If you have to put in 2 litres of oil does that mean I have screwed my car?
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IIRC somewhere on the board there is a long and detailed explanation by xviper (a Canadian who knows what he is talking about) on the idiosyncracies of the S's dipstick. Try a search on oil levels using xviper as the contributer
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From: Heath & Reach, Beds, UK
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You should check the oil when the engine is at operating temperature but after the car has stood for a few minutes. This allows you to check the oil when it is expanded but also when it has mostly drained into the sump.
My understanding of the X's is that they represent 250mls and the bottom line is 1L down.
The oil system is quite short. The pump picks up from the sump and pushes it through the oil filter and then on to the crank, rods, head etc. The only problem with low oil is that the same oil goes around more frequently and hence deteriorates and picks up impurities quicker. Unless it's really low, in which case the scavenger can't pick it up and causes starvation. If this happens your oil light will come on as the pressure drops.
If your engine is running fine I wouldn't be too worried. Just check you oil everytime you put fuel in the car. Nothing is more attractive to the opposite sex than a man who checks his own oil.
My understanding of the X's is that they represent 250mls and the bottom line is 1L down.
The oil system is quite short. The pump picks up from the sump and pushes it through the oil filter and then on to the crank, rods, head etc. The only problem with low oil is that the same oil goes around more frequently and hence deteriorates and picks up impurities quicker. Unless it's really low, in which case the scavenger can't pick it up and causes starvation. If this happens your oil light will come on as the pressure drops.
If your engine is running fine I wouldn't be too worried. Just check you oil everytime you put fuel in the car. Nothing is more attractive to the opposite sex than a man who checks his own oil.
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From: Glasgow
Folks,
Many thanks for the advice, I feel much better now
I checked the level this morning and it is now at the high level, therefore it must have been really low to start with!
The car is running fine, feels much smoother in fact so I'm mighty relieved.
Man, this forum is great for clueless idiots like me
Many thanks for the advice, I feel much better now
I checked the level this morning and it is now at the high level, therefore it must have been really low to start with!
The car is running fine, feels much smoother in fact so I'm mighty relieved.
Man, this forum is great for clueless idiots like me
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From: Glasgow
Euan - it wasn't me with the oil thing 
(... apart from anything else I'm not young. More money than sense - well it's possible, don't have much money tho')
Dogmatic,
I've been on the board a couple of times to say don't worry about checking the oil, it doesn't drop much.
It doesn't drop much when you're driving longer trips (no oil used between services), if you're doing shorter runs and stop-start in town, it drops much quicker.
A once per tank check is probably worthwhile.
I've also heard that if the oil is too low the VTEC won't switch - so the car won't pull full revs.
(... apart from anything else I'm not young. More money than sense - well it's possible, don't have much money tho')Dogmatic,
I've been on the board a couple of times to say don't worry about checking the oil, it doesn't drop much.
It doesn't drop much when you're driving longer trips (no oil used between services), if you're doing shorter runs and stop-start in town, it drops much quicker.A once per tank check is probably worthwhile.
I've also heard that if the oil is too low the VTEC won't switch - so the car won't pull full revs.
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From: Hertford
Once the car has covered between 6-9,000 miles, excessive oil consumption suddenly stops, so regular checks are advisable.
It seems to disappear mostly during VTEC phase, probably because it gets squished past the piston rings at high RPM.
It seems to disappear mostly during VTEC phase, probably because it gets squished past the piston rings at high RPM.
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