When to add oil to the engine and how to do it correctly

Beginning car enthusiasts and experienced drivers know how important it is to choose a suitable lubricant for an internal combustion engine. In addition to choosing the oil, you need to know how to properly top up the engine fluid; the flawless operation of the “heart” of the car depends on these points.

Any part of a moving mechanism experiences frictional force. As a result, irreversible defects form on the surface of the mechanism, which significantly reduces its service life. To protect the engine, use lubricants recommended by engine oil approvals. Only thanks to correctly selected lubricant according to viscosity characteristics can you significantly increase the life of the engine and avoid engine breakdowns.

Experienced drivers can easily add oil to the engine. Beginners need to know some of the intricacies of this process.

Lubrication System - Brief Overview

One of the most important parts of a car engine is the mechanism for lubricating it - the so-called lubrication system. This system is able to effectively protect all internal elements of the machine from wear. To ensure stable and trouble-free operation of the entire engine lubrication mechanism over a long period of time, I advise you to carefully monitor its technological condition throughout all years of operation. Also try to fill it with new lubricant on time or change it to clean one.

In this article, I tried to tell you how you can independently control the amount of oil in the engine lubrication system, and also wrote about the consequences of neglecting this. What can happen if you increase or decrease the amount of lubricant in the lubrication system, I also tried to clearly explain how to correctly change the lubricant in a car engine.

So, let's start by checking the condition and amount of lubricant in the system. Some car owners of recently purchased cars do not understand at all and are not even aware of the consequences of incorrect actions when changing the lubricant. They don’t know how to properly fill the engine with lubricant when driving their car after purchasing it to the first service station.

But why spend money on maintaining your car if you can do everything yourself? At the same time, relying on the warranty from the manufacturer, they quickly forget the main tenets of car maintenance and cease to understand the basic principles of filling oil. They also do not take into account the fact that in the machine operating book all the basic tips for maintaining machine elements are clearly indicated.

By the way, it’s worth checking the lubricant level in the engine from time to time (this must be done once every 12-15 days), especially during long trips.

Important to consider! In order for you to avoid inaccurate information about the amount of lubricant in the engine, you should only check it cold.

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In this case, the sequence of actions will be as follows

First, locate the oil dipstick and the marks on it. Next, simply place your car on a flat surface (this is worth doing to measure and get more accurate values).
Next, you should open the car hood and find a dipstick in the engine tank to check the amount of lubricant in the engine (usually the dipstick is a rod with a steel or plastic handle).
Then take the dipstick and try to insert it into the oil fill hole.
By the way, there are special value marks on the probes - these are MIN and MAX marks. Insert the probe all the way and try to evaluate your resulting value (the mark should be between these marks).
By the way, if the lubricant level is within the tolerance, in this case it is worth putting the dipstick back in its place and closing the car. Try not to rush when pouring oil into the engine so that nothing spills out.

Used motor oil has a dark tint.

When checking the amount of lubricant in the engine, try to pay attention to the shade of the lubricant and the presence of an oily film. The color of the oil may vary depending on the mileage of the vehicle.

How to distinguish new oil in a car? New oil is usually always clear or has a slightly yellow tint. After driving 5 thousand kilometers on one bay, the oil turns into a thick, darkish mixture. Further, its shade only becomes darker.

After another few thousand kilometers traveled, the oil becomes even darker and acquires an almost black color during engine operation. In proportion to its thickening during driving and further darkening, the oil becomes unsuitable for use. Therefore, if I were you, I would not be surprised if after just a couple of weeks or a month of operation, the waste product comes out of the container like condensed milk. Try not to get dirty when replacing.

How to top up

Open the hood and remove the filler cap. It is usually marked "Oill Fill". Use a dipstick to check the amount of lubricant available. The mark should show "maximum". If the volume is below the specified mark, it is necessary to top up.

For normal engine operation, it is enough for the oil level to be in the middle between minimum and maximum - you should strive to achieve this value.

To ensure that the operation is carried out accurately, it is necessary to insert a funnel into the oil filler hole. It will prevent the liquid from splashing and getting on the surface of the motor. If this happens, it must be wiped off with a rag. Otherwise, when the internal combustion engine heats up, the lubricant will begin to evaporate, and an unpleasant odor will appear in the cabin.

When adding oil, do not fill the entire volume at once. This is done in small portions, approximately 250 ml. After the liquid has completely drained into the pan, you need to check the level. The operation is repeated several times until the level reaches the middle between the “min” and “max” values.

After the operation is completed, the probe is firmly installed in its place. Wipe the oil filler cap thoroughly. There should be no dust or dirt left on it. Place it firmly in its original place.

Before closing the hood, make sure that you have not left any foreign objects behind. The remaining drops of oil must be thoroughly wiped off.

Why do you need topping up?

