How often do you need to top up with oil?

northernalex · March 8, 2007, 23:38

Car is just over 30K and is running fine, pulls just like the torque curve looks. Checked the oil a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sure it was between half way and 2/3 full (but its a pain to measure as you guys all know). Checking it now and it somtimes looks like 1/3 full (or completly full depending on how you pull it out of the car).

1.So question is, how often do you add a bit of oil?
2.How many miles on the car?

I'm not concerned about the car that much at the moment, just hope toyota dont get funny about the unichip if I need to get it fixed at sometime in the future. Cheers guys (have searched and there is some info on oil topping up but no survey).

s:)

s:) s:)

s:)

heathstimpson · March 9, 2007, 05:38

I now have 32K and still never need to top the oil level up s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

kanujunkie · March 9, 2007, 06:08

even after the turbo, mine uses very little oil, and thats after 66k fun miles

roger · March 9, 2007, 10:06

Only 6K miles per year, 3 years old nearly, never added any oil between annual services.

I would keep checking fairly regularly. I'm sure you know Alex, but always do it with the same conditions eg on your drive, facing in, 15 minutes after a drive, then you cut out variables that could affect the reading. After a few, the "mis-reading" dipstick variances also even out.

spit · March 9, 2007, 10:15

Change mine every 5k. The level stays good for about 4k, but as soon as it gets grubby it starts to go awol. Only use cheap stuff though s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

northernalex · March 9, 2007, 11:16

Right just gone out and checked in daylight and the oil at the bottom of the dipstick is grubby, at the top is clearer and there's even some oil on the F at the top of the stick. Panic over! NEVER read your oil level in the dark with a torch.

Ste do you think its the super turbo you'ev got which burns so much oil?

I know TEM has some sort of digital scale for the oil level, I wonder if there's one of these we could get calibrated for the 2? Make life so much easier.

Alex

Thanks for your replies guys,, keep em comming so we get some sort of record of oil usage and motor age.

Anonymous · March 9, 2007, 11:18

dont know about the other TTET guys but mine has always gobbeled up the oil, i'd say every couple of months i would be giving it a top up!

Silverman · March 9, 2007, 11:24

Oil dipping?? I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure.... s:(

s:(

No. I used to think I could check the engine oil without difficulty, but now 'I'm not so sure'. I've been doing regular checks of late, both cold and freshly drained down during a run.

The indicator on mine is has a diamond grid pattern on two (opposite) sides with 'F' at the top. When cleaned and dipped it is coming out showing the oil full on one side, but only half full on the other?

It doesn't seem to be using any, so I'm not putting any oil in - but what is the true situation?

HAGW, S'man.

enid_b · March 9, 2007, 11:29

mine uses a bit, well within the book limits. a regular check is in order.

as a tip for the dipstick, if u insert it as far as the first 'click' if ur oil level is at the f mark normally it will show as being about 4mm above the e. this way the rest of the dipstick is dry and alleviates some of the reading problems mentioned on other threads. to convince yourself, replace it and press it in 2 clicks. this should take the reading to 2/3 of the way up the stick.

even Mr.T got this wrong on mine - they read it, said it was low, and put a litre of complimentary oil in for me. drove home real slow terrified about how i had no oil in it as i had topped up that morning. checked again at home under 'normal' conditions and guess what.... it was an inch over the F mark !!!! goons. quick drain of 1l and i was back to normal.

roger · March 9, 2007, 12:02

Sorry guys - just "playing around" with a post that "quoted" enid_b, but didn't do a proper quote - and it disappeared. Can't recall who from. Want to post again?? s:(

s:( Doh!

Anonymous · March 9, 2007, 12:04

think it was silverman?!

spit · March 9, 2007, 12:07

Quick, someone get Roger's pills!

Quote from: "northernalex"=Ste do you think its the super turbo you'ev got which burns so much oil?

