Having been largely ridiculed on another forum for looking under the bonnet from time to time and not relying on warning lights, I pose the question: Do you still look under the bonnet at oil levels etc on a roughly weekly basis?
This of course assumes average mileage, and a normal motor car. The vintage one gets some checks every time it goes out, even on successive days, and if I'm towing a car on a trailer, I check wheel strap tightness after 5 miles and every time I stop for fuel, the car or me. (Cars on trailers tend to bounce around till they find a happy spot, dead easy to have a insecure load in that situation).
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Certainly do. Oil, coolant, washer bottle and tyre pressures, especially before any longer trip.
The car's only a year old and only ever had to top up washers and tyres, but I still do it.
On some, erm, older cars I deal with I've got into the regimen of checking oil, coolant and fuel before I start them, as they may not have been run for a few weeks. At least one has no dipstick and require a cock opening to see if any oil drains out!
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>>Do you still look under the bonnet at oil levels etc on a roughly weekly basis?
Kind of.
I check oil, water, and stuff everytime I'm going to drive somewhere a bit wayward. Typically that's about every two or three weeks.
Because of the varying temperatures, I can and often do drive in -5 and +30 in the same day, I check tyre pressures a lot. And they change a lot. In any case tyres don't last very long, I carry 3 spare wheels when in the mountains.
The oil seems to go in fits and starts. Uses nothing for ages and then half an oil field in a week. Bu ton average it doesn't seem to use very much. But then with a couple of notable exceptions, my cars never seem to use much oil.
Water depends entirely on weather & traffic. I worry about water. Its like some kind of evil, stealth symptom. It can mean the world is about to end, or seemingly it can mean nothing.
I'd guess I end up checking something every week. Just not everything every week.
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No, once a month at most if that
No point, never uses oil or loses water. Stuff might get a quick check when the washer bottle needs filling
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>> never uses oil or loses water.
And it never will, up to the moment when it does. :)
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>> >>
>> >> never uses oil or loses water.
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>> And it never will, up to the moment when it does. :)
Which could be immediately after you checked it.
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Do you still look
>> under the bonnet at oil levels etc on a roughly weekly basis?
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Yes; as mentioned in other threads it's a habit as I'm duty bound to do it with the lorry, on pain of disciplinary action if I don't do the checks and fill in the check sheet. It was also instilled into me by my father, and the Army.
I suspect that folk like you and me, who use vintage vehicles regularly, are probably more inclined to do them on all our vehicles. Assistive technology in all forms, be it oil level warning lights or reversing sensors, has the unfortunate side-effect of making folk lazy and careless.
They're not fool-proof either; I was called to account by the mechanic when I took the lorry in for service last year, said the oil level was below the halfway mark on the dipstick. Since said dipstick is inaccessible without tilting the cab, I have to rely on the dashboard readout for the daily check, and that had showed full two hours earlier so I stood my ground. Investigation found a faulty sensor; we suspected that whoever changed the oil last had also relied on the dashboard readout, so a memo went round to all branches that physical check with dipsticks was now a must at every inspection.
Had it not been for the fact that our firm are scrupulous about regular inspections and servicing, that could have proved costly.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Tue 25 Aug 15 at 23:42
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I tend to get the oil changed more often than recommended. I haven't checked the level for a while. The car is usually parked on a steep slope nose up. I can't always be bothered to rev it a bit before driving off but it stops making tapetty noises within twenty seconds or so despite the thin oil it uses.
Keep meaning to wash the air cleaner element and spray it with that red gunge. Need a dry day for that. Not today probably.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 00:10
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>> The car is usually parked on a steep slope nose up.
>> I can't always be bothered to rev it a bit before driving off but it
>> stops making tapetty noises within twenty seconds or so despite the thin oil it uses.
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I'd be worried that was due to it not picking up oil on account of the slope.
I check our family fleet randomly. On my Merc the tyres invariably need topping up - nitrogen filled Michelins never budged but the current air filled tyres almost always need topping up.
Washer fluid use varies dramatically - I can check a car one time and none will have been used, another time it'll be empty, with no rhyme nor reason.
