B6 S4 Oil top up

[V8Guzzler]

Hello all

My low oil light came on today, luckily I had some 5w30 in the boot... but when this warning comes on how much would you need to top up by?? I put 1 litre in for now - thanks

 

[pilcob]

I always put in 1 Ltr when my light comes on, seems to need topping up every other month.

 

[V8Guzzler]

Yeah I heard they use a bit.. I had an RX8 that used 2 litres every 5k miles...

Just wondering if 1tlr is enough?

 

[xs2man]

It'll likely be enough just now. Just check your dip-stick.

Mine is the same, every couple months.

 

[PetrolDave]

Usually 1 litre is enough, but the best advice is to check the dipstick the next day.

 

[V8Guzzler]

I think its me thats the dipstick for not thinking about that in the first place hahahaha

 

[cfoster]

1 litre for me as well, only had to do it once in the 8 months of owning it so thankfully I dont think mines a 'burner!!'

 

[cobraBLACK]

Mine's not too bad either.

Apparently you're supposed to go for a drive then wait 5 minutes before you check the level.

And if you've got the tensioner rattle, change it for 5W-40.

 

[fourcircle]

Is the S4's V8 anything like the V6 in that the dipstick is a flexible fibre rod? I find it really difficult to judge where the oil is on mine and i've tried going for a drive, letting it settle etc. But sometimes... agh, how do I say this? It's like the plastic bit on the end of the dipstick with high and low marks doesn't get an even coating of oil so I'm never confident that i'm reading the level accurately
(this is where you all come back and say "no, it's just you" and I hang my head in shame)

 

[cobraBLACK]

No, the V8 dipstick is metal with plastic nubbins either side of the max/min marks.

However, I too find it difficult to read as sometimes oil doesn't settle into the gap between the plastic.

 

[dsmclark40v]

1 Litre usually does it for me as well. That said tho I have never had the low oil light come on. I have a slight oil leak so I have to put in a litre every 2k

Mystik how do you find that oil? I just changed from Castrol Edge 5w40 to Shell Helix Ultra and its so much smoother and not to mention cheaper. If its worth the extra £ I might try that next oil change. I am also thinking of trying motul 300v which has me intrigued as its meant to smell like bananas!

NJ - Its not just you its almost impossible to see the oil level on the dipstick! its even worse with fresh oil

 

[fourcircle]

thank god it's not just me then. phew! and yeah, fresh oil after a change is nearly impossible. I even lost 2/3 of my dipstick into the engine a couple of years ago but being some kind of glass fibre it was shredded and there was nothing to find after draining the sump.
oil that smells like bananas eh? I think i'd rather have it smell like sweaty **** crack. I hate the smell of bananas.

 

[cobraBLACK]

Mystik how do you find that oil? I just changed from Castrol Edge 5w40 to Shell Helix Ultra and its so much smoother and not to mention cheaper. If its worth the extra £ I might try that next oil change. I am also thinking of trying motul 300v which has me intrigued as its meant to smell like bananas!l

I've used Opie Oils since my Impreza days and they recommended it for the S4.

It's red but it doesn't smell of strawberries.

I haven't used those two so I can't comment, although it's ester-based, unlike the those.

 

[fourcircle]

is red easier to see on your dip stick?

 

[cobraBLACK]

is red easier to see on your dip stick?

No - it doesn't stay red for long.

 

[fourcircle]

damn. cheers

 

[V8Guzzler]

So 5w-30 or 5w-40? Which is the best?

 

[cobraBLACK]

I think the VAG spec oils are usually 5w-30 but most people get themselves on a fixed-interval (annual) service and use 5w-40 (thicker) to quieten the tensioner rattle.

I think proper ester-based oils (like the Fuchs Pro-S I use) also magnetically cling to components too.

Don't quote me on that though.