are you supposed to check / top up oil between services?

[newskodadriver]

So, I'm about to try and change the battery myself (other thread). So another thought popped into my head, I've never checked the engine oil level since I've bought the car used from dealership and did 40k miles in it. Am I supposed to do it or would the car tell me on the dashboard if it doesn't have enough engine oil? On the other hand, I do take it in for dealership servicing every 9400 miles and pay for everything they tell me needs doing. presumably they would fill it to max? I'm not very mechanically minded and the only time I fiddled with anything was when the skoda mechanic told me I would need to top up the coolant ball with deionized water the next day because the levels would drop after driving around after they did a cam belt and water pump change.

Edited 9 October, 2018 by newskodadriver

[gav_is_con]

You should be checking your levels regularly, oil, coolant and say screenwash. Then there are tyre pressures and also tread levels. Some say weekly.  Some maybe do it before a long journey. Some at the petrol station.

For oil and tyre pressures best for a cold/level car(not started). That's my view. 

Do I check it this frequently, no guilty!  But I do keep a record of oil and tyre pressures, in particular to look for trends(one tyre regularly losing psi) 

TDI can use a little oil(1/4 litre) and tyres seems to lose a few PSI 

[vborovic]

7 hours ago, newskodadriver said:

So another thought popped into my head

 

I'm waiting for the idea of the Superb's Owners Manual to pop up into that head of yours, everything that you should know about using the car and its maintenance is written there. In case you don't have it in print, it is easily available online (as a PDF document)

[TasMan]

Definitely should be checking the oil levels.  Its the life blood of the engine....  If its dropping then it needs topping up with the correct VW spec oil (low ash).

Some users oddly report oil levels rising due to diesel contamination as a result of the VAG emissions fix software update but that's another story lol ! 

I have a PDF of the manual I can send if you are struggling to find one, or yours is missing, its all well detailed.

A full dealer service every 9400 miles seems an odd interval, what sort of driving are you doing ?

[Ootohere]

Never presume anything and when you collect a car dip the oil cold to see where it is,  (common that 'fitters' do not put enough oil in, having not had the engine hot then checked again, they are Mechanics tyey know best, they say they know how much oil a car takes.)

and then as you should, 

later when you get home, *Check the Oil when at Normal Operating Temperature to see the oil level.*

By knowing the Cold Level you can check the oil before setting off on a journey. Saves messing about.

 

Thank goodness that the UK driving test now has drivers expected to be able to identify the 'regular check items' under the cars bonnet.

 

Oil, Coolant and Tyre Pressures and Washer fluids are not things to be left to Services or when cars go in for a MOT.

 

At least in the US drivers are told the engine oil should be at Operating Temperature.  

 

Read the owners manual, it is a 'Simply Clever' thing to do.

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[Ootohere]

Remember.

If you get a 'Low Oil' warning light or message, or a Low Oil Pressure light or message and stop and open the bonnet for 30 seconds and do nothing, 

or dip the oil and not even top up just shutting the bonnet,  the Warning Light or Message will go off, maybe for as much as 100 km / 62 miles.

Vorsprung Durch Technik.   Not Simply Clever.

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[05surveyor]

Interesting difference in the videos!  Check oil level with engine hot (US) or cold (UK?)

[05surveyor]

2 minutes ago, Offski said:

Remember.

If you get a 'Low Oil' warning light or message, or a Low Oil Pressure light or message and stop and open the bonnet for 30 seconds and do nothing, 

or dip the oil and not even top up just shutting the bonnet,  the Warning Light or Massage will go off, maybe for as much as 100 km / 62 miles.

Vorsprung Durch Technik.   Not Simply Clever.

 

MASSAGE??  That's real service!

[Ootohere]

The Only modern or semi modern VW engine that has in the Owners Manual to check cold is the 44kw 1.2.

 

People should read Owners Manuals and check for Typos as well as they do on forums.

 

Skoda says sometimes 'Warm'  and VW can say 'Hot' or at Operating Temperature or Normal operating temperature. 

