RotaryRider

I got an oil change at 102300km 2 months back. Yesterday, at 104430km the oil level was at low level according to the pic below ( at stone cold engine temp, I believe it will rise a bit if the engine is at operating temp). Compensating for oil temp. I would say my car used around 1.4 quarts for this disatance.

So the 2130km covered included about 900 highway kilometers (cummulative, not a single trip) with the car driven between 90-150 kmph. and the rest were in the city.

Driving Style : Semi-spirited. I love chuckling at kickback I get from accelerating in 2nd or 3rd while smoking Nissans et all on the roads :P

Do you guys think it is normal to use 1.4 quarts in just 2130 kms ?

Next time when I top up the engine oil, can I use any good brand of oil (castrol, Shell etc.) and mix it with the oil already in the engine ? as long as it is 5W-20 and non-synthetic right ?

Colon Terminus

Yes, that seems a little excessive for non-track driving. Can you be certain it was at the top mark after the oil change?


You can put any oil you like in your engine, synthetic or not, any weight you choose, even oil made for diesel engines. Just change it and the filter every 5,000 Km or so and keep it topped up between changes.

RotaryRider

Well, how I see it is... If you drive a certain distance to a shop, the oil has expanded due to heat generated by the engine to occupy larger volume than at a cold engine temprature. And most mechanics add oil to hot (expanded) oil upto the full mark on the dipstick. So when this mass of oil cools down, you have a level slightly less than full. Does that make sense ?

It consumed 1.4 Quarts for 2300 kms; Which means 1 Quart per 1642 kms. Isn't that normal ?

I mean, for example I have chevron engine oil 5W-20 in the engine, can I use Castrol etc... to top it up ? I hope mixing oil doesn't damage affect the engine.

Colon Terminus

You can mix any brand of any weight with any other brand and weight and not risk damaging your engine. I use 10W30 synthetic in my engine, but I don't drive it in the wintertime.

I drive in a spirited manner and use about a half quart in 1,600 kms.

RotaryRider

Silly question, but just to make sure... In the dipstick diagram I posted above, Q is quarts right ? That means, it only takes 1.8 quarts to go from low to full ?

Colon Terminus

Sorry, I can't answer that. My dipstick is different, it doesn't have the intermediate markings.

Colon Terminus

Okay, here's the deal.
Listen carefully.


If you're driving on back roads 1-2 hrs. per day and keeping the revs up between 7-9 K rpm all the time then your oil consumption is normal.


If you're not driving like that then your oil consumption is excessive and you need to find the cause of it.

Legot

iTrader: (1)

Ok kids, lets get educated.

The dipstick isn't a reliable method of checking oil level unless it's done correctly and consistently every time it's checked. The level on the stick changes significantly based on when it's checked.

Cold is not the time to check your oil level! The engine needs to be fully hot, then the car needs to be shut off for 10-15 minutes before checking it.

Do that and try again, I guarantee it will be a different level than when you checked cold.

gwilliams6

warm engine and shut off for five minutes is the recommendation from Mazda for checking the oil level on the dipstick for my 2008 RX8.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Frankly, I don't bother trying to give specific conditions for checking the oil.

Just check it under the same conditions every time. If you are at half on the stick when cold, 3/4th when hot (making this up), then when you check when cold, you know about where you will be when hot.

And for me, it is FAR easier to replicate the same conditions when the engine is cold. Also easier to check in my garage or in the morning before leaving the hotel than sitting at a gas station with a stopwatch for 15 minutes waiting for it to cool down exactly as much as it had last time in a day which I am driving 1,100 miles.

Be flexible about when you check it, but understand what it does between the different conditions. And in all cases, just don't let it get too low. If it's down to 1 quart low and you aren't sure if it is a "hot 1 quart low" or a "cold 1 quart low" ... add half a quart! You won't overfill, and you are still adding more buffer. It's really not rocket science.



As far as consumption, 1 quart in 1,642km is 1 quart in about 1,000 miles. That is entirely acceptable. A bit on the high side, but certainly not alarming. A stock OMP system with a stock OMP map can EASILY drop you to the 1 quart every 500 miles, or less, depending on how you drive. Cruise control 100% highway can be as high as 1 quart every 2,000 miles. But there is substantial swing based on the average load being used.

You are fine, don't sweat it.

RotaryRider

Thanks RIWWP. I agree with you a 100%. Your input is always appreciated

gwilliams6

RIWWP is right,just check it under the same conditions. When i come home after a drive and i put my car in the garage and take my shopping or whatever inside my house, i then come back in the garage after a few minutes,pop the hood and check it then. I have extra oil I carry in my trunk, but also have a quart or two right there on the shelf in my garage and a funnel and rags if i need it.

Your driving load does determine how much oil is injected and used, as RIWWP pointed out.