General Using oil...

[BigKev]

Sorry if this is a well-bumped thread (we are quite new here) but wifey's 25,000 mile, 3 year old 1.4 Lounge Convertible has used about 1/2 litre of oil in 1000 miles. She's only had it 5 weeks and it is otherwise immaculate with FDSH.
(She has put pics of it on here somewhere)

Is this acceptable for a low mileage, well serviced 1.4?

 

[ahmett]

Sorry if this is a well-bumped thread (we are quite new here) but wifey's 25,000 mile, 3 year old 1.4 Lounge Convertible has used about 1/2 litre of oil in 1000 miles. She's only had it 5 weeks and it is otherwise immaculate with FDSH.
(She has put pics of it on here somewhere)

Is this acceptable for a low mileage, well serviced 1.4?

That sounds about right, especially if the last oil service was a long time ago. Mine is using about that much given that I have done 28,000 km without an oil change (I plan on changing the oil soon), just top ups. If you are feeling really concerned you can always put something below the car or check out the ground after leaving it overnight to see if there is any oil dripping on the floor. If there is no oil leak, then I wouldn't worry at all.


My Audi A2 1.4 was a proper beast with oil (I drove it rather fast), the oil warning light was coming on once every few weeks and required a 1 liter top up! Other than being thirsty with oil not once did it let me down in over 50,000 km of use! Just check every now and then and make sure there is oil in the car! On my mother's VW Polo the engine seized due to a lack of oil ( I hardly drove it!!) because the check engine light was on and there was no indicator telling me that the oil level was low, it never flashed (the yellow oil flash). Then all of a sudden the red oil light flashed showing a loss of oil pressure, to which by then the engine had had it, it was too late to save it. So what I am saying is don't rely too much on the yellow oil level warning light!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

My 1.4 16v Stilo used 300ml every 1k / 1L 3k'ish, so doesn't sound like an issue. Very common for the Super FIRE engine to do this, especially if driven with soul

 

[BigKev]

Many thanks ahmett and MEP...there's defo no leaks so must be burning it. We had a 2.0 litre Skoda Octavia from new and that did about 2,000 miles per litre too and that car did 100,000 trouble free miles before we sold it!
I'll not worry too much about our 500 then.

 

[bgunn]

Better to get into a habit of checking the oil every week (or more often if the use is greater) than rely on an idiot light to tell you. Most oil idiot lights come on at around 3-5psi, and if your oil pressure is that low at speed or any amount of load, your engine is toast.

 

[loveshandbags]

Sorry if this is a well-bumped thread (we are quite new here) but wifey's 25,000 mile, 3 year old 1.4 Lounge Convertible has used about 1/2 litre of oil in 1000 miles. She's only had it 5 weeks and it is otherwise immaculate with FDSH.
(She has put pics of it on here somewhere)

Is this acceptable for a low mileage, well serviced 1.4?

I would say that's too much on following presumptions...

1. it's your wife's car and it's hardly bouncing of the rev limiter
2. Dealer had it at max (on the dipstick) and now it's at min => 1/2 litre

Also it's worth checking if they garage used Branded oil like Selenia or did they use oil from the 'big drum' - if Selenia was used it stated specifically on the service invoice.

Given that you were a mechanic would you consider changing the oil (& filter - use a Fiat one) to a premium one like Castrol or such like. There are differences in the oils. Here is a list of 'things' that are looked for in an oil (Click here).

The 1.4 engine in the current European 500 is essentially the Starjet engiine which used to run on semi synthetic 10w40. It then got revamped and fully synthetic 5w40 was used. When this engine got the Abarth treatment the viscosity increased to 10w50. Still recommend that you stick with the recommended 5w40 viscosity.

I'm of the belief if you have a premium oil in your engine it will be less inclined to burn oil as much and should need less topping up. Oil that's coming to it's 'end of life' needs frequent topping up. This 'end of life' figure varies but the guarantee on branded oils is 12K.

Hopefully someone on the forum will enlighten us as to who makes / supplies the oil in the 'big drum' that used by Fiat dealers in servicing their cars. Personally I would prefer pay a little extra for a branded oil (of the correct spec) over a no name brand even when it comes from the dealer.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I'm of the belief if you have a premium oil in your engine it will be less inclined to burn oil as much and should need less topping up. Oil that's coming to it's 'end of life' needs frequent topping up. This 'end of life' figure varies but the guarantee on branded oils is 12K.

Oh god, not you also.

Most oils will conform to the same standards, they have to. A 'decent' brand like Castrol is often no better than Halfords own brand, or Comma Oil as I use, and have done for years without issue.

2 oils the same, from different brands, will burn just as much as the other in the same engine.

 

[ahmett]

Oh god, not you also.

Most oils will conform to the same standards, they have to. A 'decent' brand like Castrol is often no better than Halfords own brand, or Comma Oil as I use, and have done for years without issue.

2 oils the same, from different brands, will burn just as much as the other in the same engine.

Michael, the dipstick readings between min/max is 1 liter not 0.5. My oil started to decrease more after about 15k I would say so it is due for a change. And my oil was Agip 5w/40 without the C3 rating unfortunately, that's what the fiat main dealer here gave me.

 

[loveshandbags]

Oh god, not you also.

Most oils will conform to the same standards, they have to. A 'decent' brand like Castrol is often no better than Halfords own brand, or Comma Oil as I use, and have done for years without issue.

2 oils the same, from different brands, will burn just as much as the other in the same engine.

In relation to conforming to standards...does the Comma oil meet the Fiat 9.55535-S2 standard ? This might be an issue for an car within warranty.