Proper functioning of the engine is impossible without motor oil. The oil fluid poured into the power unit does the following:

cleans its parts;
provides easy starting without warming up;
removes heat from heated parts;
lubricates contacting elements;
neutralizes various compounds that accumulate in the motor.

Timely replacement of car oil will extend the life of your friend.
All these tasks are possible thanks to special additives that are added to lubricants to improve their performance. Before pouring oil into your car, you need to find out which petroleum product is optimal for it. Currently, there are many different brands of motor oils that differ in characteristics from each other. Mineral water, synthetics and semi-synthetics are produced. Motor oils are also divided into lubricants for summer, winter and any season. Car manufacturers usually give recommendations on how much oil should be poured into the engine and what it should be. Remember that in older cars it is highly undesirable to use modern synthetic oil.

Due to the fact that it is forbidden to mix different types of lubricants, it is necessary to find out what kind of petroleum product is poured into the power unit. This question will definitely be answered by the employees of the car dealership where you bought the car, or by the former owner of the car. If you figure out how much oil is in the engine, you will have to change all the lubricant. You can do this yourself or use the services of a car service. The cost of car service may be too high; it is better to know how to change the lubricant yourself.

How to determine the amount of lubricant in the motor

Each owner of an “iron horse” can independently determine how much lubricant is in the engine and whether oil needs to be added. As a rule, the required amount of oil in the power unit is indicated in the technical documentation for the car. The fluid level is determined with the engine turned off or 10 minutes after it has completely stopped, or before starting. For the measurement readings to be correct, the car must be standing on a horizontally flat surface.

Selection of oil according to characteristics

Each car is supplied with a special dipstick for measuring oil. As a rule, it is located in the front part of the engine and is a thin metal strip with marked divisions. To pull out the dipstick, you need to grab the ring handle and pull it towards you. Then you should wipe the oil off the dipstick, lower it into the engine until it stops and pull it out again. The amount of lubricant in the motor is determined by the marks. If the oil reaches the upper mark, there is no need to add fluid. If it approaches the bottom, the engine needs lubrication. Experienced specialists recommend checking the oil level at least once every 7 days. Each car model requires a certain amount of motor lubricant. So, when preparing oil for filling, it should be taken into account that domestic cars require a fluid volume of about 4 liters, foreign cars with an engine capacity of up to 2.4 liters - up to 4 liters, and cars with larger engines - over 4 liters. So, the oil level has been checked and you can start adding lubricant to the engine.

To change the lubricant in a car, you should do the following:

Place your car with a warm engine in a garage pit or on an overpass, if you have one. Next, simply open the hood and remove the neck from the engine drain hole.
At the same time, place an empty container under this neck, then manually unscrew the drain cap.
When everything goes out, carefully pour new clean oil into it and turn on the engine. Also, don’t forget to fill the engine with oil through the filler neck. What to do next? Just turn the cap and screw it back to its original position - back.
At the end of the procedure, all you have to do is turn on your car and check that the pressure level warning light has stopped lighting.
I also hope it will not be a discovery for you if the lamp does not light up when you turn on the engine for the first time. Typically, the system needs about 20 seconds for the motor to develop the pressure necessary for its operation.

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How is it determined how much oil is in the engine?

Any car owner has the opportunity to find out for himself how much oil to fill his car and where to fill the engine oil. Typically, the required amount of motor lubricant is prescribed in the owner's manual for the car. The amount of oil is set with the engine turned off, either ten minutes after it is completely turned off, or before starting. To ensure correct measurements, the car must be on a horizontal, smooth surface.

Included with any car is a special dipstick for measuring car oil. It is usually located in the front area of the motor and looks like a thin metal strip with marks on it.

In order to get the dipstick, you need to grab the ring handle and pull it in your direction. Wipe it free of liquid, immerse it completely in the motor and lift it up again. The volume of motor oil is set by divisions. If the lubricant has reached the upper mark, there is no need to add oil to the engine. If the fluid level approaches the lower mark, you need to fill the engine with oil.

Adding oil to the engine: when is it needed and how to do it correctly

The working fluid in the engine lubrication system is engine oil. In different units, the volume of lubricant poured differs, which depends on the working volume of the internal combustion engine, its physical dimensions and a number of other features.

To control the lubricant level, most engines use a mechanical dipstick, but some power plants do not have one. In this case, a separate electronic indicator is implemented on the dashboard. There are also combined solutions.

In this article, we intend to talk about when to add oil to the engine, how to do it correctly, in which cases you can add another oil to the engine without risk, and also under what conditions this can cause possible harm to the unit or is strictly prohibited.

Using quality lubricants

The use of proven motor lubricants can significantly increase the operating time of a car engine. Also, branded lubricants support the machine’s engine at the most optimal level in all key indicators.
For standard gasoline engines, I would recommend Shell 5W20 series lubricants, which can be replaced quite easily and which practically do not become dirty during operation.

