Checking the oil level (Continuous monitoring) (Audi 100 C4)

The oil level should be checked at least every other refueling. If preparing for a long trip or if you have an old engine with increased oil consumption, the check should be made at every refueling. The oil dipstick is on the left side of the engine, when looking in the direction of travel.

Place the car on a level surface.

After turning off the engine when it is warm, you should wait at least five minutes for all the oil to drain into the oil pan. It is better to check before starting it when the engine is still cold.

Pull out the oil dipstick (when the engine is hot, care should be taken as nearby coolant hoses are very hot), wipe the dipstick with a clean, thread-free cloth or paper towel. Insert it all the way again, wait a bit, and pull it out again.

Use the dipstick to determine the oil level, which should be between the two marks.

If the oil level only reaches the lower mark, add 1 liter.

Topping up oil

The amount of oil between the upper and lower marks is 1 liter. The oil level should not fall below the lower mark, although a shortage of a quarter of a liter is not yet dangerous for the engine.



If more oil is missing and the vehicle is moving, the oil pressure may drop to a dangerous level, which will be immediately signalled by the dynamic oil pressure monitoring system via a warning buzzer.

It is also undesirable to have too much oil in the engine. At high speeds, it gets through the crankcase ventilation system into the air filter and contaminates the paper filter element (carburetor engines).

In moderate driving conditions, it is sufficient to add oil up to the lower mark.

When driving at high speed, it is recommended to add oil so that the level is in the lower quarter between the two marks on the dipstick. A slightly larger amount of oil will provide better cooling.

It will not do any good to the engine if you fill the oil above the upper mark. At high speeds, oil will get into the air filter or intake system through the crankcase ventilation system.

Can different brands of oils be mixed?

Oils of different brands can be mixed, including seasonal oils with all-season oils. It is important that the oil used is of the required type.

Oil consumption

Some of the oil burns during operation. Thus, oil consumption is natural. A well-functioning engine should consume 0.2 liters of oil per 1000 km. For an Audi, the maximum permissible consumption is 1.5 liters per 1000 km.

Quality of watches

Types of oils recommended for Audi

For relatively long intervals between oil changes (with a mileage of 15,000 km or more) there is a risk of oil foaming, which is why it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the Audi company.



The recommended motor oil should be mineral-based and meet the VW 50101 standard. Such oil has the necessary properties to prevent foaming. Synthetic oils with crumbs and anti-friction properties reduce internal friction in the engine. They must meet the VW 50000 standard.

Only if there is no oil of the specified type, seasonal or all-season oil of the category "API SF" or "API SG" can be used for topping up. Previously, oil could have been poured in that, according to the API standard (American Petroleum Jnsfifute) marked with the letters SF or SG. This designation may also be preceded by the designation of the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (CC MC) or the US Military Institute (MIL). The use of CCMC-G3 or MIL-L-46152B oils is permitted, however, such grades of oil may be used for topping up only in extreme cases.

Below are guidelines for choosing the right brand of oil. The oil should be:

• The required type. The absence of a label on the package is very rare.
• The required viscosity. It depends on the prevailing air temperatures and can be determined from the graph below.
• Other factors, such as the price of the oil and the name of the manufacturer, say nothing about the quality of the oil.

Motor oil additives

The use of additives, no matter what kind, in lubricating oils leads to disruption of the operating mode and can lead to an undesirable mixture composition. This is the opinion of VW/Audi. The use of oils with additives that extend their service life remains questionable, especially when using oils for heavy-duty operation.

[This article was copied from an online resource «audimanual»]