For the petrol 500 engine does any of the Halfords oils have a ACEA C3 spec ?

On the last point about 'cheap' oil burning oil faster - if I had time I would dig out a relevant thread on bobstheoilguy but for the time being here's a free plug for Castrol on 'value for money'. Castrol is regularly discounted in Halfords and if one has a trade card discounts also apply on the promotions.

There are differences on minising wear on your engine with higher spec oils such as PAO (Amsoil) and Ester (Royal Purple). They are too expensive despite for what they're offering but at least the Amsoil comes in a ACEA C3 spec. I would agree that there is a lot of marketing hype with oils and as an example wouldn't rate Mobile one for engine protection but does other things well - this has come out in 'scar tests'.

I'd prefer to have the 'peace of mind' and pay the extra €10 for a branded oil.

 

[loveshandbags]

Michael, the dipstick readings between min/max is 1 liter not 0.5. My oil started to decrease more after about 15k I would say so it is due for a change. And my oil was Agip 5w/40 without the C3 rating unfortunately, that's what the fiat main dealer here gave me.

There was a discussion before on the difference between the min & max and I remember AlexGs and myself nearly come to blows over it. I was convinced that it was 0.5L and Alex was in the 1L camp. I might have given some convincing argument from my past experience but I could be wrong.
Remember there's only 2.9L of oil in the 1.4 and in my case I had to add a 1L on a car that I just had purchased.

Still if the OP used up 0.5L in 5 weeks having only covered 1000 miles on fresh oil there is a concern. I would expect that even Jnoiles would have hard time doing that particularly on an engine with 25K.:devil: I would curious if using a 'different' oil would make any difference.

I'm also not surprised at your dealer using the wrong spec oil and it wouldn't be the first time that's happened - another member on here lost his engine over it. Proves my point about using a branded oil where your specify what oil you want in your engine.

 

[ahmett]

There was a discussion before on the difference between the min & max and I remember AlexGs and myself nearly come to blows over it. I was convinced that it was 0.5L and Alex was in the 1L camp. I might have given some convincing argument from my past experience but I could be wrong.
Remember there's only 2.9L of oil in the 1.4 and in my case I had to add a 1L on a car that I just had purchased.

Still if the OP used up 0.5L in 5 weeks having only covered 1000 miles on fresh oil there is a concern. I would expect that even Jnoiles would have hard time doing that particularly on an engine with 25K.:devil: I would curious if using a 'different' oil would make any difference.

I'm also not surprised at your dealer using the wrong spec oil and it wouldn't be the first time that's happened - another member on here lost his engine over it. Proves my point about using a branded oil where your specify what oil you want in your engine.

Yeah the handbook says 1 litre and from my top up experience this has so far proven to be the case as I have been topping up with 1 litre bottles. Maybe the oil is at the end of the life of the car so it is being used more? I find it interesting how some enignes use more oil than others as I mentioned my Audi a2 used a lot(!) but there was nothing ever wrong in the car. The most important thing to check is that there is no leak and the car has oil at all times. Otherwise I don't see any cause for concern. The OP may go and do an oil change just to be on the safe side and see what results that yields. But in my Audi's case, even after I had just serviced it, it still used a lot of oil = ).

 

[Ralf S.]

No point arguing about oil... usually "everyone" is right!

First of all, the oil your car needs is going to be listed in the handbook. The grade (5W/40 or 10W40 or whatever)... plus any specifications it must meet. The main one is the API rating which is S/x where x is a letter of the alphabet. Probably S/G or S/H.

The Fiat rating also applies... though this is specific to Fiat and if an oil isn't rated as meeting that standard it may just mean that the oil hasn't been verified to meet it, rather than it doesn't.

The Fiat rating relates to additives. The ACEA C3/C4.. etc. is also to do with additives, just more general ones.

So... you need an oil that is 10/40 or whatever and betters API S/G, S/H etc... that has the ACEA C3/4 and the Fiat spec' on the side of the packet.

The good news is that it is practically impossible to buy an oil that doesn't meet this spec. Even "Halfords" oil (semi-synthetic in 10W40) is API S/L and ACEA C3. It doesn't have the extra few Fiat spec'... but will it wreck your engine....? Not much chance.

The ratings API/ACEA and Fiat spec's only relate to the oil when it's new. They don't tell you what else is in the oil. Cheaper oils are inferior to expensive oils because they contain less other additives (not written on the pack.. you need to look at the manufacturers' data sheet) that keep the oil stable.

Oil breaks down in use and usually it gets thinner. Cheap 10W40 will be more like 5W30 after a few thousand miles... hence old oil is more likely to lead to engine wear (part of the reason why you change it) and is more likely to burn off, being thinner... Synthetic oil is better in this respect than semi-synthetic... (it will also be API S/M or and ACEA C3/4).

Garages use big drums of the same stuff you buy for £10 a litre over the parts counter. They pay about £2 a litre for it in that size and they charge you £10 a litre... so there's no need for them to put inferior oil in your car..

Whether it's got all the spec's that the TA engine in particular needs is a different matter... but we already decided that's not fatal.

So.. to the OP... I'd change the oil. Use a quality brand (Motul, Fuchs, Silkolene etc.) that meets the spec' you need and see how you get on. Synthetic will stay more consistent than semi-sythetic but use whatever grade the manual says. I'd be less worried about the Fiat spec' but I don't know what it brings to the party...

Consumption should drop with new oil... but do have a peek under the beast for leaks. If it's not burning it, it might be sneaking out somewhere round the back..

Ralf S.