Checking Engine Oil Level / Oil Consumption / Oil Light On

[Transporter]

As a driver and car owner you have the duties and responsibilities for maintaining your car to keep it safely on the road. One of of the duties is to check engine oil on regular basis which can vary, but good practice is to check the engine oil level when you buy fuel or every 500km. Car must be parked on the level surface and engine off for at least 5minutes. Oil level should read between low and full mark on the dipstick. Keeping the oil level at max is good practice since the lubricating oil also cools the engine. Constantly low oil levels will shorten the life of the oil and the engine.

"A" Max. level "C" Low level

[entice]

perhaps not exactly a question for this thread, but, I am unsure as to why in the Aus manual there are (if my recollection serves me right) 2 options for VW approved oils in the MK6 GTi. Obviously, one is the 504/507 (long life?) and the other is, and i cannot specifically recall, a 501 or 505... One would assume, from the way the manual is written, that either meets specification, and that the non 504/507 is for NON long life.

Given that, what is "non" long life???

I ask as I have 2 containers of Mobil1 0W in the garage left over from the prior vehicle that was heavily driven (having been accused as a tightwad spending 90+ bucks for 5L on oil must be perplexing! Let alone having 2 spare containers of it). Now it meets one "standard" (ie the non-long life) but obviously not the 504 etc etc.

Let me make it clear, I am not intending to use it on the GTI, but am for my own knowledge, trying to ascertain why there are 2 different "options" and what the difference between the 2 is...and hopefully concurrently enlightening a few others that may be misled.

[h100vw]

Almost a step back in time I think.

25 years ago when I started driving, I had a Mini and a few other A series engined Brit mobiles. It was common practice to pull the head off and de-coke them. The running improvement was worth the time and effort. Gasket kits were cheap as chips.

And now the same thing is happening with the modern motors. Improvements in running efficiency negated by massive increases in maintenance costs.

Gavin

[elephino]

Oils ain't oils

[entice]

Or if your in Sydney, I'll buy it off you for $45 if you really want to clear out your garage.

Hrmm.. Nahhh.

Thanks for the offer though!

[brad]

Hrmm.. Nahhh.

Thanks for the offer though!

Good, I didn't really need it anyway I'm a bit of a hoarder

[Stoney!]

with the 118tsi exhibiting the rattle on a cold start up, do you think I would then be better off using Mobil 1 0-40 oil? As it apparently circulates quicker on a colder start.

I recently went and talked to another dealer about the rattle and he said that they all do it, even took me to a new one upstairs and started it for me. Whether they all do it or not though I don't like it, moving parts without oil is not good news to me, and I'm wonder if 0-40 will help the issue?

Stoney!

[brad]

with the 118tsi exhibiting the rattle on a cold start up, do you think I would then be better off using Mobil 1 0-40 oil? As it apparently circulates quicker on a colder start.

I recently went and talked to another dealer about the rattle and he said that they all do it, even took me to a new one upstairs and started it for me. Whether they all do it or not though I don't like it, moving parts without oil is not good news to me, and I'm wonder if 0-40 will help the issue?

It does it for ~15 seconds? I think it's just the lifters pumping up & the cam chain (including the tensioner getting pressure behind it) - just a guess on my part though.

From my experience, 0w oils tend to make things a fraction noisier on start up because the same "runniness" that helps them circulate also helps them drain away overnight.

Having said that, Mobil1 always seems to make an engine quieter & smoother. What's the worst that can happen? The engine will have a reasonably good oil in it & cold start rattles for 15 seconds.

[Corey_R]

Thanks for the reply Diesel_vert. Since there is already a thread on Stoney!'s question, please continue that discussion in the http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f112...up-45352.html\ thread.

[elephino]

I hate to mention oil, but the low oil light comes and goes on my car now. It's only done a touch over 3000km, so a bit odd that it's so soon. And it shows up then disappears for a while then comes back and goes out for a moment then returns, etc.

The car is booked in to get looked at but very strange behaviour as in my MkV, the low oil light was either on or off - none of this wishy-washy stuff.

[brad]

What does that old fashioned thing called the dipstick tell you?

[elephino]

What does that old fashioned thing called the dipstick tell you?

That I have oil. Definitely not full, though.

[Maverick]

That I have oil. Definitely not full, though.

In that case the manual says you should top up the oil. Take the car into your dealer and ask them to top it up which they should do for free whilst you wait. Newer Mk V and all Mk VI's have a different oil sensor that measure the amount of oil to the nearest mm as part of the long life package (which is not turned on in this country) and you're probably sitting right on the warning point.

[elephino]

In that case the manual says you should top up the oil. Take the car into your dealer and ask them to top it up which they should do for free whilst you wait. Newer Mk V and all Mk VI's have a different oil sensor that measure the amount of oil to the nearest mm as part of the long life package (which is not turned on in this country) and you're probably sitting right on the warning point.

As I said, it's booked in (for Friday to be precise) and they can have a look. I'm still intrigued by how the low oil warning works as it's extremely inconsistent (this morning it didn't come on at all).

[Maverick]

As I said, it's booked in (for Friday to be precise) and they can have a look. I'm still intrigued by how the low oil warning works as it's extremely inconsistent (this morning it didn't come on at all).

The oil level will vary depending on the angle you park the car on and so forth. When the car is parked overnight the oil has a chance to drain back into the sump hence why the light does not come on.

The idea behind the low oil light is that you fill the oil ASAP and don't keep driving around. Once the car has reached the low oil level it has already lost a substantial amount of oil which should have been picked up prior to this by regular checking of the oil level using the dipstick.

BTW engine damage caused by lack of lubrication is NOT covered by warranty. A replacement engine is in the vicinity of $15,000.