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Our Mazda does use a bit of oil, so I check it every fortnight and top up if needed. Look at all other fluids whilst I'm there, just in case, and do the tyres my self with my own compressor once a month or so and before longer journeys. Check the other car too whilst I'm at it.
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Once a week for me. My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles (Astra G, the book says 1.2 litres per 1000) and I do 400 miles a week so I always give it a top up. It also lets you see if something's leaking, about to break or fall off.
Most of the cars in my road never get the bonnet lifted and I'll wager there are a few who wouldn't know how to do it.
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>>My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles>>
Good grief that's expensive to run!
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Like Zero probably checking monthly or occasionally every second month.
Winter time the oil gets checked on screenwash top-ups largely because I'm under the bonnet anyway.
Only thing that ever catches me out is a low tyre pressure if there's a slow puncture, perhaps every 3 years or so.
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It being a given that most of us are more interested in cars than folk who don't use this forum, and therefore more inclined towards looking after them,I doubt very much if any figures which could be drawn from this would be representative of the "average Joe".
My son-in-law is a Ford technician, and tells me some real horror stories about vehicle neglect.
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>> >>My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles>>
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>> Good grief that's expensive to run!
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My first car was an old banger like that. It left a dense smokescrean behind when I pulled away.
It seemed a waste buying new oil for it, so I used old oil drained from other cars.
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>> >>My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles>>
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>> Good grief that's expensive to run!
My old Allagro used to use a litre every 400 to 500 miles. Thing is it never bellowed out blue smoke from the exhaust, so god knows where it went. Granted the engine had a small leak, but only a spot or two was ever seen on the floor.
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Maybe the leak wasn't small under a bit of pressure.
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>> Maybe the leak wasn't small under a bit of pressure.
if that were the case then the floorpan would more than likely have been soaked in oil - it wasn't.
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My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles
Good grief that's expensive to run!
Really? The vintage Morgan uses roughly 4.57 litres (ie a gallon) of oil every 1000 miles. However, if one knows where to go, straight 50 (and straight 20, 30, and 40) is pretty cheap. I usually get mine from a chap who supplies owners of vintage motor bikes in the area. Saves a bob or two on oil for the lawnmower too as that takes straight 30.
Better than the rotary engines in first world war planes - they often use castor oil and the pilots rarely have constipation problems...
Last edited by: Slidingpillar on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 13:55
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Usually open bonnet once a month - unless screen washer runs out earlier.
Following a recent puncture *, I now visually inspect all tyres daily.
Check lights via reflection on front and back :o)
* = I probably noticed it after a week of actual puncture. A big nail caused it. Didn't feel anything and still drove the car on motorways - so I was surprised when my tyre pressure gauge showed only 10 PSI (instead of usual 35 PSI). Managed to get the tyre repaired though.
Last edited by: movilogo on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 14:16
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Volunteered to take DiL's car for 2 tyres. It's a hybrid (with its foibles) and a bit strange to drive.
Switched it on - Beeps & flashes WARNING- low washer level.........really annoying to ME!
( I now check levels 1 x per month - when I did 30K /yr it was every week)
The son & dil never check levels - "the car tells me when it needs attention!"
They had water! - but no screen wash so there was a detour to my abode.
The oil level & water levels were OK!
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Do you use screenwash all year round?
I only use it in winter more as an antifreeze than anything else. I found using it all year round in a previous car it congealed in the motor requiring hot water and lots of pumping to clear it. I only use distilled water in summer.
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>> Do you use screenwash all year round?
Yes, seems to clear screen better summer & winter.
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>> Really? The vintage Morgan uses roughly 4.57 litres (ie a gallon) of oil every 1000
>> miles. However, if one knows where to go, straight 50 (and straight 20, 30, and
>> 40) is pretty cheap. I usually get mine from a chap who supplies owners of
>> vintage motor bikes in the area. Saves a bob or two on oil for the
>> lawnmower too as that takes straight 30.
>>
Likewise. Three out of my four Harleys are designed to run on straight 50, so I buy it in 25 litre drums, most recent about two months ago cost me just over forty quid. A considerable saving on buying the stuff by the litre or even gallon. Used to buy Morris but it's by no means as cheap as it used to be, this one was Exol. I'm fortunate to work virtually next door to West Wales Lubricants, a decent supplier.