Gets lost 'In translation'. 

German to Spanish, Czech, English or US English.   & a US Quart and an Imperial Quart are different because a US Gallon & a Imperial Gallon are different. (UK quart 2 pints.)

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[05surveyor]

5 minutes ago, Offski said:

The Only modern or semi modern VW engine that has in the Owners Manual to check cold is the 44kw 1.2.

 

People should read Owners Manuals and check for Typos as well as they do on forums.

 

Skoda says sometimes 'Warm'  and VW can say 'Hot' or at Operating Temperature or Normal operating temperature. 

Gets lost 'In translation'. 

German to Spanish, Czech, English or US English.   & a US Quart and an Imperial Quart are different because a US Gallon & a Imperial Gallon are different. (UK quart 2 pints.)

 

No mention of a hot or cold engine there!  Just "switch off the engine" so are we to assume from that that the engine is warm?  As you say, a lot probably "lost in translation".

[Ootohere]

There is in the bottom page i have added,  page 184,  with the red lettering,

and that was where 'Warm' was used with MK2 Fabia.

Polo / Ibiza & A1 with the same engines said 'Hot'    Warm is not the same as Hot or Normal Operating Temperature, Normal Operating Temperature is above 80*oC and usually 90*oC.

* 5 minutes idling after an oil and filter change does not have engine oil at Normal Operating Temperature, but it might be 'warm'.*

 

 

Problem is with Technicians, Fitters can be they do not get the training or always follow it.

Old way to do Oil Consumption tests worked, now that can be done with readings from the car, 

but you would expect a Technician to know the weight of engine oil and it is not the same weight as Water or a litre of oil still in a container.

 

Digital Thermometers are dead handy, you get professional equipment, or 43 pence free delivery from China ones do the job, 

check oil temps, tyre temps etc.

 

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[newskodadriver]

2 hours ago, TasMan said:

Definitely should be checking the oil levels.  Its the life blood of the engine....  If its dropping then it needs topping up with the correct VW spec oil (low ash).

Some users oddly report oil levels rising due to diesel contamination as a result of the VAG emissions fix software update but that's another story lol ! 

I have a PDF of the manual I can send if you are struggling to find one, or yours is missing, its all well detailed.

A full dealer service every 9400 miles seems an odd interval, what sort of driving are you doing ?

the MFD has it down as 15000km, which is 9375 miles. 

 

I'm going to use a kitchen towel rather than "lint free rag" as I don't have any and nothing was ever "lint free". I hope it's ok. I generally do not like to fiddle with mechanical things. 

[Breezy_Pete]

Kitchen towel will be fine.

 

The simple answer to your original post is yes, you should check it from time to time.  If you start out checking it quite regularly, you may soon get a feel for how rapidly, if at all, the level changes, and adjust your checking frequency accordingly.  If you check it in the same position and temperature each time, you'll have better comparability between readings.

 

Your car probably does have a level sensor, but VW group seem to set the threshold for alarm/warning at a level where you can have lost a large proportion of the total oil before it triggers.

[xman]

23 minutes ago, newskodadriver said:

the MFD has it down as 15000km, which is 9375 miles. 

 

I'm going to use a kitchen towel rather than "lint free rag" as I don't have any and nothing was ever "lint free". I hope it's ok. I generally do not like to fiddle with mechanical things. 

 

I hope you mean kitchen roll paper, and not a tea towel!

 

Clean toilet roll paper is also good to wipe dipsticks.

 

[05surveyor]

8 minutes ago, xman said:

 

Clean toilet roll paper is also good to wipe dipsticks.

 

 

Thank heavens you specified "clean".

[05surveyor]

22 minutes ago, Wino said:

 

Your car probably does have a level sensor, but VW group seem to set the threshold for alarm/warning at a level where you can have lost a large proportion of the total oil before it triggers.

