Hi,
My Corsa has done 70,000 + miles and just recently I have noticed that the oil warning light keeps coming on. It's usually when I am turning hard around a corner in 3rd or towards the end or start of my journey. The light comes on for a couple of seconds and then off. When I fill up the oil, this doesn't happen for a good couple of months but then it will occur again until I fill up the oil again. Seems like a harmless loop at the minute but im pretty sure I shouldn't be going through so much oil. Any ideas what this could be?
Thank
Edited by jumanji on 13/10/2008 at 11:02
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im pretty sure I shouldn't be going through so much oil.
How much is it using then?
How low are you allowing the oil level to drop before topping back up.
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I would say I am using a 10W/40 4L every 2 or 3 months [roughly]
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4L every 2 or 3 months [roughly]
And mileage covered in that time? In other words how many miles do you approx cover per litre of oil used.
And asked previously, how low are you allowing the oil level to drop before topping back up? In other words how much oil do you put in to bring the level back up to max.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 13/10/2008 at 11:29
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I would say roughly 2000 miles, give or take.
As for the other question, it is usually pretty low when I get round to filling it up. I then put half of the oil in and then the remaining several weeks later.
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Your oil light is obviously coming on in response to a low oil level - that's what its for. Firstly don't let the oil get that low - you are in danger of damaging the the engine and secondly, I would have the cause of the excessive oil consumption investigated.
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If I've figured this out properly then you are using 4 litres in 2000 miles. Thats about 1 pint in 300 miles. That seems excessive.
Its leaving the engine either through the exhaust pipe(burning it) or you have leaks somewhere.
Is the coolant level ok, and does it look like coolant, ie not oily?
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OK ... here is possibly a more accurate account. I've just had a long think about this!
I have used 3 x 4L of oil in 15 months which equates to about 10,000 miles.
Still seems like a lot?
Coolant level is fine and it doesn't look oily.
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Does the car smoke heavily? Does it leave oil on the floor when it stands? Is any part of the car (including underneath) heavily covered in oil?
Is it the 16v engine?
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No smoke ... I think there is oil on the floor from my car [pretty certain there is anyway]. Not sure about any other areas being covered in oil? I would have to have a nosy.
yes it is the 16v engine.
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Try using 15/40 or 15/50, see if this slows down its useage if no excess leak is apparant?
But using this much I would expect it to struggle to get through the emissions test at mot time !
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I would say roughly 2000 miles, give or take.
If that is 1 litre used for those 2000 miles, then that is acceptable.
I have used 3 x 4L of oil in 15 months which equates to about 10,000 miles.
That still is acceptable.
If you read the handbook (if you have one) then it will state in there somewhere that the engine can use up to 1 litre of oil per 1000 miles. - this is worse case senario, by the way, and if it is using 1 litre every 1000 miles then it is time to start worrying.
As someone else has pointed out, DON'T let the oil level get too low. Never let it drop below the min level on the dipstick, and check it regularly. For reference, the distance between the min & max level equates to 1 litre of oil.
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Presumably the light is oil pressure, not level? - or does the car have lights for both? Either way, not good to let it get to that state. One of my bangernomics 2 litre Omegas used around 1 litre / 1000 miles, still got through emissions OK - mind you some of it was leaking rather than burning. .
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That's a [lack of] oil pressure light - it doesn't mean that it needs topping up - it means that there is no oil pressure in the engine and severe damage IS BEING DONE.
If you think oil is expensive - try the cost of an engine.
The dipstick is there for a reason and oil, water and brake-fluid levels should be checked at least weekly - along with a visual check of all lights, tyres and their pressures.
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I guess I should get a mechanic to have a look at where the possible leak(s) are then?
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jumanji.
Have you ever been taught how to read a dipstick?
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jumanji, I get the impression you aren't listening to what people are trying to tell you.
Unless there is a pool of oil on the floor under the car, there is no leak.
It is being burned out through the exhaust system, and as I have ALREADY pointed out, if the amount of oil being consumed is as you say it is, then it is an acceptable amount of oil being used.
Just keep a regular check of the oil level AND NEVER let it drop below the min level on the dipstick.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 13/10/2008 at 15:49
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Of course I know how to read a dipstick! It's just I don't check as regularly as I should [sue me].
@ Dave ... I am listening and from all of your replies I have surmised that it is either a) a leak or b) being burned out through the exhaust. There is no smoke [as such] so that is what leads me to think it is more likely to be a leak ... plus there are oily stains under my car where I park it.
I'll just keep a more attentive eye on the oil levels and monitor that and if it gets any worse take it to a garage.
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Thanks for your help btw guys
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And remember the warning light probably does not come on until pressure drops below 10 psi and you need a lot more than that.
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I have surmised that it is either a) a leak or b) being burned out through the exhaust. There is no smoke [as such]
At 2000 miles per litre of oil used, I'm not surprised you're not seeing smoke.
so that is what leads me to think it is more likely to be a leak ... plus there are oily stains under my car where I park it.
A little oil goes a long way. Unless there are huge puddles of oil under the car, that's not where its all going. Try laying some cardboard under the car (held in place with something heavy like a brick) to get an idea of how much is leaking out.
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>>I have used 3 x 4L of oil in 15 months which equates to about 10,000 miles.
Does that mean you have used 12 litres of oil in 10K?
If you are loosing that much oil through a leak then your drive will be swimming!! If you are burning it then its excessive as well.
If the light is coming on then you have probably damaged the engine already - what started out as a leak may now have caused engine damage as well.
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I am looking at buying one of these, and the machanic selling it warns all his customers only to use 5/30 oil in these as anything else will burn the halves as they are too thick/don't get to the temperatue quick enough.
If he is right then using this oil could have perhaps damged your engine? It sounds like its burning it, my mates Fiesta burns a lot of oil but it dosn't give out blue smoke as the cat deals with it.
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>>I have used 3 x 4L of oil in 15 months which equates to about10 000 miles. Does that mean you have used 12 litres of oil in 10K?
If it has, then I misread it earlier and thought the OP meant 3 to 4 litres in 10,000 miles.
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