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>> >>My car uses nearly a litre of oil per 1000 miles>>
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>> Good grief that's expensive to run!
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But it's having a progressive oil change between services!
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>> But it's having a progressive oil change between services!
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You mean all the lightweight elements are being burned off, and the heavier gunge is accumulating in the sump?
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I'm a "sort of" kind of checker like NoFM rather than everything at 10am Sundays.
Four cars in the family now for me to look after. I bias the checks towards the areas I know need attention on each.
One daughters Polo loses a bit of air through slightly porous alloys so that gets tyres checked more frequently, wife's Polo uses oil so that needs keeping an eye on, wife uses screen wash to excess so no additive for her and frequent topping up... and so on.
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Just out of interest; how many of you check your lights on anything like a regular basis?
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Funnily enough I checked the lights on our Mazda two days ago. All well. Then, yesterday, in a traffic queue, I could see reflection of my lights on the boot of a black Polo in front. One dip beam headlamp gorn. Immediate diversion to Halfords to rectify.
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One dip beam headlamp gorn. Immediate diversion to Halfords
>> to rectify.
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You are, if you will forgive the pun, a shining example of how it should be done. :-)
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Permission to disagree. Full marks would have been due if he'd first got the spare bulb out of the boot, installed that, then popped to the shop for a replacement spare.
}:---)
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>> Permission to disagree. Full marks would have been due if he'd first got the spare
>> bulb out of the boot, installed that, then popped to the shop for a replacement
>> spare.
>> }:---)
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Anyone with the moral courage to go to Halfords for a bulb deserves all the support he can get.
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>> Permission to disagree. Full marks would have been due if he'd first got the spare
>> bulb out of the boot, installed that, then popped to the shop for a replacement
>> spare.
>> }:---)
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You quite right WdB, and I marked myself down for that one. I thought I had a spare in the boot, and I did. But it turned out to be a H7. Maz takes H1. Lord knows what I'm doing with that monster in there.
I went in to Halfords with the intention of buying two bulbs, one for the boot. I actually bought three. Reason? Well, the boggo H1 I needed were £7.99. S0d that. However, they had a 30% brighter H1 type at £3 a pop. So I got three and replaced both dip beam bulbs.
I now have a spare of the same brightness as the 2 now installed, and the removed good bulb is a spare for the main beam, which also uses H1. I have spares in the boot also for the tail lights, indicators and brake lights.
*polishes halo*
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>> *polishes halo*
... which then dazzles and confuses following vehicles, causing multiple crashes...
'Never seen anything like it officer, a sort of rotating disc with the middle missing hovering over this geezer's head... there was this singing in my ears like a heavenly choir... definitely not of this world, er... gave me a terrible shock, I was trying to turn away and went up this tree... '
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 17:37
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>> I now have a spare of the same brightness as the 2 now installed, and
>> the removed good bulb is a spare for the main beam, which also uses H1.
My Xantia had that setup. Need to be very careful that when changing you correctly identify the main and dipped bulbs in the fitting.
While not being in 'bumper off' territory the Xantia's headlamp units, particularly the one shielded by the a/c compressor, were not easy to access. So when, after grazing knuckles changing the main beam bulb it was still dead I was about to give up and visit an auto electrician.
Fortunately I checked either Haynes or the handbook and twigged the both were same bulb - I'd changed a used but functioning dipped bulb for a new one. Another ten minutes skinning my knuckles and all was fine.
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>> Funnily enough I checked the lights on our Mazda two days ago. All well... Then,
>> One dip beam headlamp gorn. Immediate diversion to Halfords
>> to rectify.
>>
Did you check how swiftly you can replace the dipped headlight bulb on your new acquisition?
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Probably not often enough in the summer, but it's easy in the dark and I do make a point of parking close to a wall or the garage door to see the reflection of the brake lights if they are working.
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>> check your lights on anything like a regular basis?
Every time I turn them on, and constantly thereafter, I study the light patterns on the road and reflections in the paintwork of other vehicles, passing shop windows, anything. Soon notice if anything is unusual.