Shell lubricants are light in color. These lubricants are the highest quality products from the entire company series and can be used on any car. I would note its high environmental friendliness and the fact that the product practically does not leave scale on the cylinders after operation. Also, the lubricant does not create soot during operation. The only drawback of the product is its rather high cost.

At its core, this automobile oil is perfect for the operation of engines of almost all cars. It is used in all-wheel drive cars of Mercedes and other brands, and can also be poured into cars of domestic brands. The lubricant can be used in manual transmissions and internal transfer cases, but only if the manufacturer has specified the use of the 5w90 class.

What to pay attention to

Without motor fluid, an internal combustion engine cannot operate. Automotive oil that does not meet the tolerances is unable to protect the power unit and can lead to failure of the most important parts and components. But the motor fluid itself, which provides protection against dry friction, experiences enormous loads due to the high temperature in the engine.

Functions provided by lubricating fluid:

minimizes the negative effects of friction, and with the help of special modifiers prevents the formation of scuffing;
reduces wear of parts, which helps to increase the life of the power unit;
the oil film increases compression and reduces the gap between the cylinders and piston rings;
any basic lubricant (mineral, synthetic, semi-synthetic, esters, PAO) is designed to remove excess heat from surfaces subject to friction;
dispersants and detergents are responsible for removing carbon deposits, sludge, and cleanliness of the power unit;
antioxidant additives allow you to maintain the performance of the lubricant during its use;
anti-corrosion additives increase the service life of parts, protecting them from oxidation and rust formation;
Anti-foaming additives are responsible for the rational use of lubricating fluid.

The most important functions that lubrication provides play a major role in protecting the motor. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor its level and, if necessary, add oil to the engine.

Before you start topping up, the first thing you need to do is find out what lubricant is used in the internal combustion engine. This information is contained in the technical documentation of the car; you can also find it out from the previous owner if the car is not new. You will need motor fluid with the same viscosity characteristics, even better if the oil is of the same brand.

The topping up procedure is carried out if the mark on the oil dipstick is fixed below the “minimum” value. After stopping the car, the temperature of the internal combustion engine is very high.

It is recommended to measure the lubricant level 15-20 minutes after the engine is turned off. During this time, the entire oil mixture will drain into the crankcase. After the specified time has elapsed, a measurement is taken with a dry probe, having previously wiped it from any remaining lubricating fluid. If the oil trace is recorded between the “maximum” and “minimum” risks, there is no reason to worry.

It is not recommended to take measurements in a cold power unit, especially in frosty weather. You need to warm up the engine to get the correct result.

And finally

The oil level required for productive operation of the engine system is always located between the maximum and minimum marks of the oil dipstick. This position is guaranteed to increase engine life, protect parts from rapid wear and give the car optimal fuel consumption. If you notice that the amount of lubricant is constantly decreasing and the regularity of topping up is beyond the acceptable limits, then it’s time to check the condition of the car.

You should also avoid exceeding o. You don't want to end up without wheels, do you? Thus, when it comes to the volume of oil fluid, one should adhere to the “golden mean” rule.

Features of adding oil in winter

In winter, the risk of cracks appearing on a hot engine when pouring cold lubricant increases. Therefore, topping up must be done in a warm room, in a garage, but not outside at a temperature below 10 degrees minus.

In general, experienced mechanics advise changing the engine lubricant at service centers. Since in these hangars the temperature is always maintained appropriately and no distortions in the engine due to temperature differences will occur.

What is taken into account when selecting motor oil

When choosing a lubricant for an engine, you should not rely only on your own preferences or be guided only by a low price. To select a motor oil with optimal characteristics, a number of factors should be taken into account.

Manufacturer's recommendations
. In the instructions for each car model, the manufacturer always indicates the optimal viscosity of engine oil for winter and summer. The lubricant should be selected based on this characteristic.
Engine condition
. If the car is old and only mineral oil has been poured into its engine for many years, you should not replace it with synthetic oil. Synthetics are recommended for use on new cars.
Type of equipment.
When selecting a lubricant, the type of car must be taken into account. For example, for passenger cars, SINTEC offers a unique PLATINUM line with a package of multifunctional imported additives, for commercial vehicles - the TRUCK, DIESEL and other series, designed for vehicle operation in difficult conditions.

What does excess or lack of automotive lubricant lead to?

Any experienced driver will tell you that the oil level with a warm engine should be at the mark between the lower and upper bars of the mechanical dipstick. How to measure the amount of motor oil?

Checking the oil level

Is it possible to add oil to a hot engine? The answer is that it is not advisable, since the level readings will be incorrect, and you can get burned during the procedure. It is recommended to check the level “cold”, after a night of inactivity, or through an express check, which consists of the following. First, you need to warm up the engine power plant to optimal operating condition. A short trip is an excellent way to warm up the engine. After this, the vehicle should be secured on a flat surface, turn off the engine and wait about 20-30 minutes. This is necessary so that the oil mass flows into the oil pan. Next, the lubricant level is measured.

Excess oil

Before adding oil to the engine, it is necessary to take into account the main mistakes that novice drivers make. Most beginners believe that you can pour oil as much as you like or you always need to maintain the level at the maximum level of the oil rod, the effect will only be better.

This is a mistaken opinion, “porridge can be ruined with oil,” that is, the engine will suffer greatly from overflowing consumables.

The first consequence is poor engine crankability. This is explained by the fact that any motor fluid has a certain viscosity, and its excess amount in the system creates additional resistance. Working parts spend more energy moving. This results in increased fuel consumption, but this is not the worst thing.

During operation, the lubricant begins to expand in the vehicle’s engine system. In a high-temperature environment, increased pressure occurs, which has a negative effect on all seals of the operating device. All seals and gaskets begin to squeeze out over time, and engine oil leaks. Crankshaft oil seals are especially sensitive, since the lubricant is supplied under pressure. As a result, the entire interior of the engine becomes dirty, and the seals must be replaced. In addition, there are a number of other consequences of overfilling: it is difficult to start the car in cold weather, “sticking” of piston rings, foaming of the oil composition.

Lack of consumable oil

Lack of lubricant also has a detrimental effect on the vehicle’s power plant. The effect of oil starvation of working units and mechanisms appears, that is, at the moment the engine starts, oil flows to the moving parts in insufficient quantities. A small volume of lubricant is not able to form a strong film to reduce contact between metal surfaces.

Lack of optimal amount of lubricant in the engine allows air pockets to appear, which will be distributed throughout the system.

The crankshaft will begin to operate without lubricant, resulting in the formation of fine metal dust, which will subsequently enter the engine fluid. Over time, there is a high probability of piston jamming.

It is for these reasons that it is necessary to regularly check the lubricant level and add it if necessary.

At what level should the lubrication be and is it possible to pour cold oil into a hot engine

Ideally, the level in a warm engine should be at an intermediate level between the upper and lower values of the dipstick. In this case, the car engine will work without problems.

Regarding the question of whether it is possible to pour cold oil into a hot engine, it is undesirable to do this due to incorrect level readings. The second negative answer to the question of whether it is possible to pour cold oil into a hot engine is that by unscrewing the plug on the neck of the engine, you can simply get burned.

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It is best to check the level in the morning, after idle time.

You can also check the level after doing the following:

The engine warms up to operating temperature;
Place the car on a flat surface;
The engine stops;
Then wait about 30 minutes;
The level is checked.

After measuring the level, if it is very low, you need to proceed to topping it up...

Consequences of excess and deficiency

The limits within which the liquid level should be were described above. But what consequences can occur with an excess or lack of mixture, we will analyze further.

Overflow

Some car enthusiasts believe that if there is an excess of the mixture, it will not harm the vehicle. But this is a misconception. The engine mixture has a certain viscosity and in case of overflow, the resistance to any movements will become even greater. The consequences of this are increased fuel consumption. This is the most harmless thing that can happen.

There are other consequences:

contamination of all spaces under the hood and replacement of seals;
difficulty starting the engine during frosts;
oil starvation of engine elements caused by foaming of the composition;
the formation of a large amount of carbon deposits, the appearance of coke inside the cylinder-piston group, and the “occurrence” of rings.

Underfilling

But not only an overflow of fluid can harm the engine, but also a lack of it. In this case, the mixture either does not arrive at all, or arrives, but in very small quantities.

Another trouble is the formation of air pockets inside the liquid that will move through the channels.

How to determine how much oil is in the engine

A lot depends on how much oil is in the engine. It is described above within what limits this level should be. But let’s look at how to check it in more detail.

How to check the oil level correctly?

Although such a check is a simple procedure, there are several fundamentally important rules for its implementation. Firstly, it is better to perform control on a cold engine. In this case, all the oil is in the sump - during the trip it is pumped through the pump and sprayed throughout the engine. If you check while the engine is hot, the level may appear higher than it actually is. Secondly, before assessing the level, it is advisable to remove the dipstick, wipe it, then carefully put it back in and remove it again. Otherwise, the level is not always “read” correctly on the dipstick.

Step-by-step instruction:

park the car on level ground;
let the car sit for several hours. This is necessary so that the mixture completely flows into the pan. Of course, if an approximate result is enough, then you can let the vehicle sit for literally 5-15 minutes;
find the oil filler neck. It is located at the top of the cylinder head (cylinder head). It is usually easy to recognize by its pictogram in the form of an oil can with a drop;
unscrew the lid and wipe it with a clean cloth or paper towel and set it aside;
Now, using a clean oil dipstick, which must be inserted into the hole until it stops, you can check the lubricant level. As said earlier, the height of the grease should be between o and “max”. If the level is at the minimum mark, the mixture needs to be added accordingly.

