Well, I just went to get both changed today (oil and coolant). The worry is over, the oil light is out and the low coolant light is gone. I just have to go back to the store and get my money back. I know to the personal mechanics who know how to change the coolant in the 2000 - 2007 monte carlos, kudosssssssss to you, because once I looked at the locations on me doing it myself, ii chickened out and went too the LOL. Eventually, I will do it myself (when I have the time and patience for it). Thanks for all your inputs toward this thread.

 

Glad the lights went out.........

But don't just close the hood, and keep it closed...pop it open once in a while and check your oil, and coolant. If your coolant level keeps dropping, there is something wrong. Your coolant level should always stay the same. If your oil is down a little, its ok, just top it off, and keep it at the full line.

 

Toppin off coolant, yea, but toppin oil off, ummmmmm, I don't know about. is that possible, if so, thats new too me. Now, if your talking about just the coolant, then I stand corrected.

 

HUH?

Yes you can top off your coolant with a 50/50 mix of coolant and water, but i'm trying to say you should not need to top off your coolant. If you find yourself topping off the coolant, that means there is a coolant leak some place.

And yes, you can top off your oil, and you should be checking it and topping it off AT LEAST once a month. It is normal for your car to burn a small amount of oil over the course of some miles. Therefore if its burning some oil, you need to be adding the same amount of oil it burned back to it so that your engine oil level is ALWAYS full.....it sounds to me like you don't check your oil, which is why your oil light came on eventually. If your oil is low, you need to add oil to your car....

 

I was going to tell you the same thing that MaMonte said.

When its said to "Top It Off', it means to bring it back to level. In this case, to add oil until you get it back to the "FULL" part of your dip stick. Even if it means just a half a quart.


Just remember to "Think With Your Dipstick Jimmy".

 

You know what, I didn't know you can top your oil off. I understand why (now that you broke it down for me) you top the oil off. At least when I get an oil change, I will have a full amount then 1 quart of oil left when the change is due. I know the guy ask me "I see your late on your oil change". So you already know I was embarrassed about it. LOL!

I will do that for now on until my next oil change. Thankks for the advice!

 

hey its ok, we all learn things as we go...but yea, always check your oil. And just so you know, when you pull the oil dipstick, you will see a "cross hatched" area, that may have little holes in it. From the bottom of that area to the top of that area is ONE quart of oil. So if your oil level is at the bottom of the cross hatched area, add one quart to bring it to the full line...if your oil level is in the middle of the cross hatched area, add only half a quart.....

And CHANGE your oil at least every 5ish thousand miles if you are running regular conventional non synthetic oil. And change it about every 7500 miles if your using a synthetic oil....Trust me, changing your oil is one of the most IMPORTANT maintenance prodedures....I would NEVER buy a car if the previous owner did not pay close attention to oil changes...

 

Also take note that you should check your oil level when the engine is cold, and after you pull the dipstick out the first time, wipe it off with a paper towel, then dip it again, and use that one for the reading.

 

Its already too late now but I wanted to convert over to synthetic oil. If it really needed or if its not. I read a forum on here that synthetic oil last wayyyyyyyyyyy longer than the regular oil. I do like the castrol gtx, I used that oil in my 95 cougar I had and that was wonder with the v8 under the hood......ahhh those were the days.

I will check it regularly but also I will buy a quart of oil just in to have it on standby. Also, I don't even know what grade of oil to use (5w 30 or 10w 40)! I know the oil usage is suppose to be thinner in the summer and thicker in the winter (for those who live in chicago) I think.

 

Go with 5w-30........you can use it year round