Engine Oil top up

ikon

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on what engine oil should I buy to top up my 03 SKODA OCTAVIA 1.4 Petrol?

I am confused because I am not sure what type of oil was put in the last time by the garage, and that garage is not in business any more?

The oil level low light is ON in the dashboard.

I would apreciate som advice on this please.

Thanks a million.

Moanin

Is it in the users manual for the car? If not I would guess 10W40 Semi Synthetic?

ikon

Moanin,

Thanks for your reply... user manual specifies SKODA oil... which may be expensive and I am looking for the generic one to top it up.

Is there a problem say the last time when it was topped up with 20W50 and now I top up with 10W40?

Thanks again.

mudakala

ikon wrote: »

Moanin,

Thanks for your reply... user manual specifies SKODA oil... which may be expensive and I am looking for the generic one to top it up.

Is there a problem say the last time when it was topped up with 20W50 and now I top up with 10W40?

Thanks again.

20W50 is well too thick for this car. When you start your car in winter, its wery hard for engine to warm it up. Thats why in sweden they all use 5W-30 or 0W30. This garage just had put the cheapest they had.
10W40 is better, yes.
Best you can do, is start using the fully syntethic oil, if u want to keep this car for long. Fully syntetic can handle cold or hot temperatures well. It cost you more, but you can run expencive syntethyc oil for longer.

ikon

I can go for 10W40... but mixing, if it happens to be the case, is it ok?
To be exact. say the car has 20W50 at the moment and I top it up with 10W40, Would this cause any problem?

Thanks.

HJL

ikon wrote: »

I can go for 10W40... but mixing, if it happens to be the case, is it ok?
To be exact. say the car has 20W50 at the moment and I top it up with 10W40, Would this cause any problem?

Thanks.

It will cause more bigger problems if you dont top it up and it runs out!
There is no way of knowing for sure what the garage used in the last service, but id assume that any half decent garage would have checked that it takes 10w-40 and that is very more than likely what is in it.

Buy a litre of 10w-40, top it up, job done.

Theoretically oils of different grade could seperate, however this would take i would imagine extreme weather conditions which we dont get here.

EDIT: Just to be 100% clear, do not put the full litre of oil into the car at once, put a bit in and check the dip stick as it may only need a cup full amount and overfilling with oil is harmful to an engine as well.

Tea drinker

Not as such - but the fact that 20w50 is in there IS a problem.
But would the garage really have done that (why do you think that)
On modern motors that's a no-no

The other problem is you have a low oil level light - again, mixing oil is a lesser problem than that...

semi synth 10w40 will work as a top up - if it were me I would use mobil1 fully syn 10w40

Some say mixing different brands / grades types is not the best thing - but I doubt the arse will fall out of the engine because of it.

cashmni1

ikon wrote: »

I can go for 10W40... but mixing, if it happens to be the case, is it ok?
To be exact. say the car has 20W50 at the moment and I top it up with 10W40, Would this cause any problem?

Thanks.

For a start, top up the oil level to get the light off on the dash. Use 10/40w.
Next step, change the oil and use 10/40w.
to answer your question, I cannot say, but the mix would be better than having an oil light on the dash.
I would doubt if the garage put in anything other than 10/40w semi synthetic. Why in the hell would they put in 20/50w? They would have no reason to. The 10/40w semi synthetic is very popular and used for most small petrol engines.
Anyway, it won't do damage but you should do an oil change all the same to be sure. you can also get a can of additive that breaks down the oil before you change it. You just add the can (can't remember what its called) into the engine where you add the oil, leave the car idle for 10 min or so, give a few revs - instructions on the can - and this will break down all the oil and gunk in the engine before you change the oil. I have used this changing from semi to fully synthetic oil in my car.
Worked well.

mudakala

mudakala wrote: »

20W50 is well too thick for this car. When you start your car in winter, its wery hard for engine to warm it up. Thats why in sweden they all use 5W-30 or 0W30. This garage just had put the cheapest they had.
10W40 is better, yes.
Best you can do, is start using the fully syntethic oil, if u want to keep this car for long. Fully syntetic can handle cold or hot temperatures well. It cost you more, but you can run expencive syntethyc oil for longer.

.

Any semisynthethyc oil will mix well. Dont worry about this. But yes, better, if u change the oil all together, and put in the 10w-40 if u like and change it regularry.

ikon

Thanks very much for all the replies... got it sorted. Topped it up with 10w40.

thanks.