Many drivers are confused about topping up and changing engine oil. When the oil is often topped up, is it necessary to respect the regular service and change the entire filling.
Modern cars love good quality oil, without lubricant they cannot function properly. Drive units could not do that even in the past. It can be said that today’s engines are very sensitive to both quality and lubrication properties as such. It is correct if the motorist observes the prescribed engine oil change intervals. However, it can also be found quite often that the oil disappears during operation and sometimes the car operator has to top up the oil.
In certain cases, a gradual loss of oil is normal
It is less common for some brands and models, while for others it is quite common. Enthusiasts driving Subaru WRX STI forged engines could relate. However what is the acceptable amount of oil lost between change intervals? During the operation of the car, oil is consumed, and a loss of one liter per 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers is considered normal.
More massive losses can occur in excessively loaded aggregates. An example is the aforementioned Subaru, but also the Porsche 911 or all other models that spend a significant part of their lives on the race track or in highly dynamic driving. There it could easily be a drop in the level of 1 liter of oil per 5,000 km, but also less. Then, in each case, the specified loss of lubricant is considered acceptable and does not give rise to a reason to panic or worry about improper engine operation.
Topping up the engine in liters is correct, it is impossible without it
The question is whether to change the oil if the driver fills up so often that, theoretically, he adds the same or even more amount of oil between the change intervals that he would have done during the regular service. We asked a specialist in the service of European and Japanese cars, Mr. Pavlíček, a long-time auto mechanic. “Topping up the oil during operation, between change intervals, is certainly correct,” explained the expert. “Especially when it comes to a sports car where oil consumption is obviously high.”
It is a common practice for some drivers to carry a liter of oil in their car, just in case they need to top up. In addition, they are used to measuring and checking the oil level before every sports ride and also after the ride, especially on the race track. There and during the circuit event, between individual rounds. “That the driver fills up the oil”expert Pavlíček continues, “but it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t change the oil regularly, completely. When it’s time for a regular service, it should be done as usual, with a complete replacement of both the cartridge and associated peripherals.”
It is sometimes worth shortening the regular service interval
The oil ages, degrades, and its properties change. So if the driver keeps adding new and new oil by the liter, it’s okay, because he has the necessary amount in the system. But without complete regular replacement, a situation would arise where the entire system would not be cleaned. „That the engine would work with oil, so to speak, from scratch, from completely new condition.” explains mechanic Pavlíček, “without a complete replacement, part of the old oil, even older, would still be in circulation, and a liter of new liquid would not benefit in any way.”
With the replacement of the entire filling, deposits will leave the system, the system will be cleaned, and the filter will be replaced. This does not apply to gradual topping up. During dynamic or aggressive driving, the oil is consumed more than during normal normal driving and it is okay to top up in liters. But it is just as well to shorten the mandatory intervals, and according to service expert Pavlíček, it is advisable to do a complete lubricant change more often than recommended by the service prescription. Although it is more expensive compared to the prescribed service intervals, it is not out of the question to halve the frequent “liter” top-ups with shortened regular complete changes. The engine will thus remain in perfect condition for a long time.
