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Just reading a few threads about oil and oil consumption makes me wonder when do you all top up your oil? As soon as you notice it's dropped below maximum, when it's mid-way between max and min, or when it gets to minimum? I'll start the ball rolling; I top mine up when it gets just below the midway between min and max, unless I'm going on a long trip away from home, in which case I will top it up to max irrespective of how far below max it has dropped. NB using this methodology, I have not had to top up the oil in my car or my wife's car for about 7 years now :-)
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Hi
I top mine up if the level drops, which it doesnt.
My 405 has a oil level gauge that shows how much oil there is everytime you start the engine.
Ive never had to top it up between services because it never uses any oil, I also check the oil dipstick weekly & the level always matches the gauge reading.
Thats not too bad for a 9 year old French car with 118K miles on it.
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Any car or bike I have ever owned has always been kept to maximum on all fluid levels.
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Never. A full 4.5 litre oil can fills it to roughly half full, and it never drops, and I've never topped it up. I change it every six months anyway, and the car has a sensor to warn if the level's low. My grandad leaves the garage to check levels at it's yearly service.
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>>Never. A full 4.5 litre oil can fills it to roughly half full, and it never drops, and I've never topped it up.>>
But you say it's "roughly half full." Surely it needs virtually as much again?
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No black and white rule exists.
Case 1 - My V70 2.4T
Oil level remains rock solid on 'maximum' between services.
Case 2 - SWMBO's Pug 306 1.8
Consumes oil at a steady rate of approximately 4,000 miles per litre, all the way from 'maximum' to 'minimum'.
Case 3 - My Honda Hornet 600 motorcycle
Consumes oil at a rate of 2500 miles per litre until halfway between the dip stick marks, whereupon the rate of consumption tails off to less than half that rate.
So, with the 306 I top it up as soon as it's dropped about a quarter of the way, simply to ensure that the most amount of oil possible is in the sump should a leak commence. With the Hornet however, I only fill halfway in the first place, because if I put any more, it'll burn off anyway.
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>>I top mine up if the level drops, which it doesnt.>>
Another one who has completely contradicted themself..:-))
Must be catching - or April 1st.
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NB using this methodology, I have not had to top up the oil in my car or my wife's car for about 7 years now :-)>>
You've just completely contradicted yourself...:-))
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I trust the electronic dipstick, but it only said "Check Oil Level" when I was parked on a steep slope sideways. I change the oil before it has chance to get to MIN - if it ever would.
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I check my cars every other time I top up with fuel - unfortunately, I have no level ground near our house, so I take the opportunity when I can. This also gives me a quick opportunity to check round the engine bay for anything amiss.
If the level is within 1/8" of maximum, I take no action.
number_cruncher
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>> NB using this methodology, I have not had to top up the oil in my car or my wife's car for about 7 years now :-)>> You've just completely contradicted yourself...:-))
He hasn't contradicted himself at all. His method is to top up if it falls below a certain point. It has never fallen below that point so he's never topped up. That doesn't mean that isn't his method.
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>>That doesn't mean that isn't his method.>>
There's a saying about there's method in his/her madness.
Whatever it is it's still, in this instance, a contradition in terms.
If the expression had been that he "would" top it up if it fell below a certain point, that would make sense.
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I disagree. There is no contradiction, since an instance has not come up, he has not had to complete whatever task that instance demands. This still doesn't change the fact that in that instance, he will perform that task.
For that matter, he mentioned 'in the last 7 years' so it's obvious that in the past that instance has come up.
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Then we will just have to agree to disagree...:-)
Unless you disagree?
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oh let it go the pair of you.
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When the (hydraulic) tappets get noisier. Actually, that's more a function of age, as the oil thins out, so it usually means it's time to think about changing it. Topping it up also has the desired effect, although not a lot is ever required.
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When it tells me it needs topping up. The computer says "Oil Level Low" when it drops a little below the midpoint between min and max. It only displays the message at the end of the journey though, in contrast to the warning about washer-fluid which will warn me mid-journey if it feels like it.
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In the laguna? at this time of if its life? never. It has an electronic oil level monitor and for the last 12,000 miles it has not warned me it needs checking. I check the dipstick anyway, and its not moved from max.
It used 1/2 litre in the first 18k miles.
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Heh - mine uses oil at a slightly slower rate than it uses petrol. The rate of consumption speeds up as it nears time for an oil change.
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My car doesn't consume that much oil but I still check all of the levels, every time I fill up with fuel. (As per handbook instructions)
I would top up the oil if and when it falls any more than a quarter off the max level.
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I can't remember the last time I topped up the oil in any of my vehicles, although have I always checked them weekly. Modern vehicles don't seem to use much oil, if any at all.
I am very fussy about my Harley, which doesn't burn a drop anyway, but it runs so hot in traffic in this climate - up to 220F on the temp gauge despite an oil cooler, and I check that before every ride and during the ride. Despite this, after 35k miles she's sweet as a nut and the oil even stays quite clean between 3 month changes without a drop of topping up. It's almost a shame to change it! Bit of a change from the 250mpp of my old Bonneville!
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"Bit of a change from the 250mpp of my old Bonneville!"
Yes but the bonnie had an oil level indicator. It was called "the size of the oil puddle on your driveway"
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when do you all top up your oil?
How about I use this question for one of the weekly polls?
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when it runs out :)
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when it runs out :)
First symptom of an car that has truly and completely run out of oil is that it screeches to a halt and has a large lump of fused together bits of metal where the engine used to be, NoWheels!
Can I suggest acting a little earlier?