How to change the oil yourself

Changing the engine oil yourself takes place in 5 stages:

Preparing tools and car.
Drain.
Replacing the filter.
Bay
Checking the level.

The whole process takes 30 - 60 minutes.

What you need before replacing

To change the engine oil yourself, you will need:

key for unscrewing the underbody protection;
socket wrench for the pallet plug bolt;
old belt from the generator for removing the oil filter;
container with a wide neck for draining;
fresh motor oil;
new oil filter;
sealing washer or new drain bolt;
clean rags;
rags;
funnel;
gloves.

Before you start, check your car's manual to find out how to remove the protection, where the pan plug is located, how much oil is needed, etc. After theoretical preparation, start practice.

Instructions for changing engine oil

Proper oil change begins with preparing the car. After inactivity, the lubricant becomes viscous and will take a long time to drain. To restore its fluidity, warm up the engine to operating temperature. This may take 10 minutes.

Park the machine on level ground. For ease of work, you can use a lift or overpass. Turn off the engine. Wait 10 minutes for the grease to drain into the pan.

In general, the procedure for changing the oil looks like this: drain the oil and fill in new oil in the amount specified in the service book. However, there are nuances that should not be forgotten, so we will consider the replacement process in detail:

If your vehicle has an underbody guard, unscrew it first.
Find the pan plug. Loosen the bolt using a wrench.
Place a container to drain the old lubricant.
Carefully unscrew the plug by hand until hot oil flows out.
It may take about 20 minutes to drain completely, depending on the volume and viscosity of the lubricant.
Tighten the bolt with the new sealing washer with the required torque to avoid leaks.
Open the hood. Unscrew the oil filler neck.
Pull out the oil dipstick.
Unscrew the oil filter using an old strap around it. Clean the mating surface from old gasket and dirt.
On the new filter, lubricate the rubber band with engine oil to prevent it from curling up during installation. Screw on the filter.
Place a funnel into the oil filler neck. Pour in fresh composition in the required volume.
Check the oil level periodically if the canister does not have a volumetric flask.
We start the engine so that fresh lubricant passes through the new filter. We jam it.
We wait until the composition drains into the pan and check the level.
Screw on the neck cap and put the protection in place.

The above method refers to a complete manual replacement. Some car services offer another option: change the engine oil using a pneumatic unit. The choice of replacement technology - manual or hardware - depends on the design of the motor, its serviceability, and the experience of the technician. For example, the pans of some internal combustion engines have a complex shape, and the crankcase can only be completely drained through the drain plug. If the filter is installed under the crankcase protection, you still have to crawl under the car. But for the sake of objectivity, we will also outline the positive aspects of express replacement.

Express oil change

Hardware drainage is performed through a dipstick pipe. A device hose is inserted into the hole, through which the lubricant is sucked out of the pan due to vacuum. The process takes no more than 10 minutes.

Some devices are capable of cleaning the engine by displacing the remaining lubricant from the line with compressed air. The procedure can be useful when buying a used car. When you are not sure that the car was properly serviced.

What is needed for an express engine oil change:

suction apparatus;
a tube of suitable diameter and length (selected for a specific engine);
fresh oil.

Sequence of operations for express replacement:

Take out the dipstick. A suction tube is inserted into the hole so that it reaches the crankcase.
The other end of the tube is connected to the fitting of the device and the old composition is pumped out.
After pumping, take out the tube.
Pour fresh lubricant through the filler neck.
Check the level.

What are the advantages of express replacement:

Saves time that is usually spent on dismantling the protection, unscrewing the plug and draining the lubricant.
There is no need to buy a new sealing washer or bolt for the drain plug every time.

Recommendations for filling lubricant

How to properly add oil to the engine? This question is asked by many novice drivers. The entire process of adding oil to the engine includes a number of basic operations that any motorist can handle.

Optimal oil level

Initially, you should open the hood of the car and secure it with a metal hook or rod. The hood of a car is usually opened by pressing a lever that is located below the level of the driver's left knee. Next, pull the lever under the hood.

After this, you need to find the oil filler neck sealed with a cap. It is located on the engine cylinder block. Usually there is an inscription “Oil Fill” on it or a marking of the viscosity of the oil used, for example, 5W30. The lid is unscrewed, wiped with a clean rag and left aside.

A funnel is inserted into the open space. It is necessary to prevent engine oil from spilling into the cylinders. Add oil in small portions. Turning oil containers upside down is not allowed. You need to pour about 200 ml per session, then wait 20 minutes for the engine oil to flow into the base of the crankcase. After a fresh portion of lubricant has settled at the base of the crankcase, its level is checked with a metal rod. If there is not enough car oil, you can repeat the topping up operation until the lubricant level approaches the nominal level, between the minimum and maximum values. The oil rod for checking the lubricant level must be wiped with a dry cloth before each check.

