What is engine oil and why is important for your car?
Simply put, engine oil can be considered as the lifeblood of your engine. It serves as a lubricant to prevent friction and all those moving metallic parts of your lovely Peugeot 308 from grinding against each other causing damage. As a natural consequence of this, less heat is generated by the movement of these moving metallic parts, and the oil also acts as an insulator, preventing any excessive heat from disrupting the combustion cycle of the engine. The sticky, viscous nature of engine oil also serves to attract and suspend all the unwanted byproducts of combustion. And lastly, by using the right engine oil, it will help reduce the effects of oxidation inside the engine (causing harmful corrosion).
How do I know if I need to add engine oil?
Regularly checking your engine oil is one of the most important things you can do to look after your car. After all, it is one of the main things checked during a service.
You will usually need to change your engine oil as part of a routine service, but as many modern engines typically use approximately 1 litre of oil every 5,000km, you need to check and top up oil levels whenever required between services. A good general rule is to check the oil and oil level every month – and always before a long journey.
Checking your engine oil is a quick and simple process should you want to do it yourself. The only equipment you will need is a clean disposable cloth or paper towel. Then do the following steps:
- Make sure the car is parked on level ground, and engine has been turned off for at least five minutes.
- Open the bonnet, locate and pull out the dipstick, and wipe all the oil off the end with the clean cloth.
- Check the engine oil level by pushing the dipstick slowly back all the way into its tube and pull it out again. The oil level should be between the upper and lower level marks. If the level is near the lower mark, you need to top up the oil.
- If you need to top up your oil, remove the oil filler cap and insert the funnel. Pour in some oil and wait a few seconds for the oil to drain down to the bottom of the engine and then re-check the level, taking care not to overfill it.
Refer to the Peugeot 308 Warranty & Maintenance Handbook for further advice.
So what kind of oil should I be using?
Engines and oil technology is changing and improving all the time so it can be tricky to know which oil to buy. So in short, and for complete peace of mind, we recommend only using Peugot recommended engine oils for the Peugeot 308, such as the Total Quartz range. They’re designed to maximise the performance of the engine and reduce emissions.
And if in doubt, ask your local Peugeot Service Repair Centre for advice for advice and information.
