Oil top up?

[The_Dude]

Hi

I'm off to the Alps on thurs for some, shall we say, spirited driving.

I've just checked the oil level, whilst giving the car a once over and it's showing half. Obviously no dipstick and I don't particularly like the idea of spirited driving with half the required oil.

Can I just simply add it bit by bit then wait for the car to warm up to check the level, or is there another way?

The idiots guide in the owners manual says wait until a light comes on and bongs saying add 1litre. Which seems a bit daft to me.

What do other people do?

Thanks in advance.

[GreyZed]

The engine takes something like 6.5 litres of oil. The light comes on when you approach 5.5 hence the instruction to add 1 litre. The difference between max and min on the indicator is 1 litre so you are never running with 'half the required oil'. If your dash indicator is in the middle then your car is telling you that it has 6 litres of the 6.5 max capacity at the moment which is about 92% and not 50%.

Put a 1 litre bottle of oil in the boot and add if/when the light comes on.

[The_Dude]

That's spot on. Thank you very much for the info.

Have got one ready and waiting for the journey. Along with some detailer, so it always looks good. Hahaha

[GreyZed]

If you have the 23i then it may be 7 litres or more oil capacity iirc. Anyway advice is the same even if quants slightly different.

[Acid_Monkey]

If your running an n20 4 cylinder the full capacity is 4.5 litres, no more!

[Mister T]

No harm in sticking half a litre in now

[Napastar]

If your running an n20 4 cylinder the full capacity is 4.5 litres, no more!

If your running an n20 I wouldnt worry about top ups period.

I bought my 20i sdrive at 3 months old with 30 miles on the clock. Its now 3 yaers old with 24k and according to the computer, the oil level has never moved off the max level.
I know some will suggest this is a positive, and if correct I guess it is, but I have to say that I'm sceptical and a touch suspicious of the computer

[GreyZed]

If your running an n20 4 cylinder the full capacity is 4.5 litres, no more!

Perhaps that is true but the OP isn't running a 4 pot N20 is he? The 23i is the N52 lump which has 6 cylinders.

[abeardo83]

I just carry a 1l bottle around. (Mine needs 1l ever 2k miles, or there abouts).
When you get the yellow warning light, just top it up with the full 1l. Sorted for another xk miles then. I think that's the whole point of the yellow oil top up light, tbh.