I don't think so - the level stays fine for ages until the oil starts to break down. High mileage and oil from the pound shop probably doesn't help s:wink: :wink: s:wink: But you never can tell

I get the occasional chuff out the back but its behind me so I don't care s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

enid_b · March 9, 2007, 12:43

Quote from: "roger"Sorry guys - just "playing around" with a post that "quoted" enid_b, but didn't do a proper quote - and it disappeared. Can't recall who from. Want to post again?? s:( s:( Doh!

now even im confused.

what did i say?

roger · March 9, 2007, 13:51

Quote from: "enid_b"
Quote from: "roger"Sorry guys - just "playing around" with a post that "quoted" enid_b, but didn't do a proper quote - and it disappeared. Can't recall who from. Want to post again?? s:( s:( Doh!

now even I'm confused.

what did i say?

Don't panic, it wasn't you...somebody was quoting your post, and making a reply. That's the one I pushed into the big delete box in the sky.

Silverman · March 9, 2007, 20:19

Quote from: enid_bmine uses a bit, well within the book limits. a regular check is in order.

as a tip for the dipstick, if u insert it as far as the first 'click' if your oil level is at the f mark normally it will show as being about 4mm above the e. this way the rest of the dipstick is dry and alleviates some of the reading problems mentioned on other threads. to convince yourself, replace it and press it in 2 clicks. this should take the reading to 2/3 of the way up the stick.

even Mr.T got this wrong on mine - they read it, said it was low, and put a litre of complimentary oil in for me. drove home real slow terrified about how i had no oil in it as i had topped up that morning. checked again at home under 'normal' conditions and guess what.... it was an inch over the F mark !!!! goons. quick drain of 1l and i was back to normal.

QuoteOK. When a certain person can stop messing about with my messages -- yes, him in the orange rompers s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:wink: :wink: s:wink: --- I said that the above post was very interesting. I went on to suggest that perhaps some of the more serious engine problems, we have heard about on this forum, may have been caused by too much or too little engine oil - because of dipping difficulties??? That's all, HAGW, S'man.

Silverman · March 11, 2007, 17:28

For enid_b....

Your tip (above) about taking a dipstick reading at the first 'click' is nothing short of excellent!! Thank you very much indeed. s:D

s:D S'man.

Anonymous · March 11, 2007, 19:33

50K still got pre cats and don't use oil from one service to the next s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · March 22, 2007, 12:09

I need to top my oil up every 1000 miles, only 300 - 400 ml. and it runs fine, it's been like that since iv had the car (2yrs)

red_leicester · March 22, 2007, 12:27

Quote from: "Les"50K still got pre cats and don't use oil from one service to the next s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Ditto, except I'm on 37k.

Anonymous · March 22, 2007, 13:08

Some of you may have read about my recent troubles... one pre-cat gone and you can guess the rest... hoping there's no damage or very little at least to the engine. Fingers crossed!

When I pick the car up tonight it will have gutted precats and a new (well 19000 mile '04) main cat. It will have been fully serviced and had the tracking sorted. s:)

s:)

Anyway, since I got it in September last year I've been topping up approx 1L Mobil 1 every 1250 miles... not cheap! s:(

s:(

I'll monitor the oil level very closely in future and let you know what it uses now. Hopefully less than before s:!: :!: s:!:

markiii · March 22, 2007, 13:10

same engine?

kire612002 · March 22, 2007, 14:11

2002 / 40000 miles /precats on
change synthetic toyota oil every 4000 miles
no consumption/no adding so far s:)

s:)

Anonymous · March 22, 2007, 14:21

2001, 120k miles, supercharged.
It took a bit before the SC was added. Not sure but about 5 litres over 20k miles (could be 10 litres tho as I just found another empty 5 ltr bottle).
Now I'm not sure, but in the last few weeks since I added the SP decat I could nearly quantify the amount by the size of the blue cloud in the rear view mirror.
Bit of a chuff on start up and if I drive it on and then shut the throttle......darr she blows!!!!!

Anonymous · March 22, 2007, 18:06

32k.
Serviced every 10k.
never had to top it up.
I use silkolene pros 5w-40.

Anonymous · March 22, 2007, 22:54

Quote from: "markiii"same engine?

guess that was aimed at me - yes, for now at least... s:roll: :roll: s:roll: