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Your engine has a lot of moving parts, which means a lot of parts rubbing against each other, very quickly, in a very hot environment. Without good lubrication, this creates a lot of friction and wear and tear — to the point where you engine will completely seize up (which is really expensive to fix).
That’s where engine oil comes in. It provides that lubrication, and protects all those moving parts. But it can only do this if it has enough oil, and that oil is fresh. (Old oil gets a build-up of contaminants, and doesn’t lubricate as well.)
There’s no gauge for engine oil, so you have to check it regularly — once every couple of months.
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1 2 Locate your car’s dipstick (normally identified by a yellow ‘ring pull’) and slowly remove it. Try not to let it flick when the tip leaves the guide tube, and you could end up with oil splattered everywhere. Also, pay particular attention to where the dipstick is coming from, because you’ll have to reinsert it in a second, and it doesn’t work the same if you stick it in the exhaust pipe. 3 Wipe all the oil off the dipstick with a tissue, paper-towel, rag or the neighbour’s dog, then reinsert it into the guide tube fully. Check the level of oil on the dipstick against the marked guides. The guides will normally say something like: “Low/Add”, “OK” and “Full”. These indicators show you the safe level of oil required. 4 If the level is too low or, worse, there’s no oil on the dipstick at all, you’ll have to top it up. Check your vehicle’s manual to see what type of engine oil it requires. Always use the recommended oil, otherwise you can damage your engine and even void your car’s warranty. Also avoid mixing different sorts of oils for the same reason. (You can mix different brands, so long as they’re the same type, usually identified by a code in your vehicle’s manual and on the oil bottle.) 5 Once you’ve identified the correct oil to use, and you have some ready to go, locate the engine oil reservoir cap. It will usually be labelled with something cryptic, like “Engine Oil”, or it’ll have a picture of an oil can on it. 6 Remove the reservoir cap, insert a funnel, hold onto it, and slowly pour some oil in. If your oil bottle is rectangular (like those big 4 litre ones), it’s a good idea to turn it on its side to pour, because then it will pour in a steadier flow. 7 Don’t overfill the reservoir. More is NOT better than less; it can damage your engine too. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell, while you’re pouring, if you’ve added enough or too much, so just do a bit at a time. It’s a question of trial-and-error. Pour in less than you think you’ll need — say for 5-10 seconds — then stop, and re-check the oil level. If it’s still too low, pour a little bit more in, and so on. 8 If you do happen to put in too much oil (exceed the maximum marker), drain a bit out by removing the sump plug. If you don’t already know how to do this, you should probably call your local AHG service centre, rather than attempting it.) 9 Remove the funnel and immediately wrap the pointy end with your rag, tissue or paper-towel, to stop it dripping oil everywhere. |
IMPORTANT: If you vehicle is low on oil, don’t drive it anywhere. Not even to your local service centre or auto shop to buy oil or for a service! Even a short trip with low engine oil could end up costing you thousands of dollars in vehicle repairs. Instead, call your local AHG dealership and organise a mobile mechanic to come to you.
Next section — Check your battery…
© 2012, Automotive Holdings Group Limited
Ensure the engine is cold and your car is parked on a flat, level surface. (This is very important, because if your car is on an angle or slope, you won’t get an accurate reading of your oil level in step 3 below.)