They aren't quite perfect. There's a fog/reversing light with a broken glass, vulnerably placed in the rear bumper. The reflector and bulb are filthy but they still work, sort of.
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The car checks the lights every time the ignition is switched on. It also flags up bulb failure before the bulb actually fails. Indicators? Listen for a faster click.
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>> Just out of interest; how many of you check your lights on anything like a
>> regular basis?
I'm almost obsessive/compulsive about headlights, checking reflection in other cars as in any queue and beam pattern on neighbour's house before driving off. If there's a fault I change the bulb immediately with spare from kit in boot.
An easy job on either Berlingo although the n/s on mine needs small hands.
Try and watch the rears in garage door as I reverse into drive and check from house if others are using car. could do better there tbh.
Check the caravan every time after hitching up.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 17:12
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>> I'm almost obsessive/compulsive about headlights, checking reflection in other cars as in any queue and
>> beam pattern on neighbour's house before driving off. If there's a fault I change the
>> bulb immediately with spare from kit in boot.
>>
During many years of 30K/yr business driving I never ceased to be amazed that it's really not obvious out on the road that one dip beam lamp has failed and I've only become aware when seeing the car's reflection.
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>> Just out of interest; how many of you check your lights on anything like a
>> regular basis?
Once a year just before the MOT. nothing needed doing then either
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The LEC - 78,000 miles now, more than half in our care - has never consumed oil, so I check it only occasionally, usually before a long trip. In 140,000 miles, the Volvo never consumed any either.
As for the TDS, I can't pull out the dipstick because there isn't one. It monitors oil through the on-board computer and will tell me - apparently - if the level falls. So far, it hasn't.
Just as well, in a way. The bonnet of that car is a right faff to open. It doesn't pop up very far, and the finger plate of the secondary catch has to be caught exactly right and then jiggled to make it release; not easy when there's barely room to get my fingers in.
Edit: still waiting for the LEC to require its first replacement bulb. Yes, it has xenon and multiple LEDs but it must have some filaments somewhere!
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 16:07
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One thing I check every week is the little stones which my winter tyres pick up from my 'Dorset Gold' driveway chippings. No sooner have I gorn round digging them out with my electrical screwdriver, they are back again. Grrr!
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Not opened the bonnet on the new V60 yet. Electronic dipstick, innit?
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When the Octavia was new to me I checked the oil every couple of weeks. After a while though the pattern of (non) usage was established so I only check it every now and then now,more to check the colour than anything else.
I used to have a hyper sensitive screen wash warning light that stayed lit even when the tank was 90% full. My friendly vag tech has turned it off permanently, so I just wait for the jets to run dry before topping up - I always keep a fresh gallon in the boot.
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My friendly vag tech...
Your what??
}8---0
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Volkswagen Audi Group = vag. Perhaps I should have capitalised it, but didn't account for the dirty minds of some round here.. ;)
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The Berlingos get checked frequently but with not quite Sunday afternoon type regularity. Both have electronic dipsticks, mine a sort of bar chart thing while the 13 model flashes up 'oil OK' on start up. The latter's never said anything but OK, mine throws the odd wobbly and flashes up low, particularly of parked across a slope with drivers side lower. That happens quite often as we park it on the lawn if we've got visitors with a big car or the 'van is home for cleaning/prep.
Other fluids checked at same time and washer topped up as required. I've picked up both a coolant leak and a pinholed oil cooler (oil in coolant) doing those checks and averted any damage. Ditto when my Xantia began leaking oil.
Odd slopes can also fool it's low brake fluid warning light into coming on - as can along day in the Pyrenees*. Level's OK it's just the sensor which I'm told is integral with master cylinder and reservoir so would cost a bomb to replace. At home warning goes off as soon as your straight and level. Otherwise stop and check.
*It's not likely to go there again.
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>> Not opened the bonnet on the new V60 yet. Electronic dipstick, innit?
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Curious to know; as I understand it you're a pilot by profession, have you experienced in aircraft the problem of sensors failing or misreading rather than the object they're supposed to protect; and does it happen regularly?
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I used to check the Auris but the only thing that needed checking was the oil every now and again. It uses a bit every now and again, other than that it needs very little checking. As to lights very little, one changed in the last six years.
