Oil top up question

[nigpdreadingfc]

Hi. The oil level in my Cali is about 1/4" above the low level mark. Is it safe to put a full litre top up in, without fear if over fillong, please?
TIA

 

[andyinluton]

Depends if your oil is hot or not.

Check the instructions carefully, personally I wouldn't fill over halfway so perhaps 1/4 litre from where it is now.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Are you checking the level with the engine hot (but switched off for 5 minutes to allow the oil to settle back into the sump)? Hot oil expands and gives a different reading. I still don't know for the life of me why VW insist on a "hot engine" oil reading, it's a pain.

Assuming you have done this, I would just add a bit at a time (maybe 200ml ish) and let it settle for a few moments and re-read the dipstick.

 

[Perfectos]

Min - Max is 1 litre ,
allowing for expansion when hot do not fill past half way on dip stick.
(dealers have been instructed to fill to half dip stick level to prevent “oil overfill “ alerts.

Remember these engines hold 7 litres of oil , no oil showing on The dipstick , would still potentially mean there was a significant amount of oil in the engine.
Aim for half way up dip stick when engine warm (90 deg) park on flat, turn off engine wait 5minutes take the level reading. Top up a little at a time checking after a few minutes.

See link below - Post 21 explains why

Oil alert

For info: Brand new Cali Beach camper (which I love), has had the alert come on for too much oil - reduce level (workshop), since new. Been to our local VW van workshop twice. On second visit informed that there’s a software update required. So, they’ve reset it. The light will almost certainly...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[RockinNRollin]

Min - Max is 1 litre ,
allowing for expansion when hot do not fill past half way on dip stick.
(dealers have been instructed to fill to half dip stick level to prevent “oil overfill “ alerts.

Remember these engines hold 7 litres of oil , no oil showing on The dipstick , would still potentially mean there was a significant amount of oil in the engine.
Aim for half way up dip stick when engine warm (90 deg) park on flat, turn off engine wait 5minutes take the level reading. Top up a little at a time checking after a few minutes.

See link below - Post 21 explains why

Oil alert

For info: Brand new Cali Beach camper (which I love), has had the alert come on for too much oil - reduce level (workshop), since new. Been to our local VW van workshop twice. On second visit informed that there’s a software update required. So, they’ve reset it. The light will almost certainly...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

[/QUOTE

Interesting but increasingly asks the question why to measure when hot. Surely allowing for the oil to drop back down introduces yet another variable - how long? I really don’t understand why the dipsticks aren’t calibrated from cold. Surely most people check oil before, not after, a journey. Maybe I’m missing something?

 

[Betsycalifornia]

Interesting but increasingly asks the question why to measure when hot. Surely allowing for the oil to drop back down introduces yet another variable - how long? I really don’t understand why the dipsticks aren’t calibrated from cold. Surely most people check oil before, not after, a journey. Maybe I’m missing something?

German logic. That’s what we are all missing.

 

[Perfectos]

Interesting but increasingly asks the question why to measure when hot. Surely allowing for the oil to drop back down introduces yet another variable - how long? I really don’t understand why the dipsticks aren’t calibrated from cold. Surely most people check oil before, not after, a journey. Maybe I’m missing something?

Mine is not to reason why!

That is the factory requirement/ instruction

 

[Steve1]

Interesting but increasingly asks the question why to measure when hot. Surely allowing for the oil to drop back down introduces yet another variable - how long? I really don’t understand why the dipsticks aren’t calibrated from cold. Surely most people check oil before, not after, a journey. Maybe I’m missing something?

I wondered this, it does seem quite common on not only German cars. Do you think it might be because at the service the garage could never get the engine cold enough to do a cold level dip so they calibrate it for a hot test instead? That's the only thing I could think of.

 

[dspuk]

Interesting but increasingly asks the question why to measure when hot. Surely allowing for the oil to drop back down introduces yet another variable - how long? I really don’t understand why the dipsticks aren’t calibrated from cold. Surely most people check oil before, not after, a journey. Maybe I’m missing something?

Checking oil when hot and having stood in the flat for 5-10 minutes allows all the oil to have gone into the pan for an accurate reading that is independent of external conditions like ambient temperature, time of year etc.