Engine Oil Top Up

[philcod]

Thanks Stu.

Just read some of the other comments on oil - on our van is a big warning notice saying that overfilling with oil can damage the catalyst - sounds expensive!!!! But "I'm just a country lad" and will defer to more learned memebers of the forum.

Phil

 

[John]

VW spec Castrol Edge 5W30 available + Europarts for £26.99 that's (£6.75 per ltr) using promo code 'midmonth30'

A saving of 30%, so well worth getting some in.. :barmy

Thanks sleepyjoe good find.

I have just ordered some online with promo code and also free delivery.

John

 

[Stu]

In my experience you are better to be mid way between Min & Max Phil, Maximum is a Maximum and not a target :laugh2

 

[SimonSpain]

I have had no problem checking engine oil on cars before, but the VW Cali 2012 dipstick just flummoxes me!

It has a bulb on the end and a kind of stippled surface, but I have no idea where my engine oil level is? Surely if it was low I'd get a warning light I am sure, but the dealer did give me a bottle of oil and stress to check it....which worried me a bit as it's a brand new car!

Any help will be greatly received...if you can all stop laughing long enough! :laugh2 :laugh2

 

[Rubberdubber]

WE also got the Shell Helix stuff and I have been trying to track down more. Shell garages don't sel it, ECO have never heard of it and neither have TPS who just want to sell me Quantum longlife 3 (DPFs etc). Anyoen know if this isOK or where I can get the Shell stuff?

 

[Stu]

The Quantum LL product should be OK as long as it meets the VW 507 standard, which I'm certain it does.

Quantum is produced by BP/Castrol.

The 507 spec is a low SAPS product for use with DPF etc.

Some other VW 507 oils here

 

[jts46]

Try this company, i buy my 507 oil from them. £39.49 and free P&P (5litres)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA ... 5891b07e44

Rainworth Skoda, Mansfield

 

[David Eccles]

I have been told that big brother is installed in the Cali..and records how often you check your dipstick and if not regular the come in for service light comes on earlier than on those who do check...
I too got some supplied when picked up..think I have topped engine up once (small amount) in 8500 miles...

 

[Stu]

I have been told that big brother is installed in the Cali..and records how often you check your dipstick and if not regular the come in for service light comes on earlier than on those who do check...

Bit of a wives tale IMHO David. There is a sensor in the sump that reports back oil quality but nothing likely to be connected to the dipstick.

 

[David Eccles]

twas the dealer told me that on board computer records how often bonnet opened and oil checked when I asked about service intervals when we collected....
maybe he was seeing how far he could spin something to an idiot to liven up a dull day!!! :lol:

 

[deedee]

I checked my oil the other day (140 gp) and it hasn't used a drop since march 2012 when it was last serviced. I was expecting to put some in but no need.

 

[Tntoast]

so to summise, vw 507 oil.

can you use this for 180 on a dsg box as well?

 

[Stu]

Yes fine in a 180 engine but obviously not the gearbox.

 

[choplee]

I'm sure my Cali has a low oil light ;-)

 

[Andy]

I'm sure my Cali has a low oil light ;-)

Hope mine does !

 

[GrannyJen]

I'm resurrecting this thread ...

Partly to show how clever I am using the search thingy ...

But seriously, after yesterday's boulder crash and bash that left me with two shredded tyres I am concerned about Albert's total health to the p0int of worrying over him more than I did my children

I had an oil warning light come on today. Naturally my first thought was "cracked sump, oil leaks, pipes damaged etc ..."...

Fortunately a VW dealer was nearby and they checked my oil level, showed the dipstick how to use the dipstick, yes, it was low, topped the oil level up.

I then asked "was it normal"? "when did you last have the oil topped up" asked the man. I shook my head dumbly whereupon he smiled, in a pitying sort of way, and assured me there really was no problem, after 15,000 miles without being topped up it is quite natural for levels to be low.

Seriously, this dealer was brilliant, and after the brilliant service yesterday to rescue me from the wilds of Scotland I am beginning to feel all warm and fuzzy about VW service at present, but I am concerned that it was all too much of a coincidence,

I intend to take it for a health check when I get home but that is not for another 600 miles.

Should I be investing in an oil well?

