Oil top up?

[MondeoMan1981]

Had the car 3 months almost and as diesels can do after 4000 miles the oil is off the full mark.
Getting an oil change in 3 weeks which will be 1500ish miles time, but the question is, which grade to top up with?

Car is a 206hdi 1.4 - Pug say the oil change can be done with any common grade of oil from 0w-40 to 10w-40 and anything in between, as long as its at least semi synth.

Garage who serviced car under prev owner would have used either 5w-40 or 10w-40, not sure of semi or fully synth.

What should I use to top up? Hmmm

[inman999]

It really doesn't matter that much. 0W-40 is probably overkill unless you live in the Hebrides. Any 5W-40 or 10W-40 semi synthetic is going to be more than good enough.

[E21_Ross]

i heard you shouldn't mix oil types. by all means you can change with an oil change though. if the oil is off the full mark, but above the minimum mark i wouldn't worry about it.

[MondeoMan1981]

yeah mixing oils was my concern , I recall a case before my Dad retired (hgv driver) where one of his colleagues topped up a lorry with mineral oil in error, and the engine ended up full of sludge

[E21_Ross]

MondeoMan1981 said:

yeah mixing oils was my concern , I recall a case before my Dad retired (hgv driver) where one of his colleagues topped up a lorry with mineral oil in error, and the engine ended up full of sludge

if you don't know what oil is in there and it's going in for a change in 3 weeks don't worry about topping it up. if it's near the minimum just drive the car slowly, especially from cold.

[bazking69]

Firstly, enough oil is more important than the slightly wrong grade.

Secondly, 0w40 is far too thin.

Check the history, see what they used at the last service. Either than or consult your owners manual, that is what they are for.

[Puddenchucker]

bazking69 said:

Secondly, 0w40 is far too thin.

Why?

A 0W-40 will be the same viscosity as a 5W-40 or 10W-40 at normal (warm) engine oerating temperature.
And the 0W- bit simply means the oil will get around the engine quicker, than a 5w- or 10w-, when you start up from cold.

[spaceship]

5W-40. Full Synthetic.

That's what i'd go for.

[HellDiver]

I top up everything with 5W30 fully-synthetic. GM brand stuff, it's cheap and seems reasonably good.