Out of oil!

[MikeDX]

In short, my 197 has been getting worse and worse mpg over the past week.

This morning it said "low oil" (1 bar)

and then earlier it said oil empty (or something).


Put 2 litres in..


Is this common?? do 197s drink oil?

I cant recall what the oil gauge said 5 weeks ago when i picked up the car..

Advice please people! I'm meant to be doing 250 miles tomorrow :huh:

 

[N0ddie]

Its should "drink" copious amounts but can be expected to use some up. It should be one of the things you check regularly tbh. Dont trust the wee gauge that shows up at engine start up.

 

[MikeDX]

Thanks for the reply!

The cockpit gauge said empty and the dipstick said just under minimum.

I'll keep an eye on it.. the book says 5L oil capacity but was happy with 2 for now.

Be time for service soon, maybe sooner than i thought

 

[N0ddie]

Thanks for the reply!

The cockpit gauge said empty and the dipstick said just under minimum.

I'll keep an eye on it.. the book says 5L oil capacity but was happy with 2 for now.

Be time for service soon, maybe sooner than i thought

Best to keep an eye on it. I assume theres no obvious signs of leakage ie. A patch of oil under the car?

 

[MikeDX]

nope nothing, had a good look earlier to see and there wasnt any visible oil drips

 

[Paul]

Would be a good idea to keep an eye on it until the service. I would be pretty worried running a high revving engine with no/little oil in it. Things tend to break!

 

[ben_r1]

I find the dash display a little inaccurate myself, it's said full when dipstick reads 75% before so I never rely on it. Check it once a week at the dipstick.

Sounds like it's lost a fair bit in a shirt time though, I'd suspect a leak. Hopefully it's not a head gasket or something.

 

[sideways danny]

woah woah woah!!!! you put 2 litres in!!!!! the difference between min and max is 1 litre!!! if you've put a litre too much in you could blow oil seals out

 

[MikeDX]

woah woah woah!!!! you put 2 litres in!!!!! the difference between min and max is 1 litre!!! if you've put a litre too much in you could blow oil seals out

oh, is it? WHOOPS!

it was way below min when i put it in. the fill capacity is 5. something isnt it?


Oh well, could be doing a service tomorrow instead of a trip up north

 

[sideways danny]

5.1 litres including whats in the filter. 5 is enough to get to the max line on the dipstick normally though

 

[MikeDX]

5.1 litres including whats in the filter. 5 is enough to get to the max line on the dipstick normally though

Right.

Better go check the dipstick again :eek:

 

[MikeDX]

Hmm

dipstick says just over max, but the car is on a slope and still warm.

will check again in the morning i guess.......

 

[tchalikias]

The F4R takes 5,15lt of oil without an oil filter change, with an oil filter change and after careful draining it takes up precisely 5,35-5,4lt of oil (according to Dialogys documents and a recent experience)

 

[tchalikias]

Hmm

dipstick says just over max, but the car is on a slope and still warm.

will check again in the morning i guess.......

The manual states that the oil level should be checked when the engine is cold. Being slightly over max (1-2mm) with the engine hot is normal I think...

 

[RalphyBMW]

As Danny said on the previous page, its 5.1 litres with oil filter, and 5 litres can be enough.

The oil and filter was changed on mine last week, I provided a 5L bottle and 2 x 1L bottles, expecting to get 1 and a half 1L bottles back, but the 5L bottle was sufficient to take it up to the Max level on the dipstick, so the 2 x 1L remained unopened.

One thing that puzzles me about the dipstick though is that unlike all other cars I have had, it is far from straight, which will affect the depth into the sump and therefore the level indication.

 

[skny]

yeah mine said low oil, top up, the oil level display shown none of the circles, only dashes, and it took little over one litre to get it to the maximum level, so I guess the warning light of the low oil is set at a very safe level still, means its burned like 1.2 litres of oil during 6,5 k miles, that is in my case at 55k miles a pretty good score, nothing excess,

 

[Foxspeed]

yeah mine said low oil, top up, the oil level display shown none of the circles, only dashes, and it took little over one litre to get it to the maximum level, so I guess the warning light of the low oil is set at a very safe level still, means its burned like 1.2 litres of oil during 6,5 k miles, that is in my case at 55k miles a pretty good score, nothing excess,

the dash "oil warning" light is the no pressure/low pressure light - when that baby comes on when driving its usually too late!!!!

 

[ben_r1]

the dash "oil warning" light is the no pressure/low pressure light - when that baby comes on when driving its usually to late!!!!

'Too' late.

Sorry Foxspeed but its a rare occassion i get to correct you for once

 

[MikeDX]

The manual states that the oil level should be checked when the engine is cold. Being slightly over max (1-2mm) with the engine hot is normal I think...

Yes indeed.

Checked this morning cold/flat. Little over 'max'

Drove 300 miles, mpg shot up from 21mpg to over 27 (mostly motorway/70mph)

Car seems much happier. Guess it really was low on oil


No signs of any leaks though.... will check every couple of days now to check


Thanks everybody for replies

 

[tchalikias]

As Danny said on the previous page, its 5.1 litres with oil filter, and 5 litres can be enough.

The oil and filter was changed on mine last week, I provided a 5L bottle and 2 x 1L bottles, expecting to get 1 and a half 1L bottles back, but the 5L bottle was sufficient to take it up to the Max level on the dipstick, so the 2 x 1L remained unopened.

One thing that puzzles me about the dipstick though is that unlike all other cars I have had, it is far from straight, which will affect the depth into the sump and therefore the level indication.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The screenshot is from the latest version of Renault's Dialogys, alas in Spanish. On the left is the quantity of oil (in litres) required for a full drain without an oil filter change and on the right is the amount required when also replacing the oil filter.

If you want to get all of the oil out, you need to let it drain with a warm engine for close to an hour. Even then, a little bit of oil remains in the engine. Most shops just suck the oil out through the top of the engine (through the dipstick tube) using a vacuum pump.

As for the dipstick, I remember the first time I checked the oil level, I pulled and pulled and pulled - for a moment I thought I was a magician pulling scarfs endlessly out of a hat Its huge!