Oil consumption.

[Jocko]

My wee car seems to use a bit of oil. It definitely does not drop oil, as it sits over a carpet in the garage. There is no sign of it burning a lot of oil either. No blue smoke from the exhaust, no trouble with emission tests. Last year I bought 6 litres of Fully Synthetic 5W-30 (5L for oil change and another 1L for topping up), and I have since bought a further 1 litre. According to the manual, oil and filter change should take 3.6 litres, so that implies I have used 3.4 litres to do 9,000 miles, or 1 Litre every 4,000 kilometres. Considering the manual says it can use 1 litre every 1,000 km, I don't imagine my consumption is too bad.
There is certainly no evidence of piston slap, power seems perfectly adequate, and fuel consumption is definitely fine. With over 105K miles on the clock, I am not too worried. A change to semi synthetic or non synthetic oil may make a difference, but I am concerned that would impact on mpg.
I think I will just carry on as normal and keep checking the oil regularly.

[VicW]

In old money that's a pint per 2500 miles. Peanuts!!.

Vic.

[culzean]

Always used Castrol and non of my cars (not even my Civic on 190,000 miles the last Jazz GD that I traded in at 120,000 miles have used a drop between changes).   You can get Castrol Magnatec fully synth for less than £30,  and semi-synth for around £25 normally.

[Jocko]

Castrol don't recommend Magnatec for the Jazz. They actually recommend Edge 0W-30. Opie Oils come up with both Edge 5W-30 and Magnatec, but the Magnatec they recommend is 10W-40.

[John Ratsey]

That helps explain your impressive mpg figures - it's not just petrol powering the vehicle. 

[culzean]

Castrol don't recommend Magnatec for the Jazz. They actually recommend Edge 0W-30. Opie Oils come up with both Edge 5W-30 and Magnatec, but the Magnatec they recommend is 10W-40.

I used 5-30 for years now, ultra - thin oil is promoted as fuel saving but I prefer to use not-so-thin oils thank you.  My motorbike with its highly stressed performance engine uses 10W40  wet-clutch friendly Castrol.   There is no mystery about oil and pretty much every engine will run on a range of viscosities - I am still not sure that ultra thin oils have not sacrificed protection for MPG....

[Jocko]

I am a bit in the same mind. I prefer 5W-30 since my engine has done so many miles, but 0W-30 has the same viscosity as 5W-30 at normal engine operating temperature so should perform the same.

[culzean]

I am a bit in the same mind. I prefer 5W-30 since my engine has done so many miles, but 0W-30 has the same viscosity as 5W-30 at normal engine operating temperature so should perform the same.

Maybe,  but to take the oil from 0 to 30 needs more viscosity modifiers than if the base oil is 5 or 10 to start with - and viscosity modifiers are the things that get broken down first as oil is used.  And with UK moderate climate where the lowest normal temperature in winter is -5 degC  why do we need really thin oils except to save the final 0.001% of carbon emissions,


https://commercial.lubrizoladditives360.com/vm-series-part-2/

thinner oils leave rotating and sliding surfaces more exposed to scuffing,  it is a fine balance with really thin oils,  I prefer a bit more safety margin ...........

[Jocko]

I have started checking the oil at the end of a long run. After my 80 mile drive, every Saturday, I reverse the car into the garage (level ground), wait 4 or 5 minutes, then check the oil. It is spot on the mark. I think when I was topping it up cold I was slightly overfilling it, and the excess would then get burn off, meaning next time I checked it it was down again. Hence my "poor" oil consumption. I have always checked my cars oil with the engine cold. Obviously previous cars were able to accommodate the smidgen extra oil without burning it off. I was only ever adding about 250 ml, max, at a time.

[degzi]

I'm Currently at 112k. 5w30 fully synthetic. i have only had top up from 3/4 to full on dipstick. Whatever that works out at, but it's not much..

I Always use cheap supermarket fully synthetics or the euro car parts oils.
Never never never halfords oil, terrible stuff. It breaks down and gives me noisy tappets within 3 months of use. Oh and I change oil at end of autumn so I have good quality oil in for winter cold starts then generally change it again about spring time.

[Jocko]

Since I started checking the oil hot, it hasn't dropped. Each Saturday I return from my 80 mile round trip, put car in my level garage, and gather my ScanGauge data. By the time I have done that, 3 or 4 minutes have passed, so I check the oil.
I too use Motor Factor oil. It is what most small, independent garages use. Last change and this next change I am using Comma X-Tech 5W-30 fully synthetic. My oil change is about six weeks overdue but I have only just done 10,000 miles since it was last changed. I know it is no guarantee of lubrication qualities but it is still clean and hazelnut brown.
The car has now done 106,000 miles.

[culzean]

I know it is no guarantee of lubrication qualities but it is still clean and hazelnut brown.
The car has now done 106,000 miles.

When checking oil I usually get some off dipstick between thumb and finger and rub them together,  if it still feels slippery that's OK but if it starts to get sticky a bit of a danger sign IMHO.   Mind you I do a fraction of the miles I used to do so changing once a year instead of two or three times a year means oil stays in sump longer but does less miles than it used to.

https://neptuneproducts.co.nz/engine-life-extended-by-2-simple-tests/

[jazzway]

Twice a year full synthetic 5w30 oil. Never used a drop and always running smooth. This year i did the change in the spring myself, for the first time. Very easy job with an oil extractor and from the dipstick. Autumn oil change (incl. new Honda oil filter) is done at the garage.

I don’t believe in 0wxx oils either in our Dutch climate.

[peteo48]

Interested in the oil extraction through the dipstick method Jazzway. I've always felt that this can't be that satisfactory as it won't allow the muck at the bottom of the sump to drain out.

But am I right?

[sparky Paul]

Interested in the oil extraction through the dipstick method Jazzway. I've always felt that this can't be that satisfactory as it won't allow the muck at the bottom of the sump to drain out.

But am I right?

Quite the opposite in many cases. Most modern engines are designed to be emptied by the dipstick tube, they put the lowest point under the pipe. Some main dealer's workshops now use automatic extraction and refilling machines, they suck out the old oil and refill down the same pipe with the pre-programmed volume of fresh oil from a bulk drum, all without anyone coming into contact with the old oil.

I use a pump for most changes, then drop the sump every 4-5 changes. Get the oil hot, then vac it out immediately after switching the engine off. Compared to dropping out of the sump, I would say that the oil extractor removes more of the old oil, the fresh oil always looks sparkly clean after it has been circulated. Dropping it out of the bottom always seems to leave enough behind to stain the new oil.

It works really well with the i-DSI engine, not sure about the others. There are some engines where it doesn't work, my Galaxy had the 2.3 16V Ford engine in with balancer shafts in the sump. Baffles inside the sump prevented you getting the tube to the bottom.

Personally, I would recommend them. They work with the vast majority of modern engines, and anything which encourages you to change the oil more often can't be a bad thing... and the extractor pump makes the job a doddle.