"Well, after adding 2 liters of oil, (the car holds 4, and I'm still not halfway up the oil dipstick mark), the car sounds normal again"

Richard, it is very important for you to check the oil via the dipstick from now on every month. You are obviously loosing oil and your car is high milage and it's quite normal for that to happen, but you must stay on top of it. You asked what could have happened if you didn't catch it when you did: not could but would: would have seized (which means permanently dead), sell the seats and wheels, doors and mirrors on ebay. No joke.

It's easier to spot a leak than burning park on some paper or tarp in your driveway for a few nights in a row (if not just one). look at the tarp. Oil? if not, you are burning oil, plain and simple (no other explanation for losing it)

The burning could happen in the cylenders if the rings are worn, for example. How do those parts get worn? Running them without oil is a good way to do that. So don't do that again.

Now, as to the dipstick, the 2 marks represent the last liter you need. Don't overfill it either. If you added 2 liters and it got to half way between the two marks it means you were down to 1.5 liters instead of 4, and adding 2 got you to 3.5. Also you need to CHANGE it every 3000 miles (starting today), then monitor your burning...a liter every couple months is not great, but lots of cars do that LOTS, but do monitor it, top it up maybe once or twice tops, then CHANGE it.

That's the minimum and often ALL you really have to do to maintain a car into old age. You got off easy this time, but always watch it and keep it full, and change frequently, and try to find out if it's a leak or not, but it doesn't make any difference because I doubt you'll fix either leak (unless it's just the drain plug not tightened) or rebuild it. So just monitor it and it'll drive another 100k okay?

Alll the best,
Steve Brenner

posted by 12.224.181...

• LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, Richard, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 11:15:58
  • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, Steve Brenner, Thu, 8 Jan 2004 20:04:57 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, Steve Brenner, Thu, 8 Jan 2004 20:02:43
  • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, SteveB, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 13:52:49
    • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, Steve H, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 14:03:45
      • logic behind low washer fluid warning, TML , Thu, 8 Jan 2004 12:56:04
        • I dunno, I got the oil/coolant/washer ding dong nm, michael p, Thu, 8 Jan 2004 14:22:28
      • If you have SID it has a low oil warning DING DONG->, michael p, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 14:07:54
        • 4-cyl don't have this on SID..., Nickshu, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 22:58:03
          • My 4-cyl does, Tony, Fri, 9 Jan 2004 09:40:03
          • Re: 4-cyl don't have this on SID..., Steve Brenner, Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:47:59
            • Re: 4-cyl don't have this on SID..., Nand, Fri, 16 Jan 2004 11:09:29
        • Only a few V6 engines are equipped with oil level senso, SWEDECAR , Wed, 7 Jan 2004 20:50:12
  • Low oil = bad, PeterH, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 12:08:34
  • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, REM in Seattle, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 11:54:47
    • Wonderful analog device called dipstick. Use it n/m, Dick in Falls Church, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 17:54:00
      • You are naughty.... n/m, Geoff, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 19:13:18
    • Re: LOW OIL, is there no warning light on dash?, Nickshu, Wed, 7 Jan 2004 12:08:26

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