Northernsky

Hi everyone,
I think my S might be in a bit of trouble. I've only had it a month, and I have done as much searching as possible so please forgive me if I'm being stupid.

I took it 300 miles home to Cornwall for the bank holiday weekend, the car sounded and drove fine. Gave it a good clean and checked the oil level, no problems. Then drove it 170~ miles to Dorset for a couple of days, again the car sounded and drove fine. My girlfriend took some of her family out for a few short drives, but didn't get it past 6000rpm once (despite some encouragement from myself...) We put the hardtop back on and drove to London. I made a couple of comments that it was sounding rough when on the throttle, but it drove fine. I thought it was just the difference in sound after driving it around topless for a couple of days.
I checked the oil yesterday and there wasn't much oil on the dipstick but there was a patch on the floor... I had topped it up with about 300ml of 5w30 Magnatec about 1000 miles ago (what the previous owner was using, planned to change to the 10w40 Edge TD soon), and it took the rest of the bottle to get the level back up in the middle of the X's. From what I've read, 1L per 1000 miles isn't that unusual for an older, higher mileage (88k) car, so I'm feeling stupid for not keeping an eye on it. The patch on the floor worries me though. I checked this morning and there was a small patch again. It's not like all the oil I put in has come straight back out, but clearly some has. There's also oil on the front of the block (see picture) although from my searching this doesn't seem to be uncommon.


If anyone can venture any ideas or opinions, good or bad, I'd really appreciate it. Anything I can do that might help diagnose the problem would also be great. I don't have a great mechanical knowledge, but I can follow instructions and get most things done easily enough and would rather know what I was looking at before it got sent off to a garage for repair.

-Marc

RichwiththeS2000

Sounds stupid but you didn't spill some when topping up did you? I always drop about 100ml all over the engine block as I never have a funnel to hand heh

Northernsky

I probably did spill a little bit, I never use a funnel either, but I'm pretty sure there was an oil patch under the car before I topped it up yesterday. Unfortunately I have to park on the street, my girlfriend moved the car closer to our house yesterday and that's where I noticed the oil patch underneath it, it could have been from another car.

I'm still hoping it's part new car paranoia, part forgetting-to-check-the-oil-as-regularly-as-I-should, but I am worried.

CHIPPO

Oil consumption can vary quite bit in my experience and often without any rhyme nor reason. Although my car has always certainly used far more when pushed hard. And as a pre O4 car has never liked fully synth , although at the moment it is running on Castrol TD 5 40 and using very little about 500mls per 1000milesl. Which is as good as it's ever been on any oil

Even in the street you could park it atop of a clean piece of cardboard , an old box opened up and trapped by a wheel to see if it is the S dripping and maybe from where.

r8byb

What oil is in there now?

Mine drank 5w40 about 800ml over 1000 miles, now with 10w40 it uses 100ml to 200ml

Northernsky

Thanks for your input. The previous owner had a service at 86.5k miles and put 5w30 Magnatec in there, so I bought a litre to top up with until I changed it to Castrol TD 10w40. I'll take your advice and put some cardboard underneath to see if it's still leaking. I'm sure you guys know what it's like with a new car, you worry that every noise, rattle or bump is the engine about to blow up or the wheels falling off. I did drive a few before buying this one, but I think getting to a meet and looking at/listening to some well looked after S2000s would really put my mind at ease. I'd like to go to the anti-Royal Wedding meet on Friday morning but not sure if driving the car would be a bad idea if it's leaking oil.

lovegroova

Have you been using the A/C at all? The wet patches may very well be down to that.

richmc

Are you saying there is 5w/30 in there now? if so I'd change it for 10w/40 ASAP. Where in Cornwall are you? I'm in Wadebridge and trust the guys at Eyres garage (one tech ia an S2000 owner). They could have a look for you, far cheaper than going to Rowes.
Have a look around the oil filter, they have a habit of coming loose if not tightened to spec.

Northernsky

Hi Rich,
I live in London now but went back to my parents in Penzance for the Easter weekend. Being back in the country and enjoying the roads my driving was definitely more enthusiastic than usual, so it probably did burn more oil. The car does have 5w30 in it at the moment, I'll check the filter is on tightly but will change the oil this weekend for 10w40 and see if it leaks then.

Thanks for the idea lovegroova, I've not been using the AC though.

Nobody's suggesting that the engine has had it, do you think it'd be alright to take out on a run as long as I keep checking the oil? Are there any other checks I can do to see if it's a blown gasket or anything more sinister?

RichwiththeS2000

As above, put some card down to confirm it is actually dropping oil. If it was me I'd top it up take it for a 20 mile hoon. Kick its teeth in and see if its lost any oil! You'd know about it if there was a big enough problem for it to be down on oil pressure so long as its not dripping itself dry it should be fine to drive on?