1.4 D4 Using Oil / Can I Use Semi Instead Of Fully

[lmcc87]

My 1.4d4d appears to be using oil. The full max to min amount (1.5litres) according to the manual in 4000 miles and a further half (0.75 litres) in a further 2000 miles. So this seems to be a constant rate. From my research these engines don't tend to use much oil if any. Does anyone have any experiences of the 1.4 using oil like this or point to why it could be using oil at this rate? Runs like a gem it is worth noting. I've never had any car use oil like this (even my type r civics which are notorious for using oil)

Also the book doesn't state in words if you can use semi synthetic oil, just 0/5-30w oil. Does anyone use semi in their engines? Thanks

[AdeleS]

I can't answer your question about what oil the car uses but I do know that my Auris D4D is using a lot of oil too. Just recently had its second year service and was completely out of oil. The technicians have told me to keep a close eye on it as it seems to be using more than it should. I would be interested to hear, also, if any others have this problem. Still under warranty for one more year, so want to get all problems sorted before year 3.

On a different note, I have had an annoyance with a squeaky clutch, had to have something replaced there last year but the problem has come back recently and only seems to appear when the car is fully warmed up.

[lmcc87]

I can't answer your question about what oil the car uses but I do know that my Auris D4D is using a lot of oil too. Just recently had its second year service and was completely out of oil. The technicians have told me to keep a close eye on it as it seems to be using more than it should. I would be interested to hear, also, if any others have this problem. Still under warranty for one more year, so want to get all problems sorted before year 3.

On a different note, I have had an annoyance with a squeaky clutch, had to have something replaced there last year but the problem has come back recently and only seems to appear when the car is fully warmed up.

I think I have that same problem with the clutch pedal also, a squeak/minor clunk from the pedal which you can feel through your foot. Usually happens with me when I direct the heat down to the floor for maybe a half hour or so.

[AdeleS]

I'm bringing it back to the service centre this week to get it sorted. I'll let you know what they do. If I can remember rightly, last year they had to replace the clutch cylinder which fixed it for a while but I'm back to square one now. It's not a minor squeak/clunk with mine, very noisy and annoying and a lot worse since the "service" last week :)

[lmcc87]

O that sounds a lot worse than mine. Good luck with the dealer!

[mrpj]

The 5W-30 Toyota Genuine Motor Oil that many dealers use in their 1.4 Diesel is a semi-synthetic.

[Uncle Buck]

You can easily use a semi-synthetic oil. These engines are only using oil up because they haven't been allowed to 'wear-in' properly. Fully synthetic oil should never be used on a new engine as it will not allow a proper settling in period - in other words it over-protects the engine. Change to a semi-synthetic oil of the same grade & you will see the difference quite quickly - especially if you give the engine a good run at higher revs. I speak from experience .....

[lmcc87]

The 5W-30 Toyota Genuine Motor Oil that many dealers use in their 1.4 Diesel is a semi-synthetic.

Ok cool, thanks for the info.

[lmcc87]

You can easily use a semi-synthetic oil. These engines are only using oil up because they haven't been allowed to 'wear-in' properly. Fully synthetic oil should never be used on a new engine as it will not allow a proper settling in period - in other words it over-protects the engine. Change to a semi-synthetic oil of the same grade & you will see the difference quite quickly - especially if you give the engine a good run at higher revs. I speak from experience .....

Ok I see where you are coming from uncle buck. I bought the car with 28000 on the clock, with 3 services being stamped up in the service history from a toyota dealer, this is all i know from its past. If the engine is filled with 0/5-30w semi from the factory, I can only assume that the toyota dealer used the same, or is there a chance they have put the fully synthetic in during each service?

[mrpj]

"or is there a chance they have put the fully synthetic in during each service"

Doubtful. However, the price they charge could well be at a similar level to fully synthetic!

Also with the oil included in the fixed price servicing costs they will user the cheaper semi-synthetic too.

[Parts-King]

Some dealer groups (usually the biggest groups) will have deals in place with oil companies and many of those deals will just be for fully synthetic oil, however it is not required in that engine

Kingo

[Uncle Buck]

That's exactly it Kingo. I've used semi-synthetic in mine & so has the dealer, but I know other owners have had fully synthetic at service time because of those deals.

[lmcc87]

Hmm interesting indeed. Well I will change out the oil for semi and see where it goes from there, if it stops using oil then we know it has been filled with fully synthetic during servicing. Thanks for the info everyone!