Oil top up. Possibly another stupid question - update

[hc25036]

Well - that was embarrassing! Seems there is a metal swirl plate just below the filler cap. There must have been some oil sitting on top of it (presumably because it was cold) so it looks like the oil level is that high. The drive to the dealers got the engine nice and hot, so when the technician opened the filler cap it was all fine!

Credit to them for sorting me out so quickly (and not laughing in my face which is what I deserved).

You live and learn...


Rick

Checked oil on my Fr 150 ACT, now at 12000 miles. Have topped it up a couple of times before with no issues.

Dipstick showed oil at bottom of marked area, so needs a few mls. Opened filler cap, poured (slowly) and the oil disappeared over the engine. Looked closer and oil level maybe 1cm below the top.

Checked oil with dipstick. Still low.

Added oil v.e.r.y slowly. Waited a bit. Checked dipstick. No change. Ran engine for a minute. No change.

Waited 30 minutes. Small increase in level by dipstick and oil dropped a little in the filler.

Now out of oil so have to buy some more and try again.

Do I have an engine problem?

 

[andrewpain]

all engines will swallow oil when they're so low on the dipstick. If it's THAT low to start with you'd be looking a litre to bring it back to the top. How much have you put in this last time is the main question....also is there any on the floor under the car when you leave it running for 5 minutes?
Best thing is to get enough to fill it to the top of the marked area, then check weekly and see how many miles it takes to drop to the bottom again.
and some will ALWAYS use more than others of the same type. Just luck of the draw.

 

[StevenM]

I'm confused and ever so slightly worried by your description of how much oil you can physically see through the filler cap. Exactly how many litres have you put in?

A general rule of thumb is this...

If the dipstick is showing anything between the min & max then don't add any. Once it gets as low as the min then add a litre <---this is the rule of thumb bit as some cars take less than a litre between min & max. I generally add 1/2 litre, check the level, and then add a little at a time until it reaches the max.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.

 

[andrewpain]

My dad bought a new Lada Riva in 1987, and kept it until 1994, when he'd done 9000 miles! He then gave it to my wife as her old car had died.
I couldn't get it above 45 on the first 40 miles of drive up here, then there was a series of backfires, and it blew loads of bits of carbon out the exhaust onto my wife, who was following in my car. Seemed to run better after that...
My neighbour was a mechanic, and offered to give it the once over for us. He put over his pit to drain the oil, and it dropped about 2 gallons all over the floor... I called the old man and asked when he'd last checked oil level.
He said he'd put a small can of oil (probably 500 Ml at the time) in every couple of months...but never checked it.
Bloody thing barely used ANY oil while we had it. Actually quite a good runner. For a tractor.
And being a ******** runs in the family, in case you were wondering...

 

[Petterii]

What StevenM said. That's how i add oil.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[hc25036]

Thanks for the replies - it's all very odd. I seem to have confused people a bit too, so to summarise:

1. In 12000 miles I've only needed to top up the oil a couple of times totalling less than a litre

2. This time, the dipstick level was at 'minimum' so would expect to need 500ml or so

3. My bottle had about 250ml left, so opened filler cap and started to pour slowly..

4. Overflow almost immediately

5. Had a look and oil level is about 1cm from top of filler cap.

6. Waited a bit - level had dropped slightly so added a drop more oil. Waited again, no change. With the overflow, probably only 150 ml of oil added.

7. Ran engine for 5 mins. No change

8. Posted here and phoned dealer but had to wait for a call back. 30 minutes later, checked oil again - dipstick level had gone up a little and level in rocker cover had gone down a little. Put in rest of the oil and had to drive to an appointment - about 20 minutes each way.

9. Checked oil again when engine cooled down. Oil in rocker cover had gone down a bit - say 2cm below the top of the filler cap. Added another 200ml of oil very slowly. Dipstick level now in middle of marked area. Decided to leave well alone.

I called the Dealer back and they said sounded like a possible air lock since the car hadn't been used for a few days. Booked in for a service anyway and they will have a better look then. Otherwise advised to keep an eye on oil levels....

All seemed very odd.

 

[StevenM]

Lol. I had visions of you slowly pouring a while 5 litre can in...which wouldn't have been good at all!

Being able to see the oil level in the head is very odd...I've never had this with any car and I'll be interested to hear what the stealer has to say about it. Possible air lock they say? Hmmmm.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.

 

[Pinky]

Oil not draining down to the sump. Never experienced that. Very strange.

 

[matthab]

That is weird. I too had visions of a 5 litre bottle being poured in.

I dont know about the 1.4 ACT but on my 1.4TSI there is a small flap which opens when I pour oil in. Is that moving?

 

[andrewpain]

sounds like a blocked oilway. Happened to me many years ago on a Fiat 850.
Keep a close eye on the temperature when you're out. Mine got very hot very quickly from the friction.
Scored the bore, bearings seized. New engine time for me.....

 

[matthab]

sounds like a blocked oilway. Happened to me many years ago on a Fiat 850.
Keep a close eye on the temperature when you're out. Mine got very hot very quickly from the friction.
Scored the bore, bearings seized. New engine time for me.....

Wooooo dont be to doom and gloom. Its still got oil in it and circulating.

Just sounds like the oil fill location is blocked.

 

[hc25036]

A picture saves a thousand words.....

Just back from a 40 minute steady drive. No warning lights, oil temp dead steady at 90C.

BUT... when I checked the oil level I noticed that there was oil the full length of the dipstick...

Not good, surely!

Thanks for all the thoughts so far. Any further ideas? Should I stop driving and get it to the Dealer?

 

[hc25036]

Just emailed the Dealer with the photo to see what they think... Oil the full length of the dipstick is normal apparently...

 

[matthab]

Do you check when hot or cold? I think the book recommends after the engine is upto to temp and leave it for a couple of minutes. You do sometimes get different readings cold and hot as its thinner.

It's not uncommon when you pull the dipstick out it rubs oil up the tube.

If it was me, I would just drop into the dealer and see what they think.

 

[hc25036]

After seeing the photo the dealer asked me to take it on on Monday for a look! All credit to them - couldn't have been more helpful.