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>> when it runs out :) >> First symptom of an car that has truly and completely run out of oil is that it screeches to a halt and has a large lump of fused together bits of metal where the engine used to be, NoWheels! Can I suggest acting a little earlier?
Perhaps we have just discovered why No Wheels?
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>> >> when it runs out :) >> >> >> First symptom of an car that has truly and completely run >> out of oil is that it screeches to a halt and >> has a large lump of fused together bits of metal where >> the engine used to be, NoWheels! >> >> Can I suggest acting a little earlier? >> Perhaps we have just discovered why No Wheels?
:)
My last car was burnt by arsonists, but I was thinking here of an earlier one. Oil checked before setting off, but after abt 100 miles, it suddenly lost power and as I slowed to a halt it made a noise like giants having a spanner fight.
My friend's boyfriend opened up the lid, saw it looked clean out of oil, and thought he might help by putting in some more. Unsurprisingly, it didn't help ...
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I think the oil pressure light would come on long before any serious damage occured (been there, done that).
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I think the oil pressure light would come on long before any serious damage occured (been there, done that).
Generally oil pressure is around 50psi in a running engine. The pressure switch is set to a ridiculously low pressure (around 10psi or less?). If you wait for the light to come on, when it does some damage will have already been done.
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Generally oil pressure is around 50psi in a running engine. The pressure switch is set to a ridiculously low pressure (around 10psi or less?). If you wait for the light to come on, when it does some damage will have already been done.
On my 1600E I installed a T piece instead of the switch and then had both the standard low pressure switch, which IIRC was 5 psi and an additional high pressure switch 45 psi so that I got an instant warning of loss of pressure. Although the 1600E had an oil pressure gauge, a warning light / beep avoided constantly watching the gauge.
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It's a question to which answers will vary according to the vehicles involved.
My last three cars since 1992 have been VWs. The first two were a 1.3 Jetta C and a 1.6 Jetta TX. Neither used a drop of oil in between the 10k oil and filter changes despite having covered high mileages and never exhibited an oil leak.
The third is my current Bora. It has required one minor oil top up in 14 months' ownership; again there is absolutely no evidence of oil leaks (I have a large light grey coloured flagstones paved area in my front garden).
Yet my son, now on a Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI after a 1.4 Zetec engined Fiesta, has to regularly top up the oil; he does cover about 70 miles daily during the week and, quite often, very extensive weekend trips.
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It's a question to which answers will vary according to the vehicles involved.
Quite right. E36 BMW 323iSE never needed a topup in 3 years/60k miles. Old shape 530iS needed about two small topups (0.5 litres, ish) between each 18k mile service. 911 needs about half a litre every 1500 miles, but is so well known for it that a little test runs whenever you turn the ignition on.
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Horses for courses...
VW PD engines tend to use 1-2L per 10,000 miles, from new, depending upon your driving style.
And only £8/Litre, or £25-30 if you buy a gallon....
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Too much oil in the sump has problems too. Apparently it damages the catalytic exhausts. I have a warning function on the dash which says oil high, add some etc. I am told to check the oi; 5 minutes after swicth off and keep it between the marks on the dipstick.
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My Golf never used oil between services until about six years and 60000 miles old when it moved up to a litre/10000Miles where it's stayed since.
Easy to get lulled into a false sense of security if the level's static every time you check it for years on end.
Now add 0.1 litre each month or thereabouts to take it back to Max.
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I seem to be missing something here. The Volvo has never used a drop of oil between changes, and is now on 303,000 miles. I thought only clapped out old bangers with high mileages used oil?
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My Golf never used oil between services until about six years and 60000 miles old when it moved up to a litre/10000Miles where it's stayed since. Easy to get lulled into a false sense of security if the level's static every time you check it for years on end. Now add 0.1 litre each month or thereabouts to take it back to Max.
Only a thought, but perhaps this is an symptom of something that has happened to the dipstick (etc) rather than the engine?
Say, for example, that something stopped the dipstick reaching as far as it used to. Then, you would notice an apparent drop and top her up. She is now overfilled, and duly burns off the surplus. You then notice the loss and top up again.
What happens if you leave it? Does the level continue to fall? Or does it go to (say) 75% full and then stop falling?
Just wondering...
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>>Just wondering...>>
Both a 1989 Jetta 1.3 and a 1990 big bumper Jetta 1.6TX I owned never used a drop of oil or exhibited a leak between oil and filter changes during a total of 13 years' ownership and hefty mileages.
In fact the first Jetta had already done 66,500 miles when I bought it and the TX 52,500 miles.
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Surely in that case it's easier just to let the level hover around 3/4 full, like I do. Hasn't budged in two years.
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That's what made me wonder - if the car is happy at 3/4 then why worry!
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Surely in that case it's easier just to let the level hover around 3/4 full, like I do. Hasn't budged in two years.
Are you telling us your oil hasn't been changed for 2 years? Tut tut ;o)
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What happens if you leave it?
It keeps dropping at about 0.1L a month (1000Miles). No signs of any leaks and it hasn't got worse since.
Because of getting complacent about checking it, the first time it was down to half way down the dipstick range before I noticed.
I always check dipstick properly seated, and car has stood overnight when looking at it. (Seems to take about 10 minutes for added oil to get to the sump, even in hot weather).
Did worry when it first happened, but since it stayed the same afterwards just assumed it was wear; still well within tolerance, though my previous Golf used none until I sold it at 80000. Engine still runs sweetly enough; perhaps MKIII Golfs took six years to loosen up...
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Sounds like you're doing the right thing, then.
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