 

[WelshGas]

Training for the Butler maybe.
Seriously, carrying a 1litre top up bottle of the required oil might be helpful. All engines use oil to some extent some more than others, even within the same engine range. I don't know how much they topped up, probably about 2 litres, but in 15,000 miles then that is very good. Just check it more often, at least before and after every long trip.

 

[GrannyJen]

Training for the Butler maybe.
Seriously, carrying a 1litre top up bottle of the required oil might be helpful. All engines use oil to some extent some more than others, even within the same engine range. I don't know how much they topped up, probably about 2 litres, but in 15,000 miles then that is very good. Just check it more often, at least before and after every long trip.

I got a lecture on carrying spare oil this morning

They put a shade over a litre in and I've got the other 0.9 of a litre with me now

I've packed it next to the Glenmorangie in the boot. The booze is for my brother in law, Albert's oil is far more important.

He said the same as you, 15,000 miles without a top up is very good, so perhaps I'm worrying over nowt. My BMW never needs topping up, but then it's serviced before it gets to that mileage,

 

[Meoncoast]

A litre bottle of oil fits a treat under the bonnet by the battery tucked under the leads to the battery. Kept spare oil there as I always seem to need a top up when in the back of beyond

 

[GrannyJen]

Andy, thank you ... when I hear very experienced and practical people say they need a top up I start to feel a little less maternal worry towards Albert.

The rescue people did a superficial check of the underneath yesterday, said no damage, which I find surprising, and really another big tick for the durability of the cali, I damaged a Range Rover with less of a bash a few years ago.

 

[Meoncoast]

My Japanese Subaru never used a drop of oil between services our Cali uses about a litre between services but given the service is every 24000 miles l guess I notice it, If I was changing oil at 12000 miles I would not notice it. I do find the VW the most difficult dipstick to read of all the vehicles I have ever owned. The oil light coming on is spot on normally comes on when on a sleep hill and warns me to check the oil, and as I said in my other post caught me out miles from anywhere but the closest town had a VW dealers. Now carry a litre in the van,------------ Going away its water milk oil.

 

[GrannyJen]

------------ Going away its water milk oil.

I will remember your mantra ...

Wine, milk, oil....

er

Water, oil, wine ...

goodness, no room for either milk or water .... one will have to go ....

 

[Meoncoast]

Remember the wine, can't always get a good one in a corner shop,
Remember the oil can't always get the right one in a little garage
But water you can get that in most places. If not forget the tea and drink the wine

 

[Bramco]

Hang on a minute folks. before we start a run on oil supplies to add to the many things we carry round in our vans.

A little bit of simple arithmetic says that if a Cali engine has about 7.5 litres of oil when it's happy and full then using a litre will have reduced the oil by about 15% in 15k miles.

Now just imagine the nearest oil oasis is 100 miles away, then at 1 litre per 15k miles it will mean that driving to the oasis will use about 6.5 millilitres. The same amount as it took to drive 100 miles into the desert. Not a lot, in fact probably less than the sensor notices between facing up hill or downhill.

I'm absolutely sure that if using those extra millilitres would cause a catastrophic failure of the engine there would be hundreds if not thousands of irate customers out there. So I'm also pretty sure that there will be a considerable margin built into when the sensor triggers. In fact probably about another litre or two or three before any sign of damage.

So there really isn't any need to carry any oil for emergencies, you could drive I'm sure from where you are Jen to lands end without any problem manifesting itself.

Having said that I'm someone will tell me I'm wrong and I'm not advocating not checking the oil occasionally, but with modern vehicles, once in every 5k should be enough.

And one last point, if you had had a catastrophic failure Jen, sump cracked etc. then the 1 litre wouldn't have been much use at all, you'd have just seen it running out onto the road and would have had to call on the services of the wonderful VW help line anyway.

 

[GrannyJen]

oh I have no intentions of sacrificing wine room for oil room. That would be a totally wrong type of sheik down ...

sorry Just had to say it ...

I was just all a bit jumbled, near catastrophe yesterday then oil light coming on today ... Things go in threes apparently and tomorrow is Friday 13th...

With comments said earlier, I am now completely relaxed my oil is not escaping and Albert has not turned into some sick oil-eating monster.

By coincidence I am only an oil slick away from Aberdeen. "Can I scrounge some oil please sir... you do seem to have rather a lot"....