Car engine oil check
So I need to top up my engine oil so went to Halfords to get one. On my handbook it says this but the guys at Halfords gave me the 5w-20 as it's what was recommended when they searched my reg will it still work?
(edited 9 months ago)
Reply 1
If I were you, I'd contact the garage / mechanic who services your car, check which one they use, and stick with that one. There's a risk or ruining your engine if you put the wrong oil type or mix the oils.
On the back of the oil bottle, there should be a list of car brands and models, as to which one that particular oil type is recommended; if your car is standard, you should be safe. However, this may well change somewhat if your car has been modified in some way (e.g. an engine remap).
Definitely, I would check with the garage itself, rather than taking any chances. If the oil light has only just come on, you'll be alright for a few more miles before you risk seizing the engine (circa 100 miles of normal town driving). Driving a car with low oil levels is not ideal, but it's a hell of a lot better than risking putting in the wrong type of oil.
On the back of the oil bottle, there should be a list of car brands and models, as to which one that particular oil type is recommended; if your car is standard, you should be safe. However, this may well change somewhat if your car has been modified in some way (e.g. an engine remap).
Definitely, I would check with the garage itself, rather than taking any chances. If the oil light has only just come on, you'll be alright for a few more miles before you risk seizing the engine (circa 100 miles of normal town driving). Driving a car with low oil levels is not ideal, but it's a hell of a lot better than risking putting in the wrong type of oil.
(edited 9 months ago)
Reply 2
I'd go by the handbook/oil specification over anything Halfords staff say. I doubt any mechanic worth the name works there.
Reply 3
It will be better to top up with 5w-20 than to let your engine run with low oil levels.
How many miles ago was the oil and oil filter last changed on your car?
If this is just a top up to see you through for a few hundred miles till your next oil change, just top up the oil and don't worry about it.
Halfords charge £16.99 for 1 litre of that Shell Ultra Helix.
You can buy 20 litre cannisters of fully synthetic Mannol oil that matches the WSS specifications your manufacturer set for your car for about £40. EG B&Q are doing this deal:
20 litres oil
You can buy 5 litre plastic jugs with long spouts for £8 off ebay for measuring and dispensing oil into your car.
Stepping up to do your own oil and oil filter changes is straightforward and is something you should seriously consider doing in order to save money and make sure the job's done properly. This may involve you investing in a few tools, but these should last you a lifetime.
How many miles ago was the oil and oil filter last changed on your car?
If this is just a top up to see you through for a few hundred miles till your next oil change, just top up the oil and don't worry about it.
Halfords charge £16.99 for 1 litre of that Shell Ultra Helix.
You can buy 20 litre cannisters of fully synthetic Mannol oil that matches the WSS specifications your manufacturer set for your car for about £40. EG B&Q are doing this deal:
20 litres oil
You can buy 5 litre plastic jugs with long spouts for £8 off ebay for measuring and dispensing oil into your car.
Stepping up to do your own oil and oil filter changes is straightforward and is something you should seriously consider doing in order to save money and make sure the job's done properly. This may involve you investing in a few tools, but these should last you a lifetime.
Reply 4
18
Original post by Dunnig Kruger
It will be better to top up with 5w-20 than to let your engine run with low oil levels.
How many miles ago was the oil and oil filter last changed on your car?
If this is just a top up to see you through for a few hundred miles till your next oil change, just top up the oil and don't worry about it.
Halfords charge £16.99 for 1 litre of that Shell Ultra Helix.
You can buy 20 litre cannisters of fully synthetic Mannol oil that matches the WSS specifications your manufacturer set for your car for about £40. EG B&Q are doing this deal:
20 litres oil
You can buy 5 litre plastic jugs with long spouts for £8 off ebay for measuring and dispensing oil into your car.
Stepping up to do your own oil and oil filter changes is straightforward and is something you should seriously consider doing in order to save money and make sure the job's done properly. This may involve you investing in a few tools, but these should last you a lifetime.
How many miles ago was the oil and oil filter last changed on your car?
If this is just a top up to see you through for a few hundred miles till your next oil change, just top up the oil and don't worry about it.
Halfords charge £16.99 for 1 litre of that Shell Ultra Helix.
You can buy 20 litre cannisters of fully synthetic Mannol oil that matches the WSS specifications your manufacturer set for your car for about £40. EG B&Q are doing this deal:
20 litres oil
You can buy 5 litre plastic jugs with long spouts for £8 off ebay for measuring and dispensing oil into your car.
