Oils Aint Oils

[mattman]

Or are they?

Anyway.. on to the point of the thread, I'm a complete noob with this! First car and I know nothing

I've got about an inch on the dipstick, I don't know what is in there. The service ctr at the dealer I got it from use magnatec, but I'd have to check if they actually did an oil change on it.

Now my question, is it going to hurt the engine by just chucking in some new oil if it's not the same as what's in there now? Or should I get it booked in for an oil/filter change? (if i can't confirm with the service ctr).

Thanks in advance!

 

[Scooter79]

Hey mattman,

One way to check if the dealer has done an oil change on the car is to look at the oil filter. It should be pretty clean on the outside. Also the oil on the dipstick should be nice and clean and look like a 'film' of oil. Not think and black or sludgy or lumpy.

What do you mean by "chucking in new oil"? Do you mean topping it up with a different brand, or draining empty then using a different brand? Never ever mix oils. Thats a no no. Changing brands is ok as long as you fully drain the old stuff and new filter. I can recommend Castrol GTX2. My VS engine is 382,000k's old and all original. I change my oil and filter at every 5000k's.

You should really learn to do simple things like changing oil yourself. Ask a friend or someone who knows how to do it if your're unsure about anything. 5 litres of oil is only around $20 and an oil filter about $8. A dealer will charge you about $60 or $70. All you need is a 19mm socket or ring spanner to undo the sump plug and drain into a pan. Hope this helps.

 

[mattman]

It was nice and clean when I got it a couple of months ago.. it's turned a little black, maybe that's just because there's not heaps in there.

I'm not really confident doing it myself, nor do i have the tools, so I'll ask the dealer (hopefully they have this stuff on record) and see if they did an oil change, if not I'll get it booked in hopefully for the weekend.. They did put a "next oil change" sticker on, but it's not due for another 4500k's and no way is it going to last.

 

[Scooter79]

Mattman, How many K's are on the car? Only a few thousand after I do my oil change it stats to go black too. But my engine is getting on in age and also uses a bit of oil too. Thats why I change my oil frequently. Keeps the car happy It might be worth your while investing an a Gregory's manual. Around $40 but are the best purchase you can make. Tools aren't that expensive either. A simple set of metric spanners from Bunnings will only set you back about $25. If you're only doing basic maintenance theres no need to spend hundreds on tools. I've saved thousands over the years by doing basic maintenance on my VS. Things like oil, radiator, transmission, diff, fuel pump.... I'm still not confident enough to do brakes yet... But VR's and VS's are the easiest to work on. It's worth considering. If you still think you want to get a mechanic to do the work then try find yourself a credible independant one... Ones that will be happy to let you look under your own car while it's on a hoist and show you stuff. Hard to find but they do exist. Where about you from?

 

[mattman]

In Adelaide, I know a good mechanic (workmates family) but they are a bit of a hike from here, or I have a Holden 200m down the road.

Engine has done 155k.. so getting on a bit.

I'll give holden a call in a sec and see if they did do the oil, if so i'll just top up for now and have a proper look when it gets closer to 160k.

 

[fitzy2005]

buy a socket and rachet from any auto shop, along with a oil filter, oil and a car manual, you will save lots doing this type of stuff yourself because remember needs changing every 10 000km. cheers

 

[mattman]

Service ctr was able to confirm Magnatec 15W30

I know it's nothing special but it'll do for a top up.

 

[sircruisealotVS]

just be carefull "toppin up" your oil...because technically you shouldnt need to.
sure,check the levels regularly, but if it aint broke,dont fix it (as the saying goes).
alot of people fall into the trap of topping up oil even when its full,which can do more harm than good...if your oil as at the neccessary level (at either hot or cold,depending when you check it) then its fine and doesnt need any more attention than a check of levels now and again.

 

[mattman]

1" on the dipstick cold... with 4500k to the next scheduled change (160,000).

I think ima top it up

 

[Scooter79]

Service ctr was able to confirm Magnatec 15W30

I know it's nothing special but it'll do for a top up.

Castrol make very good oil. I use castrol myself. But 15W30 viscosity seems a little too thin for a VR and VS. The service manual recommends a 20W50. Next time I do an oil change I'm going for a ?W60 because it's getting on and using a fair bit. I think you should just top it up and keep an eye on it til next service. Can't hurt till then. Did your car come with a log book and service history?




... just looking at the Castrol Website, Magnatec is a 10W40 viscosity