You Be Mixing Them? What You Should Know

Today, in addition to the natural lubricants that have always been used in mechanical and combustion engine applications, there are also synthetic lubricants. It is important that you use the right type of oil and lubricants and know when you can and cannot mix them. It is usually OK to use equal synthetic formula lubricants to replace the factory oils, but as a rule of thumb, you should not mix any lubricants. Always check the formula of synthetic lubricants to ensure they are the equivalent of natural formulas you are replacing. If the oil in your engine, or other lubricants, have been mixed with natural and synthetic formulas, you will want to replace them. Always follow the EPA Guidelines for disposing of used lubricants.

4. Checking Your Oil and What Cloudy Colors of Lubricants Can Tell You About Your Engine 

It is a good idea to get in a habit of regularly checking your oil. The color of oil can tell you a lot about specific auto problems that you may be having. If the oil is dark and black, this could be a sign of serious issues with the car burning oil and problems inside the engine. If the oil is cloudy and a white-grey color, this is often a sign that water is getting inside the block somewhere. This could be caused by issues like blow head gaskets, or worse, a cracked block.

5. Exhaust Smoke and Knowing When It Is Normal or When It Is A Sign of A Serious Problem 

Lastly, the smoke that comes out of your exhaust can tell you a lot about how your engine is running. Usually, there should be little-to-no smoke coming out of the exhaust. If you see a grey smoke and smell fuel, then this may be a sign that the engine is running too rich, which means that there is more fuel than the air going to the engine. Bad valves or seals inside the engine may cause black smoke to come out of the exhaust of your engine. If the smoke coming from the engine is white smoke, then this is usually a sign of water getting into the cylinders, and this may be accompanied by moisture or condensation in the tailpipe.

If you want to find the problems with your engine, these issues with oil and lubricants can tell you a lot. When you need the right lubricants, make sure that you use formulas that are designed for the needs of your engine.