Stepping up to do your own oil and oil filter changes is straightforward and is something you should seriously consider doing in order to save money and make sure the job's done properly. This may involve you investing in a few tools, but these should last you a lifetime.
Hi I bought it about a year ago and never changed or topped up the oil since. I'm planning to do the oil change myself but have been busy with uni and exams so will do it later on. Its been about 8000 miles since I bought it maybe I'm just planning to top it off for a few more weeks. Will it be ok I have no idea what oil is in there from previously? Does it really matter if its 5w-20 instead of 30?
Reply 5
19
My Toyota Avensis actually takea 5W-30 which I've bought from Tesco and even though on the bottle it says for Ford cars, because the number is matching my handbook, I've used it without any issues thankfully.
Is there any reason why they didn't give you 5W-30, was it out of stock? I'd give them a call and see if they have it if they can do an exchange just to reassure you.
Is there any reason why they didn't give you 5W-30, was it out of stock? I'd give them a call and see if they have it if they can do an exchange just to reassure you.
Reply 6
Original post by Rohan007best
Hi I bought it about a year ago and never changed or topped up the oil since. I'm planning to do the oil change myself but have been busy with uni and exams so will do it later on. Its been about 8000 miles since I bought it maybe I'm just planning to top it off for a few more weeks. Will it be ok I have no idea what oil is in there from previously? Does it really matter if its 5w-20 instead of 30?
Ford are telling you to use a specific viscosity oil (30) so that's what I would use. Outside of some kind of roadside emergency, why go against this? Buy the correct one.
Reply 7
Original post by Rohan007best
Hi I bought it about a year ago and never changed or topped up the oil since. I'm planning to do the oil change myself but have been busy with uni and exams so will do it later on. Its been about 8000 miles since I bought it maybe I'm just planning to top it off for a few more weeks. Will it be ok I have no idea what oil is in there from previously? Does it really matter if its 5w-20 instead of 30?
Seeing as you don't know for sure when the oil was last changed, and with what exact oil, go ahead and top it up with the oil you bought from Halfords.
I'd recommend that you change the oil as soon as you conveniently can. It's the sort of job that's better done before winter really sets in. Unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.
Changing the oil (and oil filter) every 8000 miles is a good interval. Some people change their oil every 3000 to 6000 miles. But you shouldn't lose any sleep if you do it every 8000.
When you do the oil change, you might as well go ahead and change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. Just so you know the car's good to go from there.
Does your car have a timing belt or a timing chain?
Some Fords have wet timing belts, which is a stupid design from an engineering point of view. I personally wouldn't buy a car with a wet timing belt...
Reply 8
18
Original post by StriderHort
Ford are telling you to use a specific viscosity oil (30) so that's what I would use. Outside of some kind of roadside emergency, why go against this? Buy the correct one.
hi can u please tell me when i go to the shops what should I be asking or looking for in terms of this cars oil as I have no clue what to look for I've never done this before do I just literally look for something that says sae-5w-30
Reply 9
18
Original post by Dunnig Kruger
Seeing as you don't know for sure when the oil was last changed, and with what exact oil, go ahead and top it up with the oil you bought from Halfords.
I'd recommend that you change the oil as soon as you conveniently can. It's the sort of job that's better done before winter really sets in. Unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.
Changing the oil (and oil filter) every 8000 miles is a good interval. Some people change their oil every 3000 to 6000 miles. But you shouldn't lose any sleep if you do it every 8000.
When you do the oil change, you might as well go ahead and change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. Just so you know the car's good to go from there.
Does your car have a timing belt or a timing chain?
Some Fords have wet timing belts, which is a stupid design from an engineering point of view. I personally wouldn't buy a car with a wet timing belt...
I'd recommend that you change the oil as soon as you conveniently can. It's the sort of job that's better done before winter really sets in. Unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.
Changing the oil (and oil filter) every 8000 miles is a good interval. Some people change their oil every 3000 to 6000 miles. But you shouldn't lose any sleep if you do it every 8000.
When you do the oil change, you might as well go ahead and change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. Just so you know the car's good to go from there.
Does your car have a timing belt or a timing chain?