 

In the olden days, when internal combustion engines were simple enough for me to understand and tinker with, the oil warning lights operated from a sensor which measured the oil pressure.  When there was insufficient oil to maintain the required pressure the warning light came on.  By that stage the actual oil level would be well below any of the marks on the dipstick.  You seem to be saying that VW have "level" sensors rather than "pressure" sensors.  Is this correct?  I am not questioning your knowledge, just double checking that modern cars measure the oil "level" rather than the oil "pressure".

Edited 10 October, 2018 by 05surveyor
typos

[Breezy_Pete]

Both will be present. *

 

*Not true for all Skodas, e.g. UK Mk1 Fabia never has the oil level/temp sensor AFAIK.  Generally will only be fitted where extended interval servicing is an option.

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Wino

[Ootohere]

Better done than not done and using what you use for your nose or ar53 or J-cloth copy things for washing dishes seems preferable to nice clean cloths even if 5 for 99 pence.

[Ootohere]

PS.

1.4 TSI engines with a 3.6 Litre capacity can be 1.3 litre low and no 'Low Oil Light' Yellow, or message, even 1.5 litre low or lower, yet some will get the Low Oil Pressure Light / Red can.

Never worth just trusting to Warning Lights or messages. But never ignore them.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/230124-low-oil-warning

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/388209-fabia-12-tsi-red-oil-light

 

Remember and read the 'Owners Manual'  about opening the bonnet and the 'Warning light extinguishing'  for a while.

 

 

 

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[silver1011]

I don't think it matters what you wipe it with, as long as none of what your wiping it with sticks to the dipstick and is transferred into the engine.

[Gdcobra]

45 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

I don't think it matters what you wipe it with, as long as none of what your wiping it with sticks to the dipstick and is transferred into the engine.

Don't wipe it on the curtains, the Mrs will go mad.

[Shaunieboy]

7 hours ago, Offski said:

PS.

1.4 TSI engines with a 3.6 Litre capacity can be 1.3 litre low and no 'Low Oil Light' Yellow, or message, even 1.5 litre low or lower, yet some will get the Low Oil Pressure Light / Red can.

Never worth just trusting to Warning Lights or messages. But never ignore them.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/230124-low-oil-warning

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/388209-fabia-12-tsi-red-oil-light

 

Remember and read the 'Owners Manual'  about opening the bonnet and the 'Warning light extinguishing'  for a while.

 

 

 

A fellow Kadogan watcher... 

[silver1011]

Given his love for main dealers, main dealer servicing and is dead against DIY servicing then "I'm out!".

[Ootohere]

Servicing & Maintenance, the real thing, not just Oil & Filter changes was a Trained & Qualified person Checking your vehicle for safety because many never see the inside wall of their tyres, the brake pads, discs, shoes, drums, brake cables or pipes, belts,etc etc.

 

The Main Dealer thing might pick stuff up and sometimes does not.

Inspect and report and oil and filters and top ups and no Air Box opened etc is just 'Minor Servicing'  the Preventitive Maintenance costs extra.

 

The UK Government / George Osborne was going for First MOT @ 4 Years,

as it is some vehicles only get dodgy lights picked up at the 3 year MOT and that is from the factory, PDI and maybe a service or 2 never picking up mis-aligned lights.

 

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[newskodadriver]

10 hours ago, Wino said:

Both will be present. *

 

*Not true for all Skodas, e.g. UK Mk1 Fabia never has the oil level/temp sensor AFAIK.  Generally will only be fitted where extended interval servicing is an option.

 

1 hour ago, silver1011 said:

Given his love for main dealers, main dealer servicing and is dead against DIY servicing then "I'm out!".

I am mechanically challenged, so I rely on the dealership much like people who have an iphone rely on Apple. I'm not against DIY servicing, I'm just unconfident at doing it myself. You can't be good at everything.

 

I failed to pull out the dipstick earlier today, it seemed to be jammed shut so I gave up. The dealership is going to swap over my battery (all I have in terms of tools is a spanner and my toothbrush) and see about the dipstick tomorrow both for free. I don't think my local is that bad

Edited 10 October, 2018 by newskodadriver