A sluggish car performance after an oil change can be a confusing situation. This sudden change in car responsiveness may stem from various underlying problems.
Here’s why your car feels sluggish after oil change:
1. Your car has oil with the wrong viscosity
The viscosity of engine oil refers to its thickness or resistance to flow. Using the wrong oil viscosity—either one that is too thick or too thin for the engine’s specifications—can lead to a car feeling sluggish after an oil change.
If the oil is too thick (higher viscosity than recommended), it may struggle to flow adequately through the engine, leading to poor lubrication of critical components.
This can cause increased friction between moving parts, resulting in reduced engine efficiency and sluggish performance.
On the other hand, oil that is too thin (lower viscosity than recommended) might not provide adequate protection against metal-to-metal contact and high-temperature breakdown.
This can result in accelerated wear and tear on engine parts, leading to decreased performance over time.
Signs of wrong oil viscosity:
- Sluggish acceleration: The engine might feel hesitant or sluggish to respond when accelerating, lacking the usual power or smoothness.
- Engine noise or knocking: Incorrect oil viscosity can lead to increased engine noise, often presenting as knocking or ticking sounds, indicating inadequate lubrication.
- Increased fuel consumption: Using the wrong oil viscosity might negatively impact fuel efficiency, causing the car to consume more fuel than usual.
- Overheating: In severe cases, improper viscosity can lead to increased engine temperatures, potentially causing overheating issues.
The solution:
Have the oil checked again by a mechanic to ensure it meets the correct viscosity requirements for your engine.
To prevent this, It’s important to always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the correct oil viscosity for your specific car which ensures the right oil is used during oil changes.
Related: Car not running right after oil change (Explained)
2. The oil used was low quality
A car can feel sluggish after an oil change because of the use of quality oil.
Low-quality oil often lacks important additives and might not meet the required standards for engine protection.
This can result in inadequate lubrication of engine components, leading to increased friction and wear on vital parts.
Inferior quality oil might also contain impurities or have a higher tendency to form deposits inside the engine.
This buildup can hinder proper engine function, reduce efficiency, and ultimately cause sluggishness.
Lower-grade oils also degrade more quickly under high temperatures and stress conditions, losing their lubricating properties faster. This can lead to a decrease in engine performance over a shorter period.
Signs of low-quality oil:
- Sluggish acceleration: Engine responsiveness may decrease, resulting in slower acceleration and a noticeable lack of power.
- Increased engine noise: Poor quality oil may fail to dampen engine noise adequately, leading to louder sounds, such as knocking or ticking, indicating insufficient lubrication.
- Poor fuel economy: Using low-quality oil can contribute to reduced fuel efficiency, causing your car to consume more fuel than usual.
- Visible contamination or discoloration: Low-quality oil might look darker or more contaminated than higher-grade oil. This indicates the presence of impurities or premature degradation.
- Frequent oil changes: If the oil degrades quickly or doesn’t maintain its quality for the recommended duration, frequent oil changes may be necessary, adding to maintenance costs.
The solution:
Seek the expertise of a qualified mechanic to diagnose the problem. They can assess the oil quality, drain and replace it if necessary, and ensure that the correct grade and quality of oil are used to maintain the engine’s health and performance.
Related: Car acting weird after oil change (Explained)
3. The oil filter has a problem
A car can also feel sluggish after an oil change when the oil filter has a problem. Oil filter problems can restrict oil flow and also not trap contaminants effectively, which affects your car’s performance.
An incorrectly installed, clogged, or faulty oil filter can impede the smooth flow of oil through the engine.
This restriction can result in reduced oil circulation, leading to inadequate lubrication of critical engine components.
A damaged or ineffective oil filter might fail to trap contaminants efficiently. This could allow debris, particles, or sludge to circulate in the engine along with the oil, leading to increased wear on engine parts and potential performance issues.
Signs of oil filter issues:
- Sluggish acceleration.
- Engine noise.
- Oil pressure Warning light.
- Dirty or contaminated oil.
- Increased fuel consumption.
Solution:
Seek assistance from a qualified mechanic to assess your car. The mechanic will inspect the oil filter, verify if it’s correctly installed and functioning, and address any concerns.
Regularly replacing the oil filter as part of routine maintenance is also important to ensure proper oil flow and prevent potential engine performance issues.
4. You have air trapped in the system
Air trapped in the oil system post an oil change can disrupt the proper functioning of the engine, causing the car to feel sluggish.
Air pockets or bubbles in the oil system can hinder the smooth flow and circulation of oil. This interruption in oil flow might result in insufficient lubrication of engine components.