Some Fords have wet timing belts, which is a stupid design from an engineering point of view. I personally wouldn't buy a car with a wet timing belt...
i dont know about timing belts to be honest
Reply 10
Original post by Rohan007best
hi can u please tell me when i go to the shops what should I be asking or looking for in terms of this cars oil as I have no clue what to look for I've never done this before do I just literally look for something that says sae-5w-30
SAE 5w30 is the right type of oil, Ford also are giving you their manufacturers specification number (WSS-M2C...) These specification numbers should be on the back/label of the oil, if that number isn't on there, it's not the correct oil. (the same oil will likely meet several different manufacturers specifications so you'll see a few numbers)
Is your car going to explode if you top it up with 5w20? no, but it's the wrong oil. Push comes to shove the engineers at Ford know what they are doing with engines and oils, the generally young unqualified retail staff of Halfords do not... did they say WHY they were giving you a different one than you asked for?
Reply 11
Original post by Rohan007best
i dont know about timing belts to be honest
Yeah leave it alone 😅
Reply 12
18
Original post by StriderHort
SAE 5w30 is the right type of oil, Ford also are giving you their manufacturers specification number (WSS-M2C...) These specification numbers should be on the back/label of the oil, if that number isn't on there, it's not the correct oil. (the same oil will likely meet several different manufacturers specifications so you'll see a few numbers)
Is your car going to explode if you top it up with 5w20? no, but it's the wrong oil. Push comes to shove the engineers at Ford know what they are doing with engines and oils, the generally young unqualified retail staff of Halfords do not... did they say WHY they were giving you a different one than you asked for?
Is your car going to explode if you top it up with 5w20? no, but it's the wrong oil. Push comes to shove the engineers at Ford know what they are doing with engines and oils, the generally young unqualified retail staff of Halfords do not... did they say WHY they were giving you a different one than you asked for?
It's just what came up for them as recommended when they searched my reg on their website
Reply 13
Original post by StriderHort
SAE 5w30 is the right type of oil, Ford also are giving you their manufacturers specification number (WSS-M2C...) These specification numbers should be on the back/label of the oil, if that number isn't on there, it's not the correct oil. (the same oil will likely meet several different manufacturers specifications so you'll see a few numbers)
Is your car going to explode if you top it up with 5w20? no, but it's the wrong oil. Push comes to shove the engineers at Ford know what they are doing with engines and oils, the generally young unqualified retail staff of Halfords do not... did they say WHY they were giving you a different one than you asked for?
Is your car going to explode if you top it up with 5w20? no, but it's the wrong oil. Push comes to shove the engineers at Ford know what they are doing with engines and oils, the generally young unqualified retail staff of Halfords do not... did they say WHY they were giving you a different one than you asked for?
If they're the same Ford engineers that put a wet timing belt in their engines instead of a dry belt or a (wet) timing chain, then it would be fair comment to say that they haven't got a clue when it comes to what's good for the engine.
And we're looking at fully synthetic 5w 20 vs fully synthetic 5w 30. It's not like we're comparing olive oil with 5w 30.
https://amsoil.co.in/5w-20-vs-5w-30-vs-10w-30-what-is-the-difference/
They will both have the same viscosity when cold. That's important due to engine wear being most aggressive when the car is started from cold.
When the engine is warmed up and the oil is hot, the 5w 20 will have slightly lower viscosity than the 5w 30. Making it slightly better for fuel economy (may be so slight the owner would never notice the difference) at the expense of possibly slightly more engine wear (may be so slight that it would make no discernible difference over the first 300,000 miles of engine life).
The choice between 5w 20 and 5w 30 is a compromise. With them both being great oils in fully synthetic form.
On top of that we're looking at oil that's over 8000 miles old. It will have deteriorated. Deteriorated more than the difference between hot 5w 20 and 5w 30.
I'd rather have a Ford with 5w 20 changed every 8000 miles than 5w 30 changed every 18,000 miles.
Frequency of oil change is far more important than getting the very best ultra optimum oil for the car.
Reply 14
18
Original post by StriderHort
I'd go by the handbook/oil specification over anything Halfords staff say. I doubt any mechanic worth the name works there.
So I checked and they have 5w-30 but the long wss number is different basically so will it still work
(edited 9 months ago)
Reply 15
Go ahead - today - and order 20 litres of the correct wss 5w 30 oil from B&Q (or elsewhere if you see a cheaper deal).
Along with a plastic dispensing jug, eg from ebay, if you don't have one already.
And then use the oil in that 20 litre cannister to top up your oil and to use as the oil in your next 3 to 4 oil changes.
Along with a plastic dispensing jug, eg from ebay, if you don't have one already.
And then use the oil in that 20 litre cannister to top up your oil and to use as the oil in your next 3 to 4 oil changes.
