Using oil?

The Oily Bits S2 Specific Topics
1

My Exige S has a holed oil cooler quite soon after I bought it. Punctured by a stone and luckily spotted very early and fixed before I lost too much oil.
Back on track sorted it by replacing the cooler. They also carried out a service at the same time.

Around 600 miles later I checked my oil and found the level to be about 5mm below the maximum mark on the dipstick.
I topped it up to the full mark.

Today I checked the oil and again found the level to be around 5mm below max.
The car has covered around 800 miles since it was last checked/topped up.

Is this kind of oil usage normal?
Jez at BoT did say that the car may use a little oil, especially if tracked.

I’ve used the car on an “activity day” but the rest of the 800 miles have been on the road (I do like to use all of the available revs whenever possible)

Do I have anything to worry about or does this sound like normal oil usage?

Car has covered around 18k miles.

2

Generally ,yota,s use no oil…
Look carefully as to where It’s going ?
Fingers x,d for you

3

I wouldnt worry about it too much at this point, probably just the levels finding themselves after the cooler being replaced.

There is appprox 1.5 ltrs of fluid in the two oil coolers and the lines running to and from the engine bay. It may simply have taken that length of time just to fully bleed the system through if one of the coolers has been off and repalced for a new one.

5mm on the dipstick is not a great amount of oil tbh. Id just monitor it regular over the next 1000miles and see whats happening then.

4

That’s what I’m hoping for!

Both coolers and the pipe between them were replaced so in effect, the entire oil system was completely drained and refilled.

Initially I just assumed the garage may have not topped up the oil to the maximum mark. I’d done 600+ miles since the work.

I’ve now done 1400 miles and the last 800 have been mostly motorway.

The exhaust gas is crystal clear when driving and there’s no hint of oil when sniffing the exhaust at either startup or idle.


As you say, I’ll run it for another 1000miles and then see if there’s any change.

5

Same here, topped up over full, did Spa and it’s on the line or just under.

6

mine drinks some oil as well, but it has not had the easiest of lives, it never used any till about 2 years ago, now it is about 250ml per 1000miles with a track day thrown in

7

Cheers for the replies.
I’m doing an airfield day this weekend so will top up to the max before starting out and will check again through the day and when I get home.
I’m not seeing any oil leaks, coolant is clean and the exhaust is as clear as a bell so am hoping it’s just settling down and finding it’s levels after the cooler(s) replacement.

8

Just to update this thread - it looks like the dropping oil level was just the oil in the replacement oil coolers settling down.

I’ve now done several hundred miles including a couple of track days and the oil level has remained unchanged :slight_smile:

9

Result !
Very few 2zz,s seem to use oil …
Astounding manufacturing imho …
Infact whenever there’s a problem with a Toyota engined car , I always think ?? So what could Lotus have done to fook up the reliability ?
… in this case it was to add oil coolers :wink:

10

I recently had an issue with the sandwich plate, the boss for the bleed nipple was cracked and leaking (it looks a very weak design). I’ve not heard of any other occurances but something to keep an eye out for…