Checking engine oil

[ICB]

Level was just below L, topped up to just over half way.

Yeah yeah, I know

No signs of over heating or problems fortunately. Nils desperado.

[bigdaddycain]

Good man!

[Trouble at t'Mill]

That's good news, ICB. If only a teeny bit below 'min', this would suggest that the light was coming on within its 'safety margin' as a warning. I mean, there's no point having a light that comes on when it's too late...! Fingers crossed.

But, dearie me...

Anyways, after you've changed the oil and filter (cough), I'd bring the level up to the 'max' mark. The more the merrier - provided you don't go over, of course.

[ICB]

Booked in for a full service including flush next week, will have my mechanic give it a full check over

[mikeonb4c]

This is all ringing a vague bell (or is it just me tinnitus playing up again ). Is it possible the oil has got old and knackered, lost viscosity and thus doesn't give the same 'head' of pressure at the switch?

I don't know why I think oil loses viscosity with age - maybe cos I looked at some old stuff of mine and thought it had (it could just have been becuase it was hot of course whereas the new stuff I was putting in was cold)

[ICB]

That sounds plausible Mike, the oil isn't in great nick from the look of it and there's a bit of weeping around the head which would be more likely to occur if the oil had thinned out (IIRC 5W and 0W synthetic oils aren't a good idea on engines without really good seals as they tend to come out all over the place). This is one of the things I'll be asking the mechanic to take a view on as it might need new head and rocker cover gaskets or it could just be expected seepage from low viscosity.

The stuff I just chucked in is 15W-40 (about a litre) and I'm thinking the slightly thicker winter grade might be a good temporary measure to see me through to early next week (not likely to be using the van much anyway)

Cheers,

Paul

[mikeonb4c]

That sounds plausible Mike, the oil isn't in great nick from the look of it and there's a bit of weeping around the head which would be more likely to occur if the oil had thinned out (IIRC 5W and 0W synthetic oils aren't a good idea on engines without really good seals as they tend to come out all over the place). This is one of the things I'll be asking the mechanic to take a view on as it might need new head and rocker cover gaskets or it could just be expected seepage from low viscosity.

The stuff I just chucked in is 15W-40 (about a litre) and I'm thinking the slightly thicker winter grade might be a good temporary measure to see me through to early next week (not likely to be using the van much anyway)

Cheers,

Paul

Bongos (some) seem to be a bit weepy round the rocker covers. I remember someone telling me years back how you had to be careful to tighten the rocker cover nuts evenly on an aluminium one or risk cracking it. When I bought it, mine had a bit of a weep towards the rear on the passenger side so I risked it and tightened the nuts local to it just a bit. That stopped it

[scanner]

I mean, there's no point having a light that comes on when it's too late...! Fingers crossed.

Why not?

As standard Bongos have a temp gauge that registers "TOO HOT" when it's too late.

[Simon Jones]

Oil leaks around the rocker cover seal are fairly easy to fix with a new gasket, or a bead of silicone sealant around the existing one. Leaks around the inlet manifold or head gasket are common & generally not considered to be worth worrying about. Don't forget that the oil should be changed every 3000 miles (5000 km), so shouldn't get an opportunity to get old or tired. Oil on the moving parts is just a few microns thick & that's all the seperates the components from metal to metal contact. Unfortunately engine wear can't be reversed so it pays to do regular oil changes with the correct viscosity.

[Trouble at t'Mill]

Mike, you are right - old oil which has degraded will be less viscous. However, this in itself shouldn't cause the pressure to drop by enough to trigger the low pressure light (unless, perhaps, it was like water!)

I suspect it was down to the oil level switch being triggered - which would be good news as this shows it's doing it's job and is giving an early warning as it should. Or else it was the oil pick-up pipe being uncovered, which is not so good. However, if the oil level was found to be just below 'min', unless ICB was cornering on 2 wheels I doubt it was this!

DOES ANYONE KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHETHER THE BONGO HAS AN OIL LEVEL SWITCH?!!

Scanner -

ICB, "...the slightly thicker winter grade...". Any oil chosen for very cold winter use (even then it would surely only be suggested for the Highlands of Scotland) would be a thinner grade. Bongos seem very seems happy with 10W40 which is slightly more viscous than the 'recommended' grade, but I certainly wouldn't go 'thicker' than this - not up to 15W. (As a 'top-up', it isn't so important.)

And semi-synth is worth it as it holds its viscosity more steady with hot and cold extremes. To be honest, even though the Bongo gets very regular changes, I just don't think a TURBO diesel should be run on mineral oil in any case.

And an engine flush is a great idea!

[ICB]

ICB, "...the slightly thicker winter grade...".

Yep, 15 is the winter grade, which is thicker than the recommeded 10, my point being that as my oil has thinned out a bit topping up with 15W as opposed to 10W is probably a good move.

Frankly I won't be too fussed if the engine is cooked, just a good excuse to drop something like a RB25DET or 1UZFE in there and have done with.

[Trouble at t'Mill]

ICB, no harm in topping up with 15W since, as you say, there's a fair chance the remaining oil has thinned a bit over time.

What I was trying to say was that for the Bongo - which I understand has 5W 30 oil specified - a winter equivalent would be probably 0W - 30; ie thinner.

However, with full oil changes, they seem very happy with a slightly thicker than recommended oil: 10W 40 which is easier to obtain.

I don't understand "RB25DET or 1UZFE"

[francophile1947]

I don't understand "RB25DET or 1UZFE"

They're high performance Nissan and Lexus engines.

[teenmal]

I don't understand "RB25DET or 1UZFE"

They're high performance Nissan and Lexus engines.

Better with a TS3

[Trouble at t'Mill]

Ah!