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Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:53 pm
by poon
Hi Guys,

Not been posting much as been busy with new business (not that I was mega regular), anyway, I had to go up to North Yorkshire on Tuesday and on the way my oil light popped on. All I had with me was a 1 litre container so put it all in and carried on.

Light had gone out and then today came back on again. I reckon that I had done 350 miles on a litre!

Is that right? Or should I get it booked in?

TIA

RE: Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:04 pm
by sonny
High oil consumption is no surprise on these cars but that does seem excessive. Better safe than sorry get it booked in.

Have you check to make sure you have not got a leak.....Oil cooler Rad connections?

RE: Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:19 pm
by Dom81
More important than the light, what does the dipstick show?

RE: Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:24 pm
by SR71
I'd be careful about how you add oil to this engine, or in fact, any engine.

But the dipstick is particularly sensitive on this car.

In addition, I'm sure the handbook advises how much oil to add at any one time without subsequently checking the level...

Re: RE: Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:31 pm
by poon
SR71 wrote:I'd be careful about how you add oil to this engine, or in fact, any engine.

But the dipstick is particularly sensitive on this car.

In addition, I'm sure the handbook advises how much oil to add at any one time without subsequently checking the level...
was wearing a suit in the pissing rain so couldn't muck around I am afraid, figured a litre wouldn't over fill it!

will check it tomorrow

RE: Re: RE: Oil usage

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:57 pm
by byron1313
That happened to me last summer thumping down to Cornwall overnight, oil light came on. I put in what I had (about 3/4 ltr) and then 100 miles further on it came on again!! Had to stop and find some more, luckily they had some and this time I carefully added what the dipstick wanted over about 30 mins and all was fine. Suspect that it's more than 1 sensor or something and once low it starts being really fussy!!!

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:11 pm
by P_G
The difference betweem min. and max. on the dipstick is 1 litre, hence the 1 litre top up. Light cmes on when the dipstick hits min.

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:44 pm
by Dom81
P_G wrote:The difference betweem min. and max. on the dipstick is 1 litre, hence the 1 litre top up. Light cmes on when the dipstick hits min.
Yep, and the brake pad warning light comes on before any damage is done to the disks...

Call me old fashioned, but I don't trust them there lights. Mind you, checking oil, tyres & the washer bottle pushes me to my technical limit!

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:56 am
by Porky
Mine went through a stage of using about 1 litre every 250 miles. At the moment it seems fine? very odd....

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:14 pm
by P_G
I suspect cold ambient tempartures is keeping engine oil temp down so the temp when the oil degrades quicker is not reached. I have seen that my average temp does not get much above 92 at present, sometimes as low as 89. I have to be thrashing the car to get to 100 at present but in the summer that will change.