How much oil to fill in the engine? Tips & Tricks

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

No one will have a question or doubt about where to fill the oil in the engine. To any motorist, the answer to this question is obvious. Another thing is when they begin to think about what kind of oil to fill in. There is something to think about here. After all, the market is so saturated with different manufacturing companies that it is quite difficult to make the right decision. Not everyone knows how much oil to fill in the engine. We will talk about these and other issues in this article.

The main functions of the lubricant

Motor oil plays a huge role in the life of the unit into which it is poured. Thanks to him:

• individual parts kept clean;
• provides easy cold start of the motor;
• excessive heat is removed from the elements;
• at high temperatures, stable operation is maintained in the cylinder-piston group;
• parts are well lubricated;
• substances that accumulate in the engine during operation and contribute to the occurrence of corrosion, as well as other aggressiveinfluences are neutralized.

To improve the quality characteristics of the oil, it contains special additives that perform various functions.

Expense

In order for the engine to serve properly for a long time, it is necessary to strictly monitor the oil consumption. Professionals carefully approach this issue when buying a car. Not everyone knows that increased consumption does not mean an engine malfunction. Conversely, the absence of flow does not prove that the motor is fully functional.

For each car, this indicator is individual. For example, owners of a domestic vehicle know how much oil to fill in a VAZ engine. As a rule, this is an average of three and a half liters. This amount is somewhat different from how much oil is in a Mercedes engine, where five and a half liters or more may be required depending on the model.

The oil in the engine cylinders burns out, but remains on the walls, covering the surfaces with a film to prevent dry friction. In the chamber, the film burns with fuel. Therefore, finding out the exact causes of high oil consumption is not always easy.

Viscosity

Viscosity is one of the most important characteristics of oil. The necessary fluidity must be ensured in the engine. It varies depending on the temperature and time of year. Any motorist should know what kind of oil to fill in the engine. At the same time, the product is not always to blame for the poor performance of the unit. If the motor is no longer new, but has run many thousands of kilometers, the synthetic type is not suitable for it.oils. For such motors, semi-synthetics are provided. At the same time, for new modern cars, on the contrary, manufacturers recommend using synthetic oils.

For different vehicles, it is advised to use lubricants of different classes:

• for new units - SAE 10W30 or 5W30, all season;
• for used - in winter 10W30 or 5W30, in summer 15W40 or 10W40, in any season 5W40;
• for older engines - 10W40 or 5W40 in winter, 20W40 or 15W40 in summer, 5W40 in any season.

Oil change

Engine oil is essential to keep the unit running as long as possible. Hence the direct dependence on how often it is necessary to change and how much oil to fill in the engine. This manipulation does not have to be done in a car service. It can be done by any motorist on their own. It is enough to study a few simple recommendations.

Before starting work, prepare the amount of oil that is necessary for the engine. This information is provided in the vehicle owner's manual. To be sure of the quality of the oil, it is better to purchase it in specialized stores that provide the necessary documentation confirming the quality. You should also take care and purchase in advance an oil filter suitable for the brand of your car.

To avoid problems when changing the lubricant, it is better to drive the car onto a flyover or into a viewing hole. Also in advanceprepare a container where the used oil will be drained.

Detailed instructions

The car is securely fixed in a certain place so that it does not move out. To do this, he needs a straight surface, and a handbrake is also used. The engine must not be cold. It is heated to normal temperature. After that:

• switch off the engine, open the neck where the oil will be poured;
• close it and start the engine again, leaving it until the "oil pressure" light comes on;
• switch off the engine again;
• drain oil from pan;
• unscrew the oil filter;
• fill it with fresh liquid;
• tighten the cork, put a new filter;
• determine how much oil to fill in the engine, while periodically checking the dipstick so that the fluid level is at the required level.

After the work is done, start the engine at low speed and check the pan for leaks. When looking at the oil level, it is necessary that the car is on a horizontal surface. Otherwise, you risk getting incorrect metric results. If the oil in the engine has not reached the required mark, it is topped up.

How much do you need?

Beginner motorists are always interested in the question: how much oil to fill in the engine? There is no single answer. For each model, as already mentioned, a certain amount of oil is required. Usually three-quarters of the volume required is poured, and thenadd a little bit, constantly checking the level.

For domestic cars, the average oil is about four liters. For foreign cars with an engine capacity of 2 to 2.5 liters, it is also recommended to fill in up to four liters of lubricant. This is as much, for example, as oil in a Renault engine. For a larger unit, more oil will be required.

Don't forget to check the lubricant level regularly. This should be done approximately once a week. Then, in the event of a leak, it will be possible to respond in a timely manner and not start the problem, which will save a lot of money. Check the engine before turning it on. It is strictly forbidden to carry out a check while the unit is running or fill in oil at this time.

Oil overflow into the engine

If you find that there is too much oil in the engine, you can not leave a surplus and drive like that, believing that a lot is not a little. The damage caused by overfilling the engine with oil can be very serious. And it won't be noticeable right away. But after a while, you can reach the need for serious repairs in the engine. Therefore, in order to avoid negative consequences, you need to go to a car service and pump out an excess amount.

However, you can do it yourself. The only thing that will be required is time and patience, as well as the purchase of a syringe and a medical transfusion kit (from whichonly flexible tubing is required). This method is called suction. But you can just drain the excess from the crankcase.

Which oil to choose

Uninterrupted operation of the unit depends on the correct choice of oil. Therefore, it is necessary to take this issue seriously. Usually, the manufacturer recommends a certain brand in the instruction manual. But this is, rather, a commercial arrangement of the company for advertising and product promotion. Oils for gasoline engines can be chosen independently. However, it is important to consider the viscosity indicated in the instruction manual.

For the right choice, it is useful to look at articles on tests conducted by independent publications. It often happens that the advertised oil in the end shows far from the highest performance, while the average options in the price segment behave very worthily. Therefore, it is recommended to study the information and make a choice on your own, but observing the viscosity grade of the lubricant recommended by the factory when buying.

Flushing: do or not?

A separate topic concerns the question of the need to flush the engine when changing the oil. In short, we can say that if this is necessary, then flushing should be done with the same oil that you will fill the engine with. Avoid using special flushing agents, especially five minutes. They can cause serious damage to your motor.

So, flushing will be required when switching from synthetic to semi-synthetic oil, as well as from semi-synthetic to mineral. When switching fromfrom mineral to semi-synthetic and from semi-synthetic to synthetic, flushing is not required.

If one brand of oil is replaced by another, you should also flush the engine, but again with the product that you will fill the engine with. Flushing will also be required when purchasing a used car with an unknown history, as well as in some other cases.

When replacement is required

It is important to know how many km to change the engine oil. Experts recommend doing this often. Caring for the engine is entirely up to you. At the same time, such durable machines that were produced before, today, alas, are not the same. Manufacturers are not interested in having their product ridden for thirty years or more. They are much more interested in you changing several cars during this time.

Therefore, to make your car last longer, change the oil more often. The manufacturer recommends a certain number of kilometers that you can drive with oil before refueling. But this does not take into account, for example, kilometer-long traffic jams, in which many residents of large cities have to stand daily. Carrying heavy loads will also "eat" more oil than normal driving. Frequent starting and braking, the use of low-quality fluid, express replacement - all this will gradually negatively affect the condition of your car's engine. But fresh oil will be able to extend its life. Don't forget about it!