Engine oil quantity - 2.0L petrol

[Markas]

Evening all,
Just doing a few checks before my next big Bongo trip - this time I'm off to sunny Minehead on Thursday and will probably truck on somewhere else after that.
Anyway, found a slow puncture for my local garage to look at tomorrow and also found the oil level is down a bit. Not really too surprised as I've done about 2000 miles since the van was serviced.
Two questions really, how much oil is needed to raise the level from L to H on the dipstick? Also, is it OK to mix 5W30 and 10W40 semi-synthetic? The local specialist put 5W30 in to try to quieten down a sticky hydraulic tappet which has been mostly successful, but the only oil I've got at home is Castrol Magnatec 10W40. I will see if the garage has some lighter oil when I go in tomorrow.
Thanks in advance for any (hopefully quite quick!) replies.

[rita]

Owing to the fact that the engine has done 2000 miles since the last change and having HLA issue I would personally change the oil and filter using your Magnatec 10w 40 its good stuff for these old vehicles .

Good Luck.

[Markas]

Owing to the fact that the engine has done 2000 miles since the last change and having HLA issue I would personally change the oil and filter using your Magnatec 10w 40 its good stuff for these old vehicles .

Good Luck.

Thanks Rita, good idea but the sticky tappet issue appears to have gone away 98% of the time.
In the meantime as I'm not going to have a chance to do an oil change before I travel, any offers on the original question? One poster on an American Honda forum has suggested that it's an American quart, that's 0.95 litres, between the high and low mark irrespective of the make or model! I can't believe it could possibly be that simple

[Bob]

Rather than risk overfilling I'd put in, say, 1/2 pint, wait 5 mins and check the level.

You should be able to make a pretty good guess how much more to put in, but a little, wait, check again is the secret unless you can get the amount from the handbook.

That likely is the standard in the US but I wouldn't rely on an elderly Japaneese vehicle being the same.

[Markas]

Rather than risk overfilling I'd put in, say, 1/2 pint, wait 5 mins and check the level.

You should be able to make a pretty good guess how much more to put in, but a little, wait, check again is the secret unless you can get the amount from the handbook.

That likely is the standard in the US but I wouldn't rely on an elderly Japanese vehicle being the same.

Thanks Bob, the driver's handbook doesn't even tell you how to CHECK the oil, let alone how to top up! The advice in the handbook is drive until the oil warning light comes on, do an emergency stop and call your friendly local Mazda dealer!! In the absence of the workshop manual (86 quid - ouch) I'll be doing just as you suggest.
I thought it was worth mentioning the US post, as it related to Honda Preludes and the guy said that in his experience it was the same on other Japanese and European models.

[Markas]

Well, to answer my own original question, it can't be more than about 3/4 of a pint. Spoke to my usual specialist this morning whose advice was "it won't need much" - and it didn't. Adding less than 1/2 a pint moved the level from a quarter of the way above L to just below F. Used levelling ramps and a spirit level to make sure the van was dead level before I got stuck into it.

[Bob]

Much easier than having to drain some out...