So, as I am not very bright I didn’t realize it was recommended to check the oil level every week or so on the f-type. I was planning to get an oil change this week.

I just checked and was shocked to see it was below the minimum recommended level.

I went out to get some 0W-20 to top it off. I ended up adding in approximately 2.5 quarts which eventually got it up to the notch above the middle line.

So a few things — how bad is it to be below the minimum (I have no idea how long it has been like that as I’ve owned it for about 4 months) by at least 1-2 quarts it would seem? And is it ok to drive now that I added the Valvoline oil pictured? The car has just under 70k miles currently.

Thank you!

 

since you are changing the oil soon it doesn't really matter but i'd heavily recommend using jag approved oil

 

Thanks @Holy F type

I will definitely be sure the jag approved oil is used for the change when I take it in, possibly as early as tomorrow.

I haven’t had any CEL or other issues recently, but I can’t believe a car that was originally $100k+ doesn’t at least alert you when the oil level drops below the recommended minimum.

 

Not only does it not warn, but it also is a pain to actually read the oil level. The right sequence of events have to be undertaken to get a reading and even then it seems the barometric pressure has to be just right for the computer to cooperate.
yes... 2.5 quarts low is a bit concerning, particularly if you have been doing some tight cornering or aggressive hole shots. Pull a sample of oil before you change it and send to Blackstone to see if any damage has been done.

 

Did you find out where the oil went. Garage floor or out the exhaust ??

 

Thanks @Unhingd

It’s in for an oil change and differential service now. I brought in a mason jar for them to put a sample of the oil in and I’ll send it into Blackstone for testing.

Nothing on my garage floor that I can see — certainly not a couple quarts. I did post about the soot marks from my exhaust but was told that’s somewhat normal if starting up and sitting for a minute. Either way, I haven’t seen anything g that would indicate 2 quarts escaping anywhere since I’ve owned it for about 4 months now.

 

Is it possible that at a pre-purchase oil change the incorrect amount of oil was put in? In other words, that it has been low on oil since you bought it?

 

If you want it done right...

Service shops don't understand our oil level gauge. When reading in the middle of the ok range, it is a quart low. You need to add a few ounces at a time, waiting 10 mins between pours, until it reads near full. It's a little time consuming to change our oil right, so I doubt many dealers or service shops understand our car well enough to service the oil properly.

A pump + oil costs less than one dealer change. It also saves your aluminum drain plug pan threads to pump the oil out from above.

Also, IMO we need an oil weight suitable for a boosted engine instead of the high mileage water manufacturers use to avoid EPA fleet mpg fines. Castrol says their 0W-20 weight oils are formulated for optimum mileage, thats perfect for a Camry but not a supercharged monster. In fact, if you go to the Castrol online motor oil finder, they say they don't make any oils suitable for an F-Type.

 

if you measured it cold, it could show less than full even though it is actually full. but 2.5quarts seems a bit much for that. do an oil change with oem oil asap, if i recall correctly you need 7.5quarts. also wouldnt hurt to use some oil flush while you are at it.

actual measurement is a chore rather than pain, you have to warm the car up a bit before draining, then add oil, warm it up a bit more, wait for oil level to show, then fill to max while monitoring the gauge.

 

Thanks for the responses everyone!

I went to the same shop that replaced my power steering and brake vacuum pumps about a month ago. They do good work and seem to know what they are doing.

The motor oil has been changed and the differential serviced. I checked the oil level when I went to pick it up and it was right at the max fill line. They were familiar with the process and followed it to ensure it was filled properly. I also provided them a mason jar that they filled with the previous oil so I can get that tested. Hoping no damage done.

As for the differential, they said that didn’t look bad which was reassuring after seeing other owners report it looking like sludge after 30-40k miles.

All in all, happy to have those items sorted and hoping to take a break from having it in the shop for any reason for the foreseeable future!

 

I have a question regarding the checking of oil. Its in regards to how I check my oil level and if this would be considered proper way to do an oil check.
What I do is after a drive, I park the car on a level surface, usually in my garage. I wait over night for it to settle back to the pan. Then in the morning before I
start the car I turn it on (non-running), scroll thru the menu to the oil level indicator section and get the reading. The orange/gold bar is the level indictor correct?
Would this method be consider correct and accurate? My car is a 2014 S V8.

I also think its crazy these cars have no low oil warning of any kind.

I check my oil at least twice a week using the method above.
I would not go anymore then 5k between changes no matter what they say. If you drive the car hard 3k max.
By hard I mean get anywhere near the rev limit.

Also there seems to be quite a few cars that lose 1.5 qts to 2.5 qts anyone on here come up with a definitive answer to why?

I feel lucky so far my oil level has been stable right at the top.

 

I check my oil the same way - cold engine in the morning before start up after sitting in the garage overnight (no 10 minute wait this way).
Also two or three times a week and I also change the oil every six months = around 3,000 miles in my case.
As usual with oil level checking on the AJ133 and AJ126 there is lots of debate about the "correct" or "best" or "most accurate" method, some insist you must follow the factory recommendation of warm up then wait 10 minutes, others (like me) are of the view that letting it sit overnight achieves the same result (max oil in the sump) so it makes no difference. Maybe in a very cold climate with ambient temps below freezing it might make a difference, but that's not the case where I am.
Other than for a little adventure the first time I did an oil change using my new extraction pump, my oil level read-out has always been smack on the Max mark.
I have experimented a bit with "cold in the morning" vs "warm up and wait 10 minutes" and it made zero difference - always smack on the Max mark.