Hi everybody,

Last week I have purchased a 2007 Fabia with 100k km on the meter. It's the first car I own, and I look forward driving it around with my wife and kid. I enjoy technical stuff, and want to be involved with maintenance myself as much as possible.

There's one thing that confuses me in the manual:

When I check the oil level when cold, it's in the "c" range, which would indicate that I should add some oil. After running the engine some time, due to thermal expansion, the oil gets into range "b", but I'd say lower half of "b". I always thought that oil you check on a level surface when cold. However, the manual says that on vehicles with the 1.2l/47kW engines oil should be checked when warm. I do have a 1.2l engine, but it is 51kW.

What is the correct approach here? I could of course add "a little bit", so that both when hot and cold the oil level sits in "b", but I'd like to know what in the end is the "correct" way of determining this engine's oil level. And why does the manual say that specifically for the 1.2l engine, one should check the oil when warm? How about other engines then, and what is so special about this engine?  Any input, preferably with explanation why, is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Willem

Not when 'warm' 

that is a translation error from Skoda CZ.  In a VW, SEAT Owners manual it can be Hot or Operating Temperature.

 

So on the flat and stop the engine and wait a few minutes.  (a few being several not 10 minutes or more.)

 

Nothing to stop you checking stone cold and know there is enough oil and also after 10 miles or so, or after a journey.

 

Owners manual says 1.2 44kw engine checked 'cold'.

Op must have a mk1 manual, 47kw is the 64ps engine in the mk1. So is it a mk1 or mk2 (changed over in 2007)

 

Afaik, on the mk2 all engines are checked at normal operating temperature after being stood for a few minutes with exception of the 60ps/44kw single cam engine which is checked cold.

 

I have  a 70ps BZG 1.2 HTP engine in our 2009 Fabia. It doesn't seem to matter if you check it hot or cold, virtually identical readings.

This is another with the 'cold' 1.2 44kw  & the 'warm'.  This was posted years back when Mk2 vRS were using oil and Techs were underfilling and over filling engines at Servicing.

Skoda UK told me they would update Owners Manuals and correct the instructions to the same as the Polo & Ibiza Manuals.

Edited 27 January, 20197 yr by Skoffski

Hi guys,

Thanks for the input. It's a 2007 mk2, 51kW 1.2l petrol. It didn't come with a manual, so I found some 2007 manual on manualslib. Disregarding translation mistakes and comparing three different manuals, it appears I'd check my engine oil when warm and after waiting a couple of minutes for oil to drip down. Apparently the comment about reading the engine when cold is specifically about the old Mk1 1.2l engine.

Really do not do 'Warm' 

 that is an error.  when only 2.8, 3.2 litres, 3.6 etc and different engines people might not notice much difference Cold, Warm or Hot.

But so many get it wrong.

 

Warm is what some do after a oil & filter change, leaving a car ticking over 5 minutes.

Operating Oil Temp might be driving 5,6 even 10 miles or more before it is at 80-90*oC.

 

If you know the oil level at Operating Temp and then check that when cold there is never really any need to do Hot / Operating Temp checks.

You can dip oil before going places and know if it is low.

 

First you need to know the correct quantity of oil is in and not trust what someone else put in and then the dip stick shows.

Edited 27 January, 20197 yr by Skoffski