Hey are you guys adding engine oil every 3-4 days? I'm getting fed up with this task? This is my one gripe about this car! Should I use synthetic oil to reduce the frequency?

The oil should only be topped up every 1500-2000km if needed you should not be adding oil every 3-4 days .

i have 600 miles on it and havent added oil yet.

I'm at almost 5000 miles with 2 oil changes, but have never needed to add oil once outside of an oil change.

I have over 1500 miles on my car so now I can rev it to 8000 rpm. Not all the time. I have gotten the red engine light on several time. I had to pull over to a gas station, check the dip stip and it was "low". So I add a little oil to my car then the light went away. But then it came up again after 3-4 days. I remember the dealer telling me that I need to check the oil level regularly and ADD IN OIL AS NEEDED. I don't know it could be my car, but it's only 1 month old!

I think I am getting very close to low on my dipstickbut the light still has not come on. Should I addsome oil anyway or wait for the ligh?t

I've got 5k and one oil change and never had to add oil

Keep the oil at the full mark, but not over. Keep a quart in your trunk and when you fill up on gas check the oil after the car has sat for 2-3 minutes. If it is low fill until the full mark.

I do not recommend letting the oil light come on or even the dipstick all the way on low, that usually is not good.

Originally posted by hot_RX8
I have over 1500 miles on my car so now I can rev it to 8000 rpm. Not all the time. I have gotten the red engine light on several time. I had to pull over to a gas station, check the dip stip and it was "low". So I add a little oil to my car then the light went away. But then it came up again after 3-4 days. I remember the dealer telling me that I need to check the oil level regularly and ADD IN OIL AS NEEDED. I don't know it could be my car, but it's only 1 month old!


Are you waiting five minutes to let the oil drain out of the engine? Because if you don't, it's going to show up as low every time. If you really are having to add oil every 3-4 days, your car has a serious problem and you need to take it to the dealer ASAP. I added a half quart at 2500, and at 3700, it's still full.

Sounds like you might need the new baffle'd oul pan and sensor installing.

Not sure if the Renesis dipstick is the same as the stick in the 13B REWs, but when you get to the "low" mark on Gen 3s, you're actually nearly two quarts low. My advice would be to keep it at the full line or even slightly higher. It never hurts to overfill a rotary slightly, and I'd rather error a little on the side of fullness. Just my opinion!

Jerky....?

Come on now - really. The "full" indication mark of the dipstick is named that for a purpose - namely to indicate if your oil is full or not.

Please do not wait for your oil light to come on before you add oil. If your oil level is far down on the dipstick, then add some oil.

come on guys... it clearly says to check it every 500 miles wich is insane. the car will burn about a quart every 2500 miles so check it at 1250 and add some if it's low, don't get crazy about oil... my RX-7 used a quart every 1000 KM (600M) This car is sooooo much better and you will not run out of oil or fry your engine if it get to the "low" indicator.

I agree with Elara.
If you are having to add oil every 3-4 days, you have a problem.
Get it back to the dealer now.

Changed my own oil at 2,000 miles, and did not have to add any in-between. I am at 4,200 miles now, and have added 1/2 quart.

Known issue that causes the oil sensor to light.
You really should not be adding oil.
Also sounds like you are not letting the oil level settle (checking right after stopping). You should let it sit for 5 minutes before checking the level.

The question no one answered is the one about synthetic oil, I have always been under the impression that synthetic is not good for a rotary. The rotary is designed to consume some small amounts of oil, which is why we are supposed to check the oil every other fillup. Synthetic oil does not get consumed (burned I suppose would be a better word), therefore not good for the rotary. Please correct me if I am wrong.
After 650 miles the dipstick read about 3/4 full. I will probably add to the fill point next week. But I figured that was about 1/4 of a quart consumed--not alarming.

Negative on synthetic. It's more expensive and not necessary. I added 3/4 of a quart at 1,700 and 3,800 mi.

Maybe this person drives a lot every day?

Originally posted by Senseny
[...]Synthetic oil does not get consumed (burned I suppose would be a better word), therefore not good for the rotary. Please correct me if I am wrong. *sigh*
After 650 miles the dipstick read about 3/4 full. I will probably add to the fill point next week. But I figured that was about 1/4 of a quart consumed--not alarming. The manual says the low-high marks represent approximately 1.8 (US) quarts, so you were closer to being 1/2 quart low at that time.

I agree with the above. You shouldn't have to add oil every 3 or 4 days, (unless you are driving 500 miles daily) so my advice would be first to check oil (using the procedure Elara suggested) and add to the full mark, (give the oil you added 5 minutes or so to drain into the pan before checking again) and take it from there; check it daily if you're worried.

But don't feel you have to wait until it gets to the low mark before adding! I tend to be a bit err, uhhh, anal, so I check mine about every 4 days and top it off to the full mark. (I don't believe in overfilling either)

Did you check for evidence of an oil leak anywhere? I'm using about a quart every 2000 mi. and I'm not sure that is the "normal" amount. (my '85 RX7 uses about that much, but I don't drive it as hard either)

I read on another rotary forum that the oil (oil coolers)helps cool the engine. That is a good enough reason to keep it full.

Driving habits also have alot to do with oil consumption. If he's on the throttle alot and runs the car near redline a higher percentage of the time it will use more oil as well.

IIRC the difference between the 'low' and 'full' marks is about 1.8 quarts. So, try to keep it near the full mark, and check after letting it sit for 5 minutes or so. I have almost 600 miles on mine and it is still very close to 'full'. Also, I don't have a lot of soot on the rear end, only on the tailpipes.

Are you getting lots of soot on the rear end?

endless amounts of soot on mine

I have used one full quart at 2,700 miles...added approx 3 times when the low oil light illuminated at 80+ mph.

I've added 3 full quarts of oil (not via oil changes) over the course of 5000 miles. My 1st oil change is schedules for this coming Saturday.

I'm at 2,600 miles and have not had to add any oil. I check it every 2nd or 3rd fill-up and while it is down about a 1/4 of a quart I have never had the oil light come on.

It seems like your light comes on due to the oil pan problem and not low oil. You pull over and check the oil in a hot engine while not all the oil has drained, and keep adding oil.

If your engine oil light comes on at highway speeds and goes away you need the revised oil pan AND check your oil after the car has been sitting for a while to get an accurate measurement.

If my suggestion is invalid then you have a serious problem with your engine since you should not be adding oil that frequently. My car has 2,400 miles on it and I have never added any oil yet.

Good luck !