Hi all,

Did an oil change yesterday and decided to check the oil level before the change (yes I know I should have been checking it more consistenly....will do from now on). When I checked it I could not even get any oil on the bottom dip of the dip stick ??? I have no idea how long it has been running like this and I definately did not have an oil leak as I have no oil on my driveway where the car is parked.

First question is why didn't a warning light for low oil pop up on my dash ? Does the oil have to get even lower than that for it to pop up ?

Second question is has this done major damage ?

Third question is what are some of the possible reasons why I have gone through all this oil (last oil change was 7,500 KMS ago).

OIL I use: Mobil 1 15-50


Strange thing isI have never had any oil missing on any of my previous oil changes. I usually change the oil every 5,000 KMS but waited until 7,500 KMS this time. Car has 35,000 KMS racked up.

All thoughts welcome

Cheers,
Ray

 

bttt

 

(1) There is no "low oil" light
(2) Impossible to say without stripping the engine.
(3) Has your driving style changed? Heavier right foot?

I assume you've already changed the oil, so the best thing to do is measure how much oil was in the engine, remember there will be a fair amount in the filter too. Compare this with the amout you've put back into the engine, and make a judgement based on that.

 

You should check your oil about every other fuel fillup and expect usage of up to 1litre every 1500-2000 miles although some use more and some less.

Cheers
Simon

 

All engines will use a bit of oil, some more than others. Some will only use a few ml between changes, others demand constant topping up. Depends on the individual tolerances of the engine, how it was run in but even then there are few hard & fast rules etc etc.

However some engines are notoriously thirsty for oil. The big Benz straight sixes from the early 90s were bad -- according to M-B, up to 400 miles per litre was "normal". Same with some VAG engines, like the Golf 16V motors.

As said above, it's worth checking every few hundred miles .... I always check BEFORE a long journey and AFTER.

 

k thx guys and gals....if the oil is just short of actually making a mark on the dip stick how much have you lost ?

Cheers,
Ray

 

bttt

 

Razor, this may put your mind at rest:
Post 22 on
http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthrea...il+consumption

The rate of oil consumption does seem to depend on where it is filled to. If you fill it to the MAX mark, it goes down to the MIN mark relatively quickly, but it can stay at the low mark for a long time.

 

Thanks for that info Jiggery

Ray

 

That's interesting reading as I'd posted a similar thing, so thanks.

 

*Touching wood*

I've never had to put a drop in my MY00 between scheduled services.