Oil usage in Fabia VRS

[frankfassi]

The low oil warning light popped on the other day when my wife was getting the kids to school.

She rung me and I told her to drive straight to VW which was only about 2 k's away.

The guys from VW said that is was normal (what a suprise) and topped up the oil. I have been checking it again a few days later but nothing. Now about 3 weeks later the oil is down again to about half of the recommendet level. Any of you guys experienced the same? Thirstly little VRS. The car has less than 5000k's on the clock. As a comparison my 1.4 l Alfa has also a turbo but never needs topping up oil. The oil gets changed every15k but nothing in between. I drive it pretty hard and travel about 100k's a week. Love the VRS and don't mind topping up the oil however just want to make sure nothing is wrong with the beast.

[frankfassi]

The low oil warning light popped on the other day when my wife was getting the kids to school.

She rung me and I told her to drive straight to VW which was only about 2 k's away.

The guys from VW said that is was normal (what a suprise) and topped up the oil. I have been checking it again a few days later but nothing. Now about 3 weeks later the oil is down again to about half of the recommendet level. Any of you guys experienced the same? Thirstly little VRS. The car has less than 5000k's on the clock. As a comparison my 1.4 l Alfa has also a turbo but never needs topping up oil. The oil gets changed every15k but nothing in between. I drive it pretty hard and travel about 100k's a week. Love the VRS and don't mind topping up the oil however just want to make sure nothing is wrong with the beast.

meantto say1000ks a week

[Sparkly]

Frank, there is a wealth of info on here on the oil usage, just use the search function to pull up some of the threads.

What I will say is that the bad experiences some people have experienced and the amount it is discussed on here will almost certainly be enough to send you into a flat panic, it did me. However with a bit of reading and chatting to people on here I tried various dip methods and realised mine was 'using' well less than spec.

If your car is new it will use a bit more, but as I said, there is a lot of info on here, and that will give you the tools to monitor your cars usage and say with confidence if it is or is not using more than it should. For now don't worry too much that something's wrong not at least until you can categorically say that it is.

Also, I'm sure some of the more technically gifted types will be along soon to point you in the right direction.

[Ootohere]

The best thing is to know how to check the oil level, then try to be running it with 3.6 litres of oil.

This is one of the long threads on Briskoda, you will find many many others,

 

the VW Polo GTI Australian forum runs to 85 pages on the same engine & High OIl Consumption.

This on Briskoda

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/265770-legal-action-vs-vw-australia

 

Hopefully all is fine,

just be sure to check the oil, the engine should now be run in.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/252759-fabia-vrs-fix

 

george

[redtop170]

Hi had my car 4 months done 4500 miles used only 700ml of oil which i think is normal for a new engine  and i have thrashed it from new

[Ootohere]

franfassi,  any updates?

[James I]

I went through all the dealer visits for oil consumption tests, we got as far as a breather modification and a re map done by the dealer, we then went off and did a track day, engine bouncing off the limiter for most of the day and since then I have only topped up about 1/4 of a litre in the last 8 months.

 

 Use it and you will improve it.

[redtop170]

i agree with James I drive it like you stole it my car has used 800ml in 4960 miles  done 4 track days as well bouncing of limiter

[garyallen]

I have recently purchased a VRS unaware of the "oil" issue. My car is 2010 with 35,000 miles.  I have this evening checked my car after bringing the oil up to temperature and then left it to sit for ten minutes. Upper orange marker had oil showing, hatched area mostly dry and lower orange marker showing oil - how should I interpret this result?  Why is the checking system different for the 1.2 TSI engine?

Apart from my potential concern regarding the above the car is superb; DSG box excellent and also nicely judged ride despite low profile tyres.

 

[Ootohere]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Did you bring it up to normal running temperature, by driving it and it getting to near 80*oC?

Then 5 minutes will be long enough before you dip it.

 

It is not just a case of warming up the oil for a few minutes to do a hot check.

 

Once totally cold oil, after a few hours on not running the engine, 

dip it and see where the cold oil dip stick level is,

& let us know.

 

The dipstick goes down into the Oil in the sump.

There really can only be the stick dipping in the oil.

(What was higher up the stick was coming from the tube the dipstick is in.)

 

The difference of the Cold Dip is almost all oil is back down in  the sump.

The Hot Dip still has about 0.5 Litres in the Oil Filter and around the engine.

The hot dip is the level you need to know,

but once you know where that is with 3.6 litres in,

then you know where the Cold Dip level will be.

(possibly above the cross hatched area, 'Area A', and near the top Orange Marker.)

 

The owners manual tell you to check all the engines with warm oil,

other than the 1.2 ltr 44 kW (60 ps) which it says to check when cold.

page 168

**VW Owners manuals for the same engines says, check at normal operating temperature, so a different translation,

& as it is for Owners, possible different result.**

 

george

[garyallen]

Thanks George, very useful reply.  Today I added 1/2 litre of Castrol Edge to car and reading is half way up hatched area when oil is warm.  If I have read your reply correctly this will leave room for 1/2 litre further drainage whilst oil is fully cooling.  Assuming car was at correct level (top of hatched area?) when I collected it this would mean it has used 1/2 litre of oil in 987 miles - is this reasonable?

I have decided to keep a log of oil consumption for future reference.

[Ootohere]

When doing a 'Hot Check', i would want the oil in the top 1/3 of the Cross hatched Area.  (Area A),  but not above the top of the Cross hatch.