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Speaking from an a/c perspective, there's plenty of sensors that plenty of false readings. Generally fail when there's nothing wrong but sometimes there's nothing wrong on test but the system is at fault.
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>> >> Not opened the bonnet on the new V60 yet. Electronic dipstick, innit?
>> >>
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>> Curious to know; as I understand it you're a pilot by profession, have you experienced
>> in aircraft the problem of sensors failing or misreading rather than the object they're supposed
>> to protect; and does it happen regularly?
>>
The dipstick is plastic and tucked away deep in the engine bay only recommended for use by the workshop on my D3, I'm not sure if the newer e-Drive D4 in Fursty's car even has a dipstick.
On my car, the plastic dipstick is a tool for verifying the reading from the computer system when the oil change is done.
The handbook tells me to use the dashboard readout.
Last edited by: gmac on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 19:50
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>> >> Not opened the bonnet on the new V60 yet. Electronic dipstick, innit?
>> >>
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>> Curious to know; as I understand it you're a pilot by profession, have you experienced
>> in aircraft the problem of sensors failing or misreading rather than the object they're supposed
>> to protect; and does it happen regularly?
>>
It happens, although infrequently.
The most common are sensors such as proximity switches on the doors (cabin / avionics / ventilation etc) and the gear. A single failure related to pretty much any sensor is transparent to us as pilots and will be ignored by the computers (via a voting process). It's flagged up for maintenance automatically.
Low oil levels wouldn't require immediate action unless an associated loss of pressure, and since oil isn't used for lubrication the engine would generate power for some time before overheating.
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My first car with an electronic dipstick was hopeless at it. The aim might have been to cut down on bonnet opening, but in actual fact, it increased it. Anything less than 2/3rd full caused the warning light to go on. And as readers of this forum should know, top ups should be when the level is less than half way between max and min, and of half the stated volume between max and min.
Years ago, the mark one Austin 1800 had a problem with oil consumption in the UK, but the exact same car was sold in Australia and didn't have an oil consumption problem. Turns out the UK motorist topped up often and frequently over filled. Cure was a new dipstick for UK markets with lower marks...
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>> ...And as readers of
>> this forum should know, top ups should be when the level is less than half
>> way between max and min, and of half the stated volume between max and min.
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What do you do with a Euro V or VI diesel that comes back with the oil level on half after service as specified by the manufacturer ?
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What do you do with a Euro V or VI diesel that comes back with the oil level on half after service as specified by the manufacturer ?
Wait for it to regenerate and the oil level will magically rise...
:o)
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It does that, then when I take it for a long blast it magically goes back to half.
No extra oil needed and the bores and washed nice and clean. How cool is that ?
I even added about 20 litres of premium unleaded by mistake last Christmas. Did it kill the diesel or maim the DPF. Nah ! I got even better MPG. Couldn't get rid of the fuel...
T
he fuel consumption was unbelievable. If you want theatre, go to a main dealer and tell them you have put petrol in a diesel. Hollywood has nothing on the show a main dealer will put on for you. If you're really lucky you will see fuel lines being stripped out, fuel tanks being taken off and destroyed, fuel pumps binned.
Pure theatre !!!
Last edited by: gmac on Wed 26 Aug 15 at 22:56
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>> One thing I check every week is the little stones which my winter tyres pick
>> up from my 'Dorset Gold' driveway chippings. No sooner have I gorn round digging them
>> out with my electrical screwdriver, they are back again. Grrr!
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Motoring books in the old days used to stress the importance of digging out stones, lest they apparently dig themselves deeper and cause punctures.
I don't think I've bothered for years. They don't seem to get stuck in the way they used to, and a rare tapping noise from a stone soon stops as you speed up and it gets flung out.
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>>and a rare tapping noise from a stone soon stops as you speed up and it gets flung out.
Yep, that's the other thing as the car goes up the lane in the morning: tap, tap, tick, click tap!
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>> Motoring books in the old days used to stress the importance of digging out stones,
>> lest they apparently dig themselves deeper and cause punctures.
That presumably would be in the days before steel belted radials. Older tyres wouldn't have the same resistance.
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Weekly checks - bathtub tom
