Oil warning light ?

merlin said:
Why didn't you read the manual to get the grade before buying the oil?
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I thought all oils were the same until this dinnertime :(

What's the worst that could happen mixing different grades ?
Surely oil is oil and its gonna lubricate the engine anyway ?
 
Moonpie2 said:
I thought all oils were the same until this dinnertime :(

What's the worst that could happen mixing different grades ?
Surely oil is oil and its gonna lubricate the engine anyway ?
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If that was true why do the manufacturers bother giving us different grades of synthetic and semi-syntectic oils? I'd check my car manual, or give the local garage a ring for some advice first before putting any oil in the car.
 
And for the sake of argument, lets say I can't afford a service for 5 or 6 months.
What happens in the long term ?

Its not gonna get nuked from orbit is it ?
:eek:
 
Moonpie2 said:
I thought all oils were the same until this dinnertime :(

What's the worst that could happen mixing different grades ?
Surely oil is oil and its gonna lubricate the engine anyway ?
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Oil viscosity dermines how thin the oil is. As engine design and machining has improved, components have been manufactured to higher tolerances ie they can be closer together without hitting and hence the oild has to be thinner to get past components. Put oil in that is too thick and it won't get where it needs to go quickly enough, too thin and it'll get past seals and burn off quickly.

Then you have temperature ratings that determine how quickly the oil comes up to temp and it's performance at those temps, again buy the wrong oil and it's often not good for the engine.

If you have just topped up a litre or so you should be ok though, especially if it's just an old banger.
 
Gah !!

Might have to refund this oil and run down to the garage later then.
I can't be doing with public transport 2 days in a row !!

Unless of course I read the manual and it says 15w-40 is fine :)
 
Moonpie2 said:
Gah !!

Might have to refund this oil and run down to the garage later then.
I can't be doing with public transport 2 days in a row !!

Unless of course I read the manual and it says 15w-40 is fine :)
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You haven't said what car it is. The most common oil is 10w 40. I wouldn't worry the slightest if I stuck 15w-40 in there mixed with 10w-40.

The main things you shouldn't do is mix fully synthetic with semi synthetic or mineral. Unless you were running fully synthetic before (which I doubt) Castrol GTX shoud be perfectly fine in there.
 
Daveyboy said:
You DID put the oil in the right hole, not the radiator, didn't you? :D

Only asking as you said you knew nothing
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I saw some numpty at Halfords in a Fiat Bravo put a load of screen wash in his brake fluid reservoir... Told him not to drive it until he had called out someone who could drain it, as it may cause braking issues.

He shrugged and drove off... I hope he's OK.
 
jpmonkey69 said:
I saw some numpty at Halfords in a Fiat Bravo put a load of screen wash in his brake fluid reservoir... Told him not to drive it until he had called out someone who could drain it, as it may cause braking issues.

He shrugged and drove off... I hope he's OK.
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probably not, what an idiot
 
I do worry.

I checked the manual and it said anything from 0w-40 to 10w-40, so I went and got some more.
Its all in there now so there's no going back :cool:

Thanx for all the info, and yes, I did put it in the right hole.
heheh ;)
 
Ive got a mate who complained about how long it took him to top up the oil, he said the hole was tiny, he was trying to fill it up through the dipstick hole
 
Chabsy said:
Ive got a mate who complained about how long it took him to top up the oil, he said the hole was tiny, he was trying to fill it up through the dipstick hole
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lol it must have been going everywhere!
 
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