Topic: The oil levels on a dipstick (i.e. the min/max)!

It is 'normal' and fine to have the oil anywhere between the two markers isn't it? It doesn't have to be at the max.

And am I correct (am I?!) in saying that you can cause problems through having to much oil as well as having to little?

Sorry for the simplicity of it all!!

Oh yeah, and if my oil's getting dirty (quite a dark brown) is this a bad thing? And if so, what might be causing it?

Mark
'88 80, 1.8

 

>It is 'normal' and fine to have the oil anywhere between the two markers isn't it? It doesn't have to be at the max.

Correct! However, for "optimum" protection and oiling system efficency, its recommended to keep the level as near to "full" as possable.

>And am I correct (am I?!) in saying that you can cause problems through having to much oil as well as having to little?

Correct! Think of your engines oil as its "life blood".

>Oh yeah, and if my oil's getting dirty (quite a dark brown) is this a bad thing?

Good thing! It means the oil doing its job and suspending contaminents from the engines combustion process.

>what might be causing it?

The engines internal combustion process.

 

1) Between min and max is perfectly normal. It doesn't necessarily need to be at the max.

(I generally keep it between half-way and max, since I keep hearing that this engine typically burns oil, but...(knock, knock)...mine doesn't. I put in 4.75 qts when I flush/fill oil & change filter ... and more than 4 comes out, plus what's in the filter. Then again, I'm rather **** about changing it on or before 3k intervals, so I don't give it a chance to burn-off.)

2) yes, you can cause problems by having too much or too little of the required amount of oil...in any engine for that matter...as far as I know.

(I laugh every time I see one of those infomercials with one of those oil additives that magically runs the engine without oil in a '70's Chevy Malibu or '80's Ford Tempo that they found in a junkyard that day.... and then they spray it down with a firehose force of water...lol.)

3) dark brown if fine, black is even ok... just make sure you're using the correct weight of oil for your air temps. and change it and the filter are regular intervals. I recommend every 3k.

(I cannot believe the new Audis are running out to 10k intervals. The engine may be able to take the oil break down, but why put the engine through it? For what, to save maybe $30 for an oil & filter change... I don't undertand why anyone would take that risk, especially since most of the new cars will be bought by people like us who like having the older models... I wouldn't want a car that its oil was changed 10 times with 100k on it.)

HTH...

 

Actually, with a new car, you really should run at least the first oil change out to the max service interval, be it 7500 or 10k or whatever it might be, then every 3000 after that. The new engine is still getting used to running in that time, and keeping the original oil in it for 10k miles helps seat the rings properly and wear the bearings in. But after the initial change, you should go every 3 thousand.

 

You are correct. I apologize for not being clear. I meant for those changes after the break-in oil.