MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: Blake-R on October 30, 2010, 12:55:29 am

Title: Drinking Oil
Post by: Blake-R on October 30, 2010, 12:55:29 am
Just after some advice, my car seems to be drinking oil pretty quickly. I've topped it up quite a few times since owning the car and my top up light has just come on again after having the car serviced only 2 months ago, which including a full oil change! This just seems way to soon? I don't drive the car hard at all, every now and again I will give it a good blast but that's like once a week at most. My old type R didn't even drink oil like this.

Does this sound right?
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: edd666999 on October 30, 2010, 01:57:02 am
when i 1st got mine it was using 1litre every 800miles!

vw say anything more than a litre in 600miles is an issue!

My car has started behaving recently though!

+ i wouldn't wait for that light to come on! its not good for the car, check it every week.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: 182_blue on October 30, 2010, 06:07:43 am
Not helpfull i know but i neer had to top the Edition 30 up
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: LouCyffer on October 30, 2010, 07:08:09 am
Mine uses a litre ever 2500miles. As Edd says, as long as it's less consumption than one litre per 600 miles that's normal.  :rolleye:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: xxx_mojo_xxx on October 30, 2010, 08:29:16 am
I have to top mine with a litre every so often.  I don't mind as it's fresh oil with the cleaning agents...
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: vRStu on October 30, 2010, 08:43:10 am
Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.  Keep an eye on it.

I've owned several TFSi engines now and I find that if you top them right up they will burn it off until they find a level and then it stays there.  Keep topping up and it'll keep burning it.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 04:21:31 pm
@Blake-R - we need to know a few specifics about your car.  How old, how many miles, what oil is used in it, and what service regime is it on?


Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.
I can't really agree with that.  OK, your method may be fine for trundling up and down straightish roads, but if you are inclined in giving it the beans in the twisties, then endeavoring to keep it topped up to the max is strongly advised.


Keep an eye on it.
Now that - I DO agree with. :happy2:


I've owned several TFSi engines now and I find that if you top them right up they will burn it off until they find a level and then it stays there.  Keep topping up and it'll keep burning it.
The reason the TSFI engines burn oil (along with other engines) is simply that they are not yet (or have not) been correctly run in.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: martziniuk on October 31, 2010, 04:56:33 pm
@Blake-R - we need to know a few specifics about your car.  How old, how many miles, what oil is used in it, and what service regime is it on?


Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.
I can't really agree with that.  OK, your method may be fine for trundling up and down straightish roads, but if you are inclined in giving it the beans in the twisties, then endeavoring to keep it topped up to the max is strongly advised.


Keep an eye on it.
Now that - I DO agree with. :happy2:


I've owned several TFSi engines now and I find that if you top them right up they will burn it off until they find a level and then it stays there.  Keep topping up and it'll keep burning it.
The reason the TSFI engines burn oil (along with other engines) is simply that they are not yet (or have not) been correctly run in.
It just seems strange that this engine in particular burns a lot of oil when for example I have hardly ever heard of oil being burnt on the old 1.8T 20v engines.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: gazbutS3 on October 31, 2010, 05:01:41 pm
doesn't help the OP, but I've had 3 TFSI engine'd cars and none of them has ever used any oil, maybe its my driving style :smiley:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 05:37:44 pm
@Blake-R - we need to know a few specifics about your car.  How old, how many miles, what oil is used in it, and what service regime is it on?


Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.
I can't really agree with that.  OK, your method may be fine for trundling up and down straightish roads, but if you are inclined in giving it the beans in the twisties, then endeavoring to keep it topped up to the max is strongly advised.


Keep an eye on it.
Now that - I DO agree with. :happy2:


I've owned several TFSi engines now and I find that if you top them right up they will burn it off until they find a level and then it stays there.  Keep topping up and it'll keep burning it.
The reason the TSFI engines burn oil (along with other engines) is simply that they are not yet (or have not) been correctly run in.
It just seems strange that this engine in particular burns a lot of oil when for example I have hardly ever heard of oil being burnt on the old 1.8T 20v engines.
Many 'latest specification' designed engines use a lot of oil until run in.  The reason for this is simply down to the way the cylinder bores are honed.  Whilst the FSI engines share the same fundamental block as the 1.8 20vT engines - the honeing processes are quite different.  Its even worse on alloy blocks, especially with 'cold-blasted etched honing' - my last S4 took 13k miles before the oil consumption dropped to next to nothing.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 05:38:29 pm
doesn't help the OP, but I've had 3 TFSI engine'd cars and none of them has ever used any oil, maybe its my driving style :smiley:
Drive it like you stole it, eh? :grin:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: winrya on October 31, 2010, 05:54:41 pm
Mine used a litre in the first 15,000 miles, nothing from 15-30k, and then half a litre from 30-40k and for the past 5k it hasn't used a drop. The oil on the 30-40k service was obviously not liked? Was certainly supposed to be castrol edge long life oil, maybe they used the none longlife oil and charged me for the good stuff?

Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: gazbutS3 on October 31, 2010, 06:05:47 pm
doesn't help the OP, but I've had 3 TFSI engine'd cars and none of them has ever used any oil, maybe its my driving style :smiley:
Drive it like you stole it, eh? :grin:

not all the time, but always warmed up and run-down :happy2:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: john_o on October 31, 2010, 06:27:40 pm
I presume its also worth checking the PCV function.
Mine doesnt use any oil either, although I didnt hang about running it in, like gaz,  caution when cold but use it as intended when warm  :happy2:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Blake-R on October 31, 2010, 06:30:57 pm
Thanks for all the replies guys. Ok few things that may help, the car has done around 32k miles so easily run in, it's a 57 plate, oil used is castrol edge long life, and it's last service was at 30k, think that's the third service? Like gazbuts3 I always warm the car up for a good 10-15 minutes before I give it a boot, that's if I do that is and also run the car down too. I topped it up with a litre today so gonna keep a good eye on it.

Cheers for the help  :happy2:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: martziniuk on October 31, 2010, 07:15:36 pm
The running in process and high oil consumption would certainly make sense on mine, it's an ex company car which had covered 79k in 2.5 years, I presume most of this was motorway driving and hence not thrashed. I want the old way of honeing back  :party:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Nick S on October 31, 2010, 08:43:22 pm
Whats the top up light?  When my light has come on its been ridiculously low i.e MIN on the dipstick.  I wouldn't wait for this to come on to top up
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Saint Steve on October 31, 2010, 08:49:02 pm
Not helpfull i know but i neer had to top the Edition 30 up

proberly diluted with Super unleaded mixture then  :laugh:

I must have a very sick pup,  but normally good on the dyno,  not lacking in power ( if the maps installed of course  :ashamed:) but will drink 2 litres between annual services.

My cars running in, i wasnt responcible for, but i do know it lived on the motorway for its 1st 17k in 12 months.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: vRStu on October 31, 2010, 09:36:28 pm

Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.
I can't really agree with that.  OK, your method may be fine for trundling up and down straightish roads, but if you are inclined in giving it the beans in the twisties, then endeavoring to keep it topped up to the max is strongly advised.

I don't follow your logic TT.  The Max is a maximum not a target, likewise the Min is the minimum - Anywhere in between is fair game.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 09:56:31 pm
the car has done around 32k miles so easily run in,
Not necessarily so.  If it has been driven like a granny, never going above 4,000rpm for those 32k miles - then it still needs running in.


it's a 57 plate, oil used is castrol edge long life, and it's last service was at 30k, think that's the third service? Like gazbuts3 I always warm the car up for a good 10-15 minutes before I give it a boot, that's if I do that is and also run the car down too. I topped it up with a litre today so gonna keep a good eye on it.
OK, sounds like you know how to treat a car correctly, and sounds like it has been on T&D, but with LL blood. :happy2:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 09:59:02 pm
Whats the top up light?  When my light has come on its been ridiculously low i.e MIN on the dipstick.  I wouldn't wait for this to come on to top up
Exactly - when it reaches the min, you have effectively lost at least 20% of your lubricant - not good.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 31, 2010, 10:12:26 pm

Don't top it right up, as long as it is between the max and min it's fine.
I can't really agree with that.  OK, your method may be fine for trundling up and down straightish roads, but if you are inclined in giving it the beans in the twisties, then endeavoring to keep it topped up to the max is strongly advised.

I don't follow your logic TT.  The Max is a maximum not a target, likewise the Min is the minimum - Anywhere in between is fair game.
Strange logic!  I certainly can not agree that it is 'fair game'.

The engine was specifically designed to run with 4.6 litres in the sump - which is the max on the dipstick.  At the minimum level on the dipstick, there will only be 3.6 litres in the sump - that is a loss of more than 20%!!!  Would you agree that loosing 20% of your engines coolant was acceptable?  Or how about super unleaded, but with a 20% loss of octane rating.  Maybe you like running your tyres with 20% less pressure?  Or maybe how about buying a 200bhp GTI, but with 20% of the power missing.

I'm not questioning the fact that an engine has a dipstick with minimum and maximum levels (usually for lazy sh!ts who CBA to open the bonnet every weekend) - but the minimum (nor anywhere near it) should NEVER be an acceptable way to manage your oil level.


You could ask any professional mech/tech, any race team tech, any engine builder - and they should all state that the oil level needs keeping as close to the max as possible.  I personally get annoyed with myself if I ever need to add more than 250ml to top up.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: vRStu on October 31, 2010, 10:22:17 pm
I still don't agree TT.  If that engine was designed to run with 4.6 litres in the sump and nothing less, you wouldn't have a max min level would you - You'd just have a level.