If a little motor oil gets into the engine area, then there is no need to panic. Lubricant residues become dangerous when a strong smell of burnt oil occurs after the engine warms up. It is advisable to clean the spill area with a dry cloth or paper towel.

When the engine fluid level reaches the optimum level, it is necessary to fix the oil dipstick and the filler cap back into place. The main thing is that everything is tightly screwed.

All unnecessary items are removed from the engine compartment, and the lid is closed. Next, you need to start the engine and let it idle for some time. At this time, the driver should carefully listen to the operation of the power device to identify extraneous sounds and noise. If the “Check Engine” sensor is triggered, the driver should immediately visit a car repair shop.

Now we know how to properly add oil to the engine, and whether it is possible to add oil to a hot engine. Timely topping up of lubricant allows you to save the life of your car engine. This means that all working parts of the power unit will be lubricated in a timely manner and protected from oil starvation and other undesirable factors.

Procedure for adding engine oil

Open the hood of your vehicle. We fix it with a special foot;
We find the engine neck, which has the original screw cap. As a rule, the neck is located on the engine cylinder block and has a corresponding inscription with viscosity marking or “Oil Fil”.
Unscrew the lid. It should be wiped with a clean cloth. Set the lid aside;
The engine space opens up. We place a funnel in it, which is necessary in order to exclude cases in which oil may spill into the cylinders;
Fill it gradually in small portions. You need to make stops every 200 grams. Stopping time is approximately 20 minutes. During this time, it will have time to drain into the crankcase, and then into the pan;
Before continuing to top up, check the oil level on the dipstick. We continue to add lubricant using this technology until the level reaches a neutral position between minimum and maximum. Do not forget to wipe the dipstick with a clean, dry cloth before checking the level.
You need to remove unnecessary items from the engine compartment area. Screw on the lid;
After all the above steps, start the engine and let it run for a while until operating temperature.

This completes the procedure!

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If a small amount of automobile oil ends up in the engine compartment, there is no need to make a problem out of it. It can only pose a danger if there is a strong smell of burnt oil. This smell can only appear after the car has warmed up. In other cases, spilled oil should be carefully cleaned up with a paper towel or dry cloth.

Typical rookie mistake

Often inexperienced drivers fill in as much engine oil as possible, believing that this will be better. Overfilling in excess of the norm is not only undesirable, it can harm the car engine. The danger lies in the following aspects:

oil has a certain viscosity, and their quantitative excess impairs engine crankability. This results in maximum fuel consumption;
When heated, liquids expand and the pressure they exert increases. Excess oil mixture leads to squeezing out gaskets and seals;
cold starting of the engine is difficult;
excess carbon deposits and “bedding” of rings;
excessive foam formation.

Not adding enough oil also has negative consequences:

friction increases, chips form on the crankshaft;
Over time, the cylinder pistons become jammed.

Correct sequence of actions when topping up

Let's look at how to add oil to the engine step by step. To do this correctly you need to adhere to the following algorithm:

The vehicle must be placed on a level surface. The engine needs time to cool so that the lubricant can drain into the sump. This will take approximately 10 minutes. First, you need to open the hood of the car to get to the oil filler neck (it is located in the upper part of the cylinder head). We open the hood using the lever, which is located in the cabin at the level of the driver’s left knee or slightly lower. Then open the hood and fix its position using a rod.
We use a special dipstick located under the hood to measure the lubricant level. The dipstick must first be wiped with a dry cloth. An oil trail will indicate the level. We top up when the mark drops below the “minimum” value.
The neck cap is closed with a threaded plug and is marked with the symbols “Oil Fill”, or the viscosity characteristic of the lubricant, for example, 5w-30. Some models have a pictogram in the form of an oil can with a drop. The distance between the marks on the dipstick is equivalent to 1 l. lubricant.
Insert the funnel into the neck and carefully add oil. If drops get on the drive, wipe off any oil traces with a rag.
First, pour in 250 ml of lubricant and pause for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the oil will drain into the pan. We check the level with a dipstick and add no more than 250 ml. Topping up and checking are repeated until the level is between o and “maximum”.
We return the oil dipstick to its place. Screw the neck cap tightly. We remove foreign objects and wipe places where there may be oil residues.

All that remains is to start the engine and listen to its work. The oil indicator should not light up. If, after topping up, it still signals a low level, you should contact a service station to identify the causes of the failure.

Remember that excess oil increases the pressure in the internal combustion engine, which can lead to failure of the power unit. Don't neglect simple rules. Good luck on the roads!

How to add oil correctly

For now, we will not consider which engine: cold or hot, pour lubricant into. First of all, choose a flat area to fill with lubricant if the procedure will be carried out in a garage. If you take your car to a service center, you don’t have to worry about filling the oil incorrectly. Experienced mechanics will do everything as expected.

