How to Add Engine Oil to Your Car
While each car may be slightly different, anyone can add oil on their own as long as they’re careful and aren’t afraid of getting dirty. Note that adding oil is not the same as changing it. If the oil turns black, it still needs to be replaced.
Check Engine Oil
Check the engine oil after turning off the engine for 5 minutes. Checking the oil as soon as the engine is turned off will not give an accurate reading because the oil has not had time to flow back into the oil pan. In addition, park the car on a flat road and do not check the oil on a slope.
- Many car manufacturers now require that the engine oil be checked after 3-5 minutes of warming the car. If in any doubt, check your vehicle owner’s manual.
- For safety reasons, check your engine oil every month. If you have to drive long distances, check more frequently.
Open the car hood. There is usually a small lever or button near the driver’s seat that can be pulled or pressed to unlock and pop up the hood. Reach under the hood to find another small lever, usually located in the middle, and press in to open the hood completely.
Find the car’s oil dipstick. It usually has a yellow tab and is marked “OIL”. Even without a label, it’s not hard to find. The oil dipstick is a long metal strip that is inserted into the oil pan from the oil dipstick tube to determine the oil level in the engine based on the position of the oil stain. The oil dipstick is located toward the front and has a brightly colored pull tab so you can easily pull it out without getting your hands dirty.
Pull out the oil dipstick and wipe it clean with a dry cloth. When the engine is running, the oil will splash upward. So you need to wipe it clean and plug it back in to get an accurate reading. Pay attention to the scale near the middle or bottom of the dipstick, which is usually marked with dots, lines, cross-hatched squares, or slightly curved points. The highest mark is “Full Oil” and the oil stain should be between the two lines.
Reinsert the oil dipstick and pull it out to check for oil traces. Pay attention to the location of the oil stain. The closer to the top of the scale, the better. However, there is no need to add oil unless the oil mark is at or below the minimum mark.
- If the oil stain is very close to the lowest mark and you are not sure whether to add oil, you can continue driving and check the oil again after 2-3 weeks.
Observe the appearance of the engine oil. The oil may be light brown at first, but as the engine runs, the oil heats up and some impurities seep into the oil during the combustion cycle, causing it to deepen in color. The color of the oil also depends on the mileage. For example, if you drive an old car and drive about 8,000 kilometers per month, your car may consume about 950 ml of engine oil per month.
- If the engine oil is milky or white, the coolant may be leaking, and be sure to call a technician for repair immediately.
- If there are metal particles or debris in the engine oil, call a technician for repair immediately.
- If your engine oil looks dirty or like sludge, it’s time to get a new one.
- If you have to add engine oil every two to three weeks or one to two months, your car may have an oil leak.
Choose the Right Engine Oil
Use the engine oil recommended in your vehicle owner’s manual. Most of the time, just following the oil recommendations in your vehicle’s owner’s manual is all you need, but there’s more to buying oil than that. Understanding what the various numbers and grades on the oil package mean can help you be a better consumer and keep your car running smoothly.
Understand what engine oil viscosity is. Viscosity refers to the “thickness” or resistance to the flow of a liquid. High-viscosity liquids are less likely to flow because they are thicker. For example, yogurt is more viscous than milk. The viscosity of engine oil consists of 2 sets of values, such as 10W-30 or 20W-50. The first number is followed by the letter “W” for winter, referring to the viscosity properties of the oil when its viscosity is high in winter. The second value is the viscosity performance of the engine oil at high temperatures.
- The first value must be at least 5W. If you live in a very cold place, the value can be lower (see the owner’s manual for details), because if the viscosity is too high in winter and the oil is too thick, it will be difficult for the car to start.
- Your vehicle owner’s manual will recommend the appropriate viscosity grade for your vehicle. Some old car manuals only have one set of recommended oil grades because they use “single-grade oil.”
Check your vehicle owner’s manual for specified oil certification standards. This helps keep your car in good condition and avoid voiding your warranty. Each engine oil has several different certification standards, including API (exploding star icon) and ILSAC certification standards. No matter which oils you use, make sure they meet the standards specified by the manufacturer.
- Some certification standards may change over time. The API previously used the SJ and SI standards and currently uses the SL standard. Please refer to your vehicle owner’s manual for details.
High-end cars may use synthetic motor oil in extreme cases. Although synthetic motor oil is more efficient, it is also more expensive than mineral motor oil.
- It’s perfectly fine to use semi-synthetic oil, so you don’t necessarily have to use full synthetic if it’s too expensive.
Don’t replace your old car with multi-grade engine oil. If your car has been running well with single-grade engine oil, don’t change it, otherwise, the sludge and dirt deposited in the engine will fall off and cause problems. Just use the engine oil your car is accustomed to and needs. Changing to a high-performance engine oil will only cause more problems.
- Consider changing to an engine oil with a higher value in summer, such as changing from 30 to 40 instead of multi-grade engine oil such as 20W-40W.
Add Engine Oil
If the oil stain is near the lowest mark on the dipstick, add more oil. If the oil stain is at or below the minimum mark, you must add engine oil immediately to avoid damaging the car. Note that adding oil and changing it regularly is not the same thing.
- Check your owner’s manual for oil change frequency instructions. Some cars may need to change the oil after driving 5,000 kilometers, while others may only change it every 30,000 kilometers. Most experts recommend changing the engine oil every 8,000 kilometers.
Buy the right engine oil for your car. Check your vehicle owner’s manual for recommended oils, or ask a mechanic. Unless you have a very good reason, use the oil recommended in the manual. Only the right engine oil for your car can improve your car’s performance.
Open the car’s hood. There is usually a small lever or button near the driver’s seat that can be pulled or pressed to unlock and pop up the hood. Go to the front of the car and reach under the hood to find another small lever. It’s usually located in the middle. Press in to fully open the hood and expose the engine underneath.
Find the oil filler port. There is usually a small tank image above the filler port. If you can’t find it, check your vehicle owner’s manual. The filler port is usually located very far forward, near the engine and oil dipstick. Unscrew the lid and set aside.
Check the oil dipstick to see how much oil to add. Usually, the difference between the bottom and top scales is about 950 ml. You can calculate how much oil to add based on this. If the oil stain is between the two scales, add about 470 ml of engine oil. Only add 230 ml each time, if not enough, add another 230 ml, and so on to avoid oil overflow and cause serious engine problems.
Slowly pour the oil into the filler opening, checking occasionally. After pouring for 2-3 seconds, wait for 1 minute and then check the oil dipstick. Wipe the oil dipstick clean, add more oil, and check again. Repeat this until the oil stain is as close to the top mark as possible, but don’t let it overflow.
- Using a funnel makes it easier to add oil and avoid spilling it on the engine.
Tighten the oil filler cap. Normally, adding 950 ml of engine oil is enough to keep the engine running. If it exceeds 950 ml, it indicates that there may be a serious problem with the engine. The engine oil should be checked again within a week to confirm whether there is an oil leakage problem. Remember, the oil needs to be changed if it is dirty or after 8000 kilometers.
Tips
- If you don’t know which kind of engine oil you should add, you can search online by entering your model, brand and year.