I am a professional engineer, so you ask me and I'll tell you I think you're wrong.

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.checkthatcar.com%2Fdipstick.gif&hash=adf2d89ee407be7548a1a1a3f748f1e976f35db7)
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: martziniuk on October 31, 2010, 10:24:08 pm
To be fair TT we're talking within the manufacturers tolerance as far as min/max is concerned. If you're within min/max of the antifreeze, oil etc then it's fine, we're not percentages.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Pablos007 on November 01, 2010, 01:04:04 pm
I bought mine at around 47k miles and I had to top up with 0.5 litres every 1,500 miles until it hit around 53k - 54k miles.  Since then it hasn't needed topping up!!  :happy2:

I always warm it up before giving it full throttle, but after that it gets well used on the lanes between home & work, with regular motorway runs most weeks....
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Blake-R on December 20, 2010, 11:31:35 am
Ok back onto the old oil thread. So i wanted to see how long it took to drink another litre of oil so again, maybe very stupid but i waited for the oil light to come on (for test purposes) to get an idea of how long it has lasted. So after topping up with a 1ltr bottle of Castrol Edge, i've covered around 1150 miles and the oil light has come on again, this is with a mixture of driving, and always being warmed up and down.

Does this sound normal?.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: MAT ED30 on December 20, 2010, 11:34:33 am
simple answer no and you should never ever wait for the light to come on as thats telling you its empty and you might end up burning your engine up from oil starvation  :scared: 
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: TonyZed on December 20, 2010, 12:13:54 pm
simple answer no and you should never ever wait for the light to come on as thats telling you its empty and you might end up burning your engine up from oil starvation  :scared: 

The oil light is not telling you that it is empty, although it could be.  :scared:

It is not an oil level light, it is an oil pressure warning light, which could come on if the oil level was low, but it could come on if the oil was full but the pressure was lost for another reason. It does mean stop driving until you have found the reason it came on. This could be low oil, blocked filter, faulty oil pump or anything else.

Driving without oil pressure can be terminal!! :sad1:

TonyZ
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: MAT ED30 on December 20, 2010, 12:16:57 pm
i would be checking the oil filter is on tight first as i have noticed on some of the cars i have bought in the past they are not tight at all ie crazy loose  :scared:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Pablos007 on December 20, 2010, 12:46:07 pm
i would be checking the oil filter is on tight first as i have noticed on some of the cars i have bought in the past they are not tight at all ie crazy loose  :scared:
Mine has stopped using oil since the last service, they noticed that the old filter wasn't fully tightened up!!  :surprised:
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: ub7rm on December 20, 2010, 01:10:30 pm
simple answer no and you should never ever wait for the light to come on as thats telling you its empty and you might end up burning your engine up from oil starvation  :scared: 

The oil light is not telling you that it is empty, although it could be.  :scared:

It is not an oil level light, it is an oil pressure warning light, which could come on if the oil level was low, but it could come on if the oil was full but the pressure was lost for another reason. It does mean stop driving until you have found the reason it came on. This could be low oil, blocked filter, faulty oil pump or anything else.

Driving without oil pressure can be terminal!! :sad1:

TonyZ

The GTI at least does have two lights, oil level and oil pressure.  There is a seperate and distint oil level sensor in the sump.  If its the oil level warning then things are no where near as severe as oil pressure but agree that you should not rely on this.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: tony_danza on December 20, 2010, 01:21:52 pm
That consumption is really odd, mine never used a drop.

You've either got a leak or the PCV is blowing past and the engine is simply burning it. Both need looking at ASAP.
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: Blake-R on December 20, 2010, 04:55:15 pm
Thanks again for the replies. As i said i wouldn't normally do this, i was simply doing it as a test to see if there was an issue! Now i know i seriously need to get this checked out. It's definitely not an Oil pressure light as it shows up on the dash saying check Oil Level! What a pain in the ass!
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: candy turbo on December 20, 2010, 05:44:48 pm
i had my ed30 for 2 years and only had 8k miles when i sold it , so not really run in , always warmed and cooled not driven hard but used when in the mood  :evilgrin: and never used a drop of oil , neither did my octavia vrs (2.0tfsi model) i had before or my S3 which followed the ed 30
i would suggest getting it check out cause i would say all is not right
Title: Re: Drinking Oil
Post by: edd666999 on December 21, 2010, 05:59:40 pm
I disagree my car used that amount of oil, but after topping it up a few times stopped using oil. Loads of people have the same consumption as you described. My car used 2.5litres in 2500 miles when I 1st got it. As long as its not more than 1litre every 600miles VW have said its normal for that engine