After a level area has been selected, open the hood of the car and allow the power unit to cool.

Attention! Remember that too much oil is just as dangerous as too little. Overfilling the lubricant leads to squeezing out the seals and disrupting the operation of the valves.

Now about the brand of oils. It is necessary to use only high-quality lubricants that are sold in specialized auto stores. It is not recommended to buy oil with an expired expiration date, without a label on the package, or with questionable blurry text on the label.

Also, oils should not be mixed with each other. You cannot buy lubricant with parameters higher or lower than those specified in the manual. There are three types of lubricants:

mineral. They are made from thermal processing of petroleum;
synthetic. Formed after the synthesis of long molecules from gaseous hydrocarbons;
semi-synthetic. Made from mineral and synthetic oil by mechanical mixing and processing.

After we have bought the necessary oil and installed the car on a level area, we move on to the fill. In some vehicles, the dipstick with the hole for filling the lubricant is located in a visible place. In other cars, in order to get to the filling hole, you will need to remove the air filter and other parts that prevent you from inserting the filling funnel.

Check the lubricant level using the dipstick.
Unscrew the plug with the dipstick.
Insert funnel.
Pour the oil calculated according to the tables into the neck.

You need to calculate the quantity to be filled according to the tables that are presented in the manual for the power unit.

Add to cold engine

You need to add oil to the engine only after it has cooled down. Experienced mechanics recommend leaving the vehicle in the garage overnight, and in the morning you should check the lubricant level immediately.

Then the car can be started and placed on a level surface. The car must be allowed to stand again so that the engine cools to 40 degrees. This is the optimal temperature at which you can add oil to the power unit.

Add to a hot engine

Experienced mechanics do not recommend pouring cool lubricant into a hot power unit. This will cause cracks to appear on the internal parts of the motor. Since temperature changes negatively affect both cast iron and aluminum alloy from which the cylinder heads or the cylinder blocks themselves are made.

Why add oil?

High-quality engine operation is impossible without engine oil. This viscous substance performs several main functions, providing:

cleanliness of engine parts;
ease of cold engine starting;
reliability of operation at the highest possible temperature of parts of the cylinder-piston group;
heat removal from heated parts;
lubrication of moving parts;
neutralization of aggressive and corrosive compounds accumulating in the power unit.

Each of the points is addressed by certain additives added to oils to enhance their performance characteristics. Before you add oil to your engine, you need to determine what type of fluid is suitable for it. Today there are a large number of motor lubricants, and even within the same line you can find products with different parameters. Thus, mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic oils are produced. Each of them can be winter, summer or all-season. In addition, car manufacturers may recommend using a specific oil. Since different types of oils cannot be mixed, first of all you need to find out what brand of lubricant is poured into the engine. This question should be answered by the employees of the car dealership where the car was purchased, or by its previous owner. If the truth is unknown, you will have to completely change the oil. You can perform this procedure yourself or contact a service station.

Stages of adding oil.

Standard recommendations for choosing oil:

for a new engine - synthetic oils of SAE class 5W30 or 10W30 (at any time of the year);
for a used engine, but technically sound - SAE 10W40 in the warm season, 15W40 in winter and 5W40 all-season;
for an old model with a used engine - SAE 15W40 in the summer, 5W40 or 10W40 in the cold season, 5W40 regardless of the season.

It must be remembered that servicing engines of outdated designs does not involve the use of modern synthetic oils, which is largely explained by their increased penetration rate, which results in an increased rate of oil leakage through poorly fitted engine parts. Some inexperienced drivers wonder why they have to frequently add oil to the engine, while professionals approach this issue very responsibly. In some cars, lubricant burns out very quickly, but increased oil consumption does not always indicate a malfunction of the power unit, just as prolonged use of the fluid does not indicate the absence of problems in the engine. In many cases, fuel consumption depends on the type of engine and its volume. So, for small cars, a consumption of 1 liter per 1000 km is considered high, and for cars with a V6 or V8 power unit it is the norm.

How often should you add engine oil?

How often do you add oil to the engine? Ideally, the engine should have minimal oil consumption. Accordingly, when replacing technical fluid, the same amount of oil is drained as was poured into the engine. However, this only happens with naturally aspirated and unboosted engines. If the engine operates with significant loads and at high speeds, then a slight waste of oil is noted. You should carry out this procedure and add lubricant to the motor as its level decreases. If such work has to be performed every 1000 kilometers, then you should still contact a service workshop and have the engine diagnosed. Often, performing such diagnostics will be cheaper than subsequently restoring the engine after oil starvation or wedge.

How to add oil correctly

We can say with confidence that there is probably no car owner who would not be faced with the need to add oil to the car engine. But at the same time, not everyone knows how to do this kind of work correctly and whether it is possible to add oil to an engine of a different brand. And yet how to add oil to the engine. Let's talk about this in more detail.

