On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:46:46 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Tim S wrote:
I don't 'look under the bonnet' either - although I'm not a fleet
driver - my car warns of low oil level.

Is that "Low oil level" or "Low oil pressure". Only if it's the latter
and more traditional warning light, when it comes on, you have about
2PSI or less of oil pressure and you are now knackering your engine at
an alarmingly fast rate.

Oil *level*. Both my cars have sensors for this - and one is 20 years old.
Of course with any car new to you, you should monitor oil levels in the
traditional way and get a feel for how much it does or does not use.

Ah. Never seen one, but I buy cheap 2nd hand cars anyway. That as in they
were cheap when they were new, and then I bought them 2nd hand.


But the days of checking *all* fluid levels have long since gone - unless
you're very keen. ;-)

I always check before a long run - occasionally I've had cause to bung 1/2
pt in the engine. Often though, I've been caught out by sudden failure on
the most important 3 fluids rather than significant gradual loss.

1) Fiat 131, brake line fractured, lost 1/2 the fluid and brakes. That was
a *lovely* new years day, freezing my n*ds off in the cold road forming
and fitting a new one.

2) Maestro, blew the oil pressure sender, bing, zero oil. Fortunately in a
car park so no engine damage.

3) Daewoo, driving home, steam everywhere. Water pump bearing seal gone.
1/4 mile from home, so limped it back.

Remember the bit about "cheap 2nd hand..."

Tim