How often do U check your engine oil??

[Anonymous]

Can you guys tell me how often should I be checking my engine oil. I mean my car's in the garage at the moment cos of blown this, that and the other and its getting repaired by warranty. But I was wondering how often do you guys check the car's engine oil.  I would normally drive the car everyday but I not really a fan of checking the oil level every two weeks.... hence one of the reason why my car is in the garage at the moment.

I've noticed when I did have the car it was going through a shed load of oil and I was having to check and top it up every couple of months. But is this normal with everyone? I don't it should be.  I mean I've had a VW Polo and a Bora and I never had to check the engine oil lever before....  I ain't too bothered about how often everyone changes the engine but i would really like to know about the topping up business.

Please let me know what are your thoughts on this thanks.   s:) s:)

[Liz]

I never check mine   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   gets done when it goes in for service, but I don't have any pre-cats.

[Anonymous]

but I don't have any pre-cats.

Does this mean you don't have any Cat on your car???

[Slacey]

I never check mine   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   gets done when it goes in for service, but I don't have any pre-cats.

Tut tut Liz, you should still check fairly regularly - go to the back of the class   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

Now mine is FI I check it every 2~3 days, before then once a week.

[aaronjb]

but I don't have any pre-cats.

Does this mean you don't have any Cat on your car???

No, that means she hasn't got any pre-cats on her car... In summary - pre-cats are in the exhaust manifold, and only reduce cold start emissions (not tested in the UK, and not required for the MOT), the CAT is in the main exhaust. (A quick search on pre-cats should turn up more info than you could ever need on the subject)

I check mine, erm.. once every.. not very often really. Month, maybe a couple of months..

Topping up every month or so probably indicates excessive use, but it depends how much mileage you do really. I seem to recall the 'official' line is that 1litre/1000miles (love the mixed units there  s;) s;) ) is OK.

[kanujunkie]

Topping up every month or so probably indicates excessive use, but it depends how much mileage you do really. I seem to recall the 'official' line is that 1litre/1000miles (love the mixed units there  s;) s;) ) is OK.

1Lt/1000miles  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  i've never had to put a drop in mine between services, that meansin theory i should be getting thru 20 Litres per year  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

[Darth Paul]

I seem to recall the 'official' line is that 1litre/1000miles (love the mixed units there  s;) s;) ) is OK.

1Lt/1000miles  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  i've never had to put a drop in mine between services, that meansin theory i should be getting thru 20 Litres per year  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Stu, you're forgetting that this is Aaron's 'official' line. What is it? Three litres a day?  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:D s:D

[aaronjb]

Stu, you're forgetting that this is Aaron's 'official' line. What is it? Three litres a day?  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:D s:D

Oi  s:P s:P  I meant that was Toyota's official line... My official line is one 4.5ltr container per week (the 'total loss oil change system')

Tsk, do get it right DP  s;) s;)

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same situation as 'rainmen23' i'm  using quite a bit of oil, i have had an oil change, and in four weeks and 1200Miles the dipstick reading has gone from just over full to three quarters full. so thats less than 1lt in 1000miles, but surly thats not right?

hense i'm trying to sort out some extended warranty before things go Tits up.
can't wait to get the warrantry and the cats out on the 3rd. sleep alot easier.  s8) s8)

rainmen23 - did you notice an overly smokey exhaust in recent mornings? ?

[heathstimpson]

Topping up every month or so probably indicates excessive use, but it depends how much mileage you do really. I seem to recall the 'official' line is that 1litre/1000miles (love the mixed units there  s;) s;) ) is OK.

1Lt/1000miles  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  i've never had to put a drop in mine between services, that meansin theory i should be getting thru 20 Litres per year  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Ditto my level never seems to move  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Liz]

 s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   Going to check mine today along with the tyre pressures before another week at work!

[Anonymous]

:oops:  Going to check mine today along with the tyre pressures before another week at work!

did my tyre pressure last night, due to a very slippery drive home, and found that they where 5-6 psi down   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:   OOpppss

I hate checking the oil, cause every time you take the dipstick out, you get a different reading, they are so Difficult to read. probably the worst design ever ! ! ! !  s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

[Anonymous]

Check mine weekly ...when I wash it.
No noticeable loss between 10K services.

[heathstimpson]

Check mine weekly ...when I wash it.
No noticeable loss between 10K services.

You have time to wash every week; I wish I did   s:? :? s:?

[Anonymous]

Once a week, along with tyre pressures when the 2 is cleaned.

You have time to wash every week; I wish I did   s:? :? s:?

 s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  Bugger living with you, stinky boy....  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

I do 350+ miles a week, and here in Norfolk we're in the middle of turnip picking season; so the 2 is completely black by Tuesday and looks like it's been on military manoeuvres by Friday.   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
The real trick is avoiding the dog sized lumps of mud the tractors like to leave on blind bends.    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

[mrsmr2]

I used to check mine every week, until the pre-cats disappeared.

It's now less often, about every three weeks.

Jason

[Anonymous]

Would you expect to see a redundancy of oil after a few hundred miles after a change, to take into account the burning of the new oil?

[roger]

Check mine weekly ...when I wash it.
No noticeable loss between 10K services.

Dotto, Ditto.

But I'm afraid the weekly wash is taking a bit of a back seat during the winter. No pre-cats gives me the comfort that a slightly extended reading time won't cause a problem.

[roger]

Would you expect to see a redundancy of oil after a few hundred miles after a change, to take into account the burning of the new oil?

I would have thought not. But I go back to some previous threads.

As said above the stick is difficult to read, but ALWAYS ensure you read it with the car in the same place, with the oil at the same temperature (cold, hot, warm). I found the level could vary by about as much as a quarter of the Full / Empty range.

I now do it whilst cold (in the garage) before I take the car out for a wash / spin, but still do 2 or 3 dips and a couple of swizzles, just to make sure. I find you can even get the front and the back of the stick showing different levels !

[kanujunkie]

:oops:  Going to check mine today along with the tyre pressures before another week at work!

did my tyre pressure last night, due to a very slippery drive home, and found that they where 5-6 psi down   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:   OOpppss

must check mine in a mo after doing a standing start 360 spin after turning into a side road the other day,scared the crap out of me, must remember to engage granny mode

[Anonymous]

From ExtremeMR2

rainmen23 - did you notice an overly smokey exhaust in recent mornings? ?

Yes i did. What does this mean was wrong with the car???

[Anonymous]

Not sure what it means, It's just that, i'm finding the same thing with mine, not sure what it is, but it means it's burning oil presumably. would like to know more details of what has happend to yours if and when you find out. thanks

[Anonymous]

Check the link out http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9010

[MR-S Turbo]

I check my oil everytime I take the car out