First of all, we will tell you what kind of oil can be added to a car engine. This lubricant must be the same as that used in the engine. That is why it is recommended to purchase extra oil when performing service work, and if such a procedure is performed under service conditions, you should find out from the technicians what kind of technical fluids they use. This will allow you to purchase such motor oil in stores and fill it if necessary.

Many car owners are interested in the question: is it possible to add another oil to the engine? Adding another oil to the engine is possible, but this is not recommended by most automakers. You can add such lubricant to the engine if you are on the road and immediately after such an emergency trip it will be necessary to completely change the technical fluid and perform the appropriate service work. But if you mix oil from different manufacturers and with different characteristics, it will invariably lose its properties, which will lead to increased wear of engine parts.

Where to add oil to the engine?

It would seem what questions there might be. However, in reality, it is not always possible to find such a filler neck in the engine where to add oil to the engine. Previously, when we opened the hood, we could immediately find the corresponding plug on the valve cover, which had to be unscrewed and oil poured into the engine. Today, many manufacturers produce maintenance-free engines, and finding such a neck for filling oil is not so easy. It is necessary to dismantle the plastic motor protection, only after this you will gain access to the valve cover. For most engines, it is on the valve cover that the corresponding filler plug is located, by unscrewing it you can add oil to the engine.

Is oil added to a cold or hot engine?

Such service work and adding oil to the engine is not particularly difficult. You just need to remember that such work is performed exclusively on a cold engine. The answer to the question whether you can add oil to a hot engine should be unambiguous. It is prohibited to pour oil into a hot engine. By pouring cold oil into a hot engine, you can break the engine, which will lose its geometry, or microcracks will appear in the cylinder block and valve cover. That is why you should definitely wait until the engine cools down, which guarantees the quality and correctness of such a service procedure.

The oil level can be checked using a dipstick only on a cold engine. Therefore, check the engine oil level regularly and, if there is a decrease in its level, you should immediately add it to the engine.

In each specific case, how much oil is poured into the engine is chosen by the car owner, depending on the lubricant consumption of the engine. You can determine how much oil to add to the engine based on the dipstick readings. Try to ensure that the engine lubricant level is midway between the minimum and maximum marks on the dipstick. But you should not fill the lubricant to the maximum. This will lead to an increase in pressure in the system, which can cause engine failure.

Is it possible to add oil to the engine yourself?

Many manufacturers of modern cars recommend that car owners carry out work on the engine and gearbox exclusively in service workshops. It is not surprising that many car owners wonder whether it is possible to add oil to a hot engine. It should be said that such work is not difficult, so each of us can handle it. But still, this work should be carried out on a cold engine.

It is only necessary to perform such service on a cold engine and use only the lubricant that is currently in the engine. Before adding oil to the engine, you should check its level with a dipstick, then unscrew the appropriate filler cap and add the required amount of lubricant. We can recommend that you add about 500 milliliters of oil, then wait about 10 minutes and, without starting the engine, check the fluid level with a dipstick. If the level is not between the minimum and maximum, add another 500 milliliters of oil.

You can, of course, perform this work under service conditions, but for such a simple procedure they will ask you for several thousand rubles. And none of us would like to waste our time on trips to the service center. Moreover, in order to properly add oil to the engine yourself, you will spend only 10-15 minutes. That is why, if there are such problems with the engine, car owners independently purchase and add oil to the engine. Just remember that you can add oil to the engine of a different viscosity only in an emergency.

Preventing oil loss in the engine

Many car owners are wondering whether it is possible to somehow avoid such waste of oil, which will eliminate the need for frequent topping up of engine lubricant. There are simply no universal recommendations for such prevention. And yet we can advise you to change the engine oil in the engines of modern cars after a mileage of 8-10 thousand kilometers. This will preserve all the operational characteristics of the oil, and engine wear will be reduced accordingly. You should also regularly perform appropriate engine diagnostics, paying particular attention to the condition of the valve stem seals and valve system.

Under no circumstances should you skimp on the quality of the oil used. All modern engines are extremely critical to the quality of the oil, so it should only be used with approval from the manufacturer. But saving on such service work not only leads to engine breakdowns and premature wear, but soon such an engine will require expensive overhauls.

Conclusion

Many car owners are faced with the need to add oil to the engine when operating the car. In this article, we explained whether it is possible to add another oil to the engine, and also described in detail how such a service is performed. Remember that increased consumption of such technical fluid should cause concern to the car owner and is one of the symptoms of engine failure. If you need to add oil to the engine, then you need to use the same technical fluid that is currently poured into the engine, perform this procedure exclusively on a cold engine and act carefully so that you do not have to subsequently drain the oil from the engine, which is much more difficult than than topping it up.

23.09.2017