Also, without proper lubrication, increased friction between moving parts occurs. This can lead to higher resistance within the engine, causing it to operate less efficiently and resulting in sluggishness.
Signs of air trapped in the system:
- Unusual engine sounds such as ticking, knocking, or rumbling noises.
- Sluggish acceleration and response.
- Oil pressure warning light on the dashboard.
- Visible air bubbles in oil during the oil change process.
The solution:
Solving the problem of air trapped in the oil system requires bleeding or purging the system to remove the air pockets.
A professional mechanic should perform this task to ensure proper procedures are followed.
By eliminating air from the oil system, proper oil flow and lubrication can be restored, which improves the engine’s performance and responsiveness.
5. You have other underlying mechanical problems
Several mechanical issues unrelated to the oil change can cause a car to feel sluggish post-maintenance.
These underlying mechanical problems include:
- Faulty sensors: Issues with sensors like the oxygen sensor, mass airflow sensor, or throttle position sensor can affect the engine’s fuel-air mixture, leading to decreased performance and sluggishness.
- Clogged air filters: A dirty or clogged air filter restricts airflow into the engine, affecting the combustion process and resulting in reduced engine power and sluggish acceleration.
- Worn-out spark plugs: Old or damaged spark plugs can lead to inefficient combustion in the engine cylinders, causing misfires, reduced power, and overall sluggish performance.
- Fuel system problems: Issues with the fuel pump, fuel injectors, or a clogged fuel filter can disrupt the proper fuel flow and combustion, resulting in poor engine performance and sluggishness.
Signs of mechanical problems:
- Check engine light on the dashboard.
- Rough idling or stalling
- Reduced power and acceleration.
- Unusual engine noises.
- Decreased fuel efficiency.
The solution:
Diagnosing these problems requires a comprehensive inspection by a qualified mechanic. They will assess the car’s systems, identify any faults, and address the underlying mechanical issues causing the sluggishness.
Related: Car caught on fire after oil change (Explained)
6. There could be old residue or sludge disruption
When an oil change occurs, especially if the engine has significant residue or sludge buildup from previous oil use, introducing new oil can potentially disrupt and dislodge accumulated deposits.
This action can temporarily impact the engine’s performance, causing it to feel sluggish. This happens because of oil passage blockage or temporary prevention of lubrication.
This is how oil passage blockage happens: As new, clean oil is introduced, it may start cleaning residual sludge or deposits in the engine. However, this process can initially dislodge accumulated gunk, causing temporary blockages or restricted passages until the debris is flushed out or filtered by the oil system.
On the other hand, dislodged sludge or residue can briefly prevent proper oil flow, resulting in momentary inadequate lubrication of engine components until the system clears the debris.
Signs of old residue or sludge disruption:
- Initial decrease in performance.
- Temporary engine noise such as ticking, knocking, or unusual engine noises during the initial stages after an oil change due to disrupted residue.
- A temporary increase in light-colored smoke from the exhaust could occur as the engine burns off loosened residue.
- The fresh oil might appear darker or have small debris particles, indicating the cleaning process is in progress.
The solution:
Typically, this sluggishness or temporary change in performance due to residue disruption shouldn’t persist for an extended period.
However, if the symptoms continue or worsen, have your car inspected by a professional mechanic.
They can determine if there are any persistent issues related to residue disruption or if there might be other underlying problems that need attention.
Over time, regular oil changes using high-quality oil appropriate for your car helps to prevent significant residue buildup and related performance issues.
7. You have an oil overfill or underfill
A car that feels sluggish after an oil change can also be due to both oil overfill and underfill.
Overfilling the engine with oil can lead to increased pressure within the lubrication system. This excess pressure can cause the oil to foam, reducing its lubricating properties and potentially leading to decreased engine performance.
Overfilling might also cause the crankshaft to splash into the excess oil, creating air bubbles in the oil.
These air bubbles can compromise proper lubrication, leading to reduced efficiency and engine sluggishness.
Excessive oil levels can cause seals and gaskets to fail due to added pressure, resulting in leaks and potential damage to engine components.
Insufficient oil levels on the other hand can lead to inadequate lubrication of engine parts, causing increased friction and wear. This can negatively impact engine performance and lead to a sluggish feeling.
Solution
Consult a mechanic to inspect and address the problem.
In either case of overfilling or underfilling, it’s important to ensure that the engine has the correct amount of oil as recommended by the manufacturer to restore proper lubrication and rectify the performance issues.