Reply 16
Original post by Rohan007best
So I checked and they have 5w-30 but the long wss number is different basically so will it still work
In terms of it being oil, yes it will work, as per the small essay above, we're not comparing chalk and cheese, 5w20 and 5w30 are very similar, I'm more just curious why you were recommended it by Halfords
I'm not sure about it having a different WSS number, its possible the spec was updated over time, at least it meets some Ford specifications 😅
Reply 17
19
Original post by Dunnig Kruger
Seeing as you don't know for sure when the oil was last changed, and with what exact oil, go ahead and top it up with the oil you bought from Halfords.
I'd recommend that you change the oil as soon as you conveniently can. It's the sort of job that's better done before winter really sets in. Unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.
Changing the oil (and oil filter) every 8000 miles is a good interval. Some people change their oil every 3000 to 6000 miles. But you shouldn't lose any sleep if you do it every 8000.
When you do the oil change, you might as well go ahead and change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. Just so you know the car's good to go from there.
Does your car have a timing belt or a timing chain?
Some Fords have wet timing belts, which is a stupid design from an engineering point of view. I personally wouldn't buy a car with a wet timing belt...
I'd recommend that you change the oil as soon as you conveniently can. It's the sort of job that's better done before winter really sets in. Unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.
Changing the oil (and oil filter) every 8000 miles is a good interval. Some people change their oil every 3000 to 6000 miles. But you shouldn't lose any sleep if you do it every 8000.
When you do the oil change, you might as well go ahead and change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. Just so you know the car's good to go from there.
Does your car have a timing belt or a timing chain?
Some Fords have wet timing belts, which is a stupid design from an engineering point of view. I personally wouldn't buy a car with a wet timing belt...
Incidentally, is changing the filters you mentioned (air, fuel, cabin) easy to do? Never thought of to do myself.
Reply 18
Original post by Aky786UK
Incidentally, is changing the filters you mentioned (air, fuel, cabin) easy to do? Never thought of to do myself.
There all DIY doable.
Air filters are typically 10 minute jobs, give or take 9 minutes, depending on the car. As the air intake box in which they sit - on every car I've seen - is at the top of the engine and you're looking at either unclipping plastic tabs or unscrewing a few screws to get at the filter.
Cabin filters. Some require a bit of contortionism to get at them inside the car, with varying amounts of trim to take off to do the job.
Some are easy peasy, behind a panel with the bonnet open next to the bottom of the windscreen.
Fuel filters. Some are easy, at the top of the engine bay. Others are a bit trickier, under the car behind a panel. A Launch type car diagnostics tablet is useful for purging the fuel lines after the fuel filter has been replaced.
There's loads of youtube videos with how-to's for these jobs. Just search for your car make and model and engine option.
Air, fuel and cabin filters don't have to be replaced as often as oil and the oil filter.
Reply 19
Original post by Rohan007best
So I checked and they have 5w-30 but the long wss number is different basically so will it still work
Please read the posts above which explain the small viscosity difference. Oil "works" by lubricating moving parts of the engine. Different types of engines have different requirements as to volume and type of oil, but almost any oil is better than not enough oil. It is a good habit to check the oil level quite often, especially as a car ages. Oil is consumed by engine use, and degrades in quality and performance through use. Sometimes an engine springs one or more oil leaks. A sufficient quantity of oil in good condition is an important contributor to the longevity of an engine. Well-built engines can continue in use over high mileages with the assistance of frequent oil changes.
(edited 9 months ago)
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Best Tips for Maintaining Your Car's Engine Performanc
- Cheap but good full car service
- where to buy car service parts from?
- Level 3 Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Apprenticeship
- URGENT - AQA Economics Essay (GCSE)
- Can I do my car service on different days
- Car costs as a 18-19 yo
- Mech Eng or Chem Eng?
- What course would suit me?
- Ford Ka failed MOT due to rust- repair or scrap
- Bell Curve Graph
- What do people think about Heriot Watt University?
- Car cost as an 18-19 yr old
- car insurance
- Mechanical engineering vs natural sciences?
- Bath, Bristol, Warwick
- Long term parking at univeristy of hull
- Best device for Computer Science Degree?
- Chem or Mech eng
- Loughborough Motor Club! - Like Cars and Bikes?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 4 months ago
What happens if you accidentally drive your car with no road tax or motLast reply 5 months ago
NEW DRIVER - What insurance company is the cheapest ?Last reply 6 months ago
Is it a driving test fail to almost pull out on somebody but rectify this and brake?
