Losing oil

[ChrisE]

My Cup is dropping in oil level quite quickly, and its quite intermittent.

I topped it up a litre on new years eve and it looks like it might need topping up another litre again.

Anyone hazard a guess as to whether it may be a leak or, dare i mention, the piston rings...??

Help much appreciated

Chris

 

[Dan@SJM]

any signs of oil anywhere? how many miles have you done since topping it up?

 

[ChrisE]

Ive done about 1000 miles since yet, it doesnt always do it. One minute its fine and the next it drops quite quickly, which kinda leads me to believe its a leak. or maybe the wrong grade of oil, 10w 40 good enough?

 

[Dan@SJM]

10 40 is fine, 1000 miles per litre is fine. renault specify 1l per 600!

 

[ChrisE]

it does need a service, is that guna affect the oil consumption?

 

[mackemalk]

Is there any sign of a leak? Anything on the ground where you park it overnight? If it is leaking I'd recommend getting it checked out soon as - see my post on dephaser unit!!!!

Don't want to worry you without need but better safe than sorry m8

 

[ChrisE]

Where is that located?

 

[edde]

You need to find where its leaking form realy.

 

[ChrisE]

is it likely to be piston rings on a 3 year old car tho?

 

[Dan 172]

Mine used about 1 litre of oil when I first had the car on about 20k every couple of thousand.

Since the 24k service, (i'm now on 32k) it's probably only used about 500ml.

What's the mileage?

 

[ChrisE]

nearly 28k mate... so u think its the service it needs? hoping to get it in for its 24k service soon, as it had a service at 17k aswell as 12k.

 

[Dan 172]

It's strange that mine did it for a while around the similar mileage as yours and now it has stopped using so much.

The only thing I noticed that Renault dealer who changed the oil before I had it on the 12k service used 10w40, and good old SJ Cooks used 5w40 on my 24k service.

It could be worth the price of a oil change with 5w40, to see if it makes a difference.

 

[ChrisE]

just had a look round the engine bay. found oil round the back of the head above the manifold. like it was leaking out of a gasket... seems strange :S

 

[christurbo]

No thats out of where the bolts hold the head in under the plenam - they all do that.

You need to check under the car for oil drips and or spots on the driveway.

 

[benji&eka]

if its not had an oil change for a while, give it one, they all tend to use more oil when the oil is old and fucked