What do you use to top off?

[hardcore302]

My cars are weird. Sometime they need a little oil, sometimes they don't. Either way, I use whatever dino is on sale to top off. The Mustang has gotten Exxon SuperFlo once in the past to top off, and if need be, I have a quart of Formula Shell. See below for current fills.

My Saturn would get the Pep Boys house brand dino (forgot name, someone remind me).

So do you use the same oil to top off, or whatever you have stashed?

 

[Turk]

98% of the time the exact same oil that's in the engine.

 

[Shannow]

Back in 1987, I was given access to all the missing ounces in the bottom of the Shell garage that I worked at, and this was top-off oil...probably superadditised as it had the dark stuff as a major component.

Heven't topped off a vehicle in a decade, but carry a litre of the fill in the boot for security reasons...which make no sense.

SAE 30 makes just as much sense for top-off...

But then so does running down to the "fill" line just before you dump it.

 

[demarpaint]

I don't have to top up my Jeep, and rarely top up my van, but if I did it would only be the oil I used when it was last changed. My Aerostar uses oil, and that gets topped up with whatever I have around. In fact last time I changed it I used M1 0W40 1 qt., Mobil Clean 5W20 2 qts., and 1.5 qts of Peak 5W30. LOL At 206,000 miles, as long as there is oil in it I'm happy. Hopefully it becomes a washer dryer later on this year.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

My mercury doesn't need to be topped off, but I have a Quart of Supertech 5-20 along with bottles of supertech for every fluid that the car needs as "just in case" fluid in the trunk. The Same goes for the impala which needs about a 1/2 quart top-off in the 4-5k OCI, and it gets SupertechHM. It's cheap and a quart lasts two oil changes.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
98% of the time the exact same oil that's in the engine.



I do the same unless its towards the end of the OCI and I am not going to do a UOA and then I will still use good oil, but maybe something less expensive than PU/PP.

 

[hounddog]

I don't swap brands. Top off or not.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
98% of the time the exact same oil that's in the engine.


Yup mee too, I buy what I need to see me through the change... Only time I've added to lately is to my '98 Grand Marquis that needed a quart 5K into a 10K OCI using M1 EP... I don't add dribbles, next time it's low it will be changed...

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
98% of the time the exact same oil that's in the engine.



^Me too. Although I'm using the Duron to top off my Son's Saturn, that's what is going in next time, as I only have 1L of Supreme Synthetic left and I figured I keep that incase the G6 needs it. Have never had to top off the G5.

 

[Doog]

None of my vehicles really use much oil. But I usually overfill by 2-3 ounces at the oil change and they all make it to their respective 5000 mile interval still on full.

 

[addyguy]

When I need it, ST.

 

[Scum_Frog]

The VW gets whats in the engine - at present GC
The Dodge, gets a mixed bottle of 5W20,30 & 40 leftover from different fills.

Both use very very little (if any) so we are talking 1/8 to 1/4 liter over an OCI for both vehicles.

GC is holding up really well in the VW.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
98% of the time the exact same oil that's in the engine.




100% of the time for me.

 

[uart]

I used to be conscientious about always using the same oil for top-offs. Lately however I've been getting a bit of an accumulation of odd half quarts, so now I'm often using top-offs as a way of getting rid of these.

 

[Nodak]

Same.

 

[opus1]

Fortunately, I don't have to top off much, but when I do, I use whatever I have.

The Dakota specs 4 quarts so if I have to top if off I have no leftover oil from the change to use. When I had my Malibu, a change was 4.5 quarts, so there was usually a half-quart left over if I needed to top off. Otherwise that half-quart was then used at the next oil change.

 

[Jim 5]

For my wife's van (uses 1L per 4500 miles) and my previous gas truck, I would use whatever leftovers I have that's even reasonably close to being the same grade.

For the van that uses 5w-20, I have topped off @ 4500 miles with 5w30, 5w-20 or 10w30 in the summer. I don't think it much matters because it accounts for about 1/5 of the sump and it's only for another 1500 miles.

 

[DaryleWB]

I don't buy an oil unless I buy enough for the change and any topping off that I anticipate the need to do for the entire time it is in the engine.

I don't mix. It is not that I fear doing so; I am a purist.

 

[dreamer1uk]

If the vehicle is loosing oil whether from burning or severe leaks, i use whatever brand i have that is available on my shelf.

 

[Kuato]

Same as what's in there.