1st timer

A litle while ago I switched to mobil1 synthetic oil(my car had aprox53k miles)
I just checked the oil level thhis morning before and after starting the car and it's way below the "low" point of the dip stick.Is this typical? Someone said that this should be expected when you switch to synthetic but it gets better with the following oil changes,i hope he's right.So what should i do?A:change the oil and filter B:add some oil.

@cUr@-TL

i think the oil is not as thick, thus making it easier for it to leak through gaskets... but i also think there's some kind of substance in the oil that's suposed to "seal" the gaskets...

anyone else??

S power

When you change to the synthetic oil did you check the oil level after you start the engine or before you start the engine? Because the oil filter will take some of the oil and will lower your oil level if you checked it before you start the engine and not knowing it until now.

As far as " Not as thick oil." Thats why they have diffrent weights on oil(including synthetic), but factory suggested 5-20w which is really thin to me. And on a 53k mile car your seals should be good.

1st timer

I checked the oil after starting the car when i changed the oil and it was good.
The thing is that i don't see smoke coming from my exhaust,just that the tips are a litle black.

fsttyms1

I never noticed a drop when i switched. Mine even after 15k of use on the oil isnt down any oil.

How many miles do you have on the oil? If not many top it off and keep an eye on it

S power

I would just add some oil and see if the problem still persist then change oil & filter. Black carbon in the exhaust is common on all new and old cars. If seals are worn it is more prone to leak through at high revs. Maybe have someone drive behind you and floor your car?

fsttyms1

you wont see any thing driving behind. if it was burning bad enough to see you would see it just by reving the engine

optomos

You checked the oil when the engine was cold? Did you check to see there was no leak around the oil filter. Did you flush the engine when you changed the oil?
Fill it up again & watch it closely. If you have no leaks & your obviously not burning oil & you continue to "consume" oil, go to a 5/30 or use another synthetic like motul or amsoil. I switched to amsoil @68K & with 10K on the oil I havnt used any at all...not visually negligible.

1st timer

No i just changed the oil with no flush.

1st timer

I had my girlfriend stay behind me and then i floored it,she noticed slight puff of smoke for a second and then it was gone.Can this be bad?

1st timer

i have maybe 2500kmiles on this oil.

1st timer

when is it best to check the oil?In the morning before you start the car or let it warm up a bit shut it off and check it 5-10 mins later?

MikePA

Check it first thing in the morning, on a level surface, before starting the car.

fsttyms1

completly normal, it could be carbon, if you just started the car up it could be moisture that had built up being forced out of the exhaust.

Top off the oil and continue to drive. Check it again in another 2000 miles to see if its down again

spl1011

That is a bad time to check the oil level. You need to give it a fair amount of time after the engine has been running or it will give you an unreliable reading. You should drive the car until temp is normal for a few minutes, then walk away. Oil level should be checked w/ egnine cold on a level surface as mentioned earlier. Also it takes some time to fill up the filter too, maybe a minute or 2 for it to fully saturate.

When youstart the car and then accelerate, you will always see a some light black smoke, mixed with some white stuff that whisps away and goes away once up to temp. Yup, its steam. The blackish stuff once you mash the pedal from idle to 5k is an overly rich mixture. Dont go crazy, that is normal too. You want a slightly rich mixture during sudden acceleration for engine cooling. Hence the accelerator pumps on old carbs. An oil burning engine gives off this "thick" bluish dark grey smoke and an odor you cant mistake, pretty much the same for syn or conventional oils.

In short, add oil and dont flip. Check it in a few hundred. Your car sounds like its ok.

fsttyms1

Also How much oil did you put in when you changed it?

scottiew

I switched to Mobile 1 Full Synthetic 5w20 (and m1 filter) @ 36k miles and I just changed it again. So far have not noticed any reduction of oil.

frenchnew

This can be experienced with other brand of oil when you switch from Brand A to Brand B.

This is usually caused by the other oil having more effective cleaning additives in the oil and you might have some dirt build up on the pinston rings which will clean out and everything will be back to normal.