*Just do not overfill.  the checks can give differing readings,

do not stress over it, just find a level place to park and do your checks after a somilar drive until you are sure things are fine.

 

Then if that is checked when Stone Cold,  that will probably show above the Cross Hatch.

But that is how it should be.

If you know where it is Cold, then thats good for doing a dip at home before a trip and not needing to bother doing it when you arrive some place.

 

0.5 in getting on for 1000 miles seems OK,

It might have been running with Oil a bit low, and once you have the correct amount in , see how it is.

Skoda say you may use 0.5 in 1000 km, (621 miles), but it depends on how used, and short trips might use some and long trips use nothing.

& some cars virtually use nothing ever.

Hopefully your car  is fine.

 

Did the car get a ECU update at any point,

it should have had if it is a 2010? If not at the First Service, at the 24 month Inspection Service.

Then at 3 years old, a Brake Fluid Change.

Spark Plugs are scheduled for change at 40,000 miles. but it could be worth having them done sooner.

 

george

[garyallen]

Oil level at cold is just over half way up hatched area. Is this ok? anyone got suggestions for quiet tyres?

[Ootohere]

It sounds like not enough oil in if it is a 1.4 TSI Twincharger.

 

Where is it with a Hot check, engine up to normal running temperature,

about 80*oC or above, stop on the level and dip after 5 minutes.

[garyallen]

Revised oil level readings on my Fabia 2 VRS :

 

On cold check oil level is just over half way up hatched area.

On hot check (oil temp at 83 degrees car stopped for 5 minutes) oil level is slightly under half way up hatched area.

 

Are these satisfactory levels?

[Ootohere]

Not really. But that is just my Opinion.            

 

Seems a bit low. Might need 0.5 litres in.  ** First try putting 0.25 litres**

 

Best look at the Owners Manual and see 'Area A'.  Page 167

 

 

Do not have it above the Cross Hatch on a Hot Dip.

Just below this is ideal really.

[garyallen]

A further quarter litre Castrol Edge added and following revised readings observed:

 

Cold level at top of hatched area.

Hot level just slightly over half way on hatched area.

Mileage logged.

 

I think I will go with these levels and see how the car performs.

Special thanks to sk4gw for his interest and prompt responses.

[VRSMick]

Just to let you all know asda are doing a litre of the castrol edge for 12 quid.

[Ootohere]

That is a crazy high price.

 

I still have a cupboard full from Home Bargain selling at £6.99 a litre.  5w 40 not the 5w 30, but fine.

 

If pouring Oil into a vRS while waiting for a replacement engine and not getting oil from Skoda,

the Asda Branded 5w 30 Full Synthetic is the correct Spec and usually a good price on 2 or 4 litres.

[VRSMick]

Beats the halfords price of 19.99 and 15.99 with trade card though.

[tonyfvrs]

What I can't understand is if a cold dip and fill to top of the hatched portion of the dipstick gives a lower level when hot, why not forget the hot dip method with all its variables, like how hot is hot and how long is a few minutes and use the cold method always.

It would appear that the cold method could never result in overfilling.

Tony :wonder:

[OzFabia]

It might result in under-filling, though. Given you are starting from a lower (1/2L less?) "base", you may be a litre or more down by the time you get around to topping up.

 

Better might be a revised dipstick that shows the correct level when cold. Then again, Skoda (or the VAG) might be afraid that people will work out exactly how much oil its engines use. The current method has, as you say, plenty of variability and, to be frank, such an art to it that few people could be entirely certain.

Edited 4 January, 2014 by OzFabia

[Ally_bassman]

It just makes you think that how many people are over filling their cars and thus the high consumption is perceived worse than it is because the cars are just burning off excess oil?? I tend to check mine every 1000 miles or so, my oil consumption is not consistent giving me the suspicion that the perceived level on the dipstick is not always a true indication.

[Ootohere]

Re a cold dip,

3.6 litres of oil has the oil above the cross hatched area, and near the top orange marker on every Oil Change i do.

 

We go through this so often.

If you have picked up a new car, or recently collected a car from the garage, and had an oil and filter change,

do a cold dip and see where the oil is on the stick.

All in the Sump. Or it should be.

 

The Hot Dip has 0.5 litres around the engine and in the oil filter and why it shows a level lower on the dip stick.

All oil is not back in the Sump with a Hot Check.

 

** The dip stick in a vRS that has the Cross Hatch and goes down the top into a Sump of a car with a 3.6 litre capacity,

is the identical Dipstick that goes down the tube into the sump of cars with 3.9 litre oil capacity..

There is a bit of a difference.

People with 1.2 TSI Engines seem to have no problem dipping the cars oil and getting a proper reading.

 

I just like the 'Zabozuma test' before a trip to see there is enough oil.

Dip it cold, it should be above the Cross Hatch.

Start the engine and stop right away. (oil is now in the Filter Housing)

Dip it, it should be just below the cross hatch,

same place as if you do a hot dip later once you have hot oil.

[garyallen]

I have now used the"Zabozuma" test as employed by sk4gw.

Oil cold and the level is exactly at the top of the hatched area.

Switch on and off and check level at once- oil is exactly at the bottom of the hatched area.

Therefore a reasonable asssumption would be that the hatched area is equivalent to approximately 0.5 litres.

 

My wife thinks I have "lost the plot";  I have never checked the oil in my car as often; a real shame as it spoils a super wee car.