It should be back to normal after the second or third time you service the oil and filter.

For now I would just suggest that you top up the oil and keep checking it. When you reach the oil service interval, drain the oil, replace the filter. Do not waste money on changing it now.

Best regards

1st timer

I added about 100ml i'll check again in about 2-3 months.

frenchnew

That is really not much and you should not be too concerned about it.

One word of wisdom, you should check your oil every time you fill up.

This way, you can really catch if you are low on oil rapidly.

Best regards

frenchnew

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

How many quarts did you put in? Always check with the engine off, and a while after the engine has been shut off.

Unless the conditions under which you checked the oil levels were exactly the same both times, you will get a variation in the reading. That's why, as long as it's between the two indicator bars on the dipstick, you're ok. All cars burn oil to an extent.

scottiew

This is a good idea but I've always heard its best (more accurate) to check the oil when the engine is cold and all of the oil is thus in the drain pan.

SK2003TypeS

....interesting. I've been using Mobil 1 5w20 for a few years and never noticed any decrease in the oil level. Recently switched to the Mobil 1 extended (yellow cap). The last few tanks, I've noticed a slight decrease in mileage. Haven't been tracking my driving too closely, so maybe it's me doing more city than normal or just getting on the throttle.

frenchnew

Up to a point this is true but after you have been driving for something like 15 minutes or more, it will only take a few minutes for most of the oil to return to the pan.

Also, the regular procedure when they service your engine oil & filter is to to start it after they changed the filter and poured the new oil in and check the oil level. They will let it run till the oil pressure lights goe's out and shutt the engine off. Then they will re-check the oil level.

If it reads between the 2 lines you are fine.

I check mine at fill-ups because my driveway is not levelled and have been doing so for the past 29 years.

Best regards

frenchnew

1st timer

I had posted earlier that i added 100ml,well i made a mistake,i added almost a full liter,i know this is not normal.

1st timer

This is pissing me off,when i start the car,the oil light stays on for about .5sec.
The thing is that the oil level is ok for now. Can it be burning it? I see no smoke when i accelerate or when rev it up.I'm thinking of bringing it to the stealer but i don't want to get raped.

1st timer

By the way i'm using 5w30 "for newer cars",should i use the "for higher milage cars"?

fsttyms1

Well if your level is normal on the dipstick then you arent loosing it. The light is normal. It DOES stay on for half a sec or so after you start the car

1st timer

I just added the oil that's why it's full ...for now.

fsttyms1

Well drive teh car for a few more k and see what happens.

OR flush the engine/oil and add new (5 quarts) of syn and drive it and check it in a few thousand miles

1st timer

is that 5 liters?that's what i'm gonna do.

spl1011

5 QUARTS.... book calls for 4.7 or so.

1st timer

should i switch back to reg oil?

fsttyms1

yes 5 is fine. if you want to pour 4.7 out of a 5 qt jug thats fine, but 5 wont hurt it. ive been doing it for 189,000 miles now

1st timer

I changed the oil today and i'm sending a sample to blackstone labs to get it analyzed,dealer told me regardless if it's mineral or synthetic oil you should always change it at the recomended intervals.I even called imperial oils and he told me the same.

1st timer

he put 4.4L is that too much?

MikePA

4.4L = 4.62 qts, not too much.

spl1011

I wasnt disagreeing with you. Just repeating that you said Quarts and not Liters.

I think we are flipping out over nothing.

fla-tls

That sounds like a liability avoidance thing. They have to tell you to follow the manual to avoid problems.

After all - why put yourself at risk for a customer who has paid $0 to you?

fsttyms1

Stick with Synthetic. Dont panic.
Also what does teh dealer recomend as a recomended interval? cause honda them selves say the tl is 7500 mile intervals Hence the preprogramed Maint required light!
Ive been running 10k syn intervals and recently switched to 15k. When running standard oil i followed the recomended 7500 interval. 3000 is a waste nowdays and isnt needed.