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**** did I mess up my engine? What can I check?

G

Guitarman19853

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
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Location
Pittsburgh, Pa
Well somehow I neglected to check or change my oil lately because it has never been a problem before and lots of changes in my life meant that I just forgot. I've been driving around for who knows how long on 4 quarts. And it was old oil. It was synthetic so that will give it some more life but still, it was old and low. It's changed now, but I'm really afraid of what could have been happening to my engine... especially since this week I had been driving it harder due to nice weather.

Nothing happened, it seems fine, but is there any way to check for damage? What would've happened to the engine by running it like this?
 
wait, so you only put 4 quarts in it? thats a bit low. its supposed to take 5, but most people (at least i think most people) put 5.5-6 quarts in it to prevent the oil starvation problem.. and the only real way to check for damage was like newton said, check the oil you just took out for shavings..
 
I did check both the oil and what I could check on the filter for metal and there was none.

SVTkid: I put 6 quarts in. I always do, but because I failed to check my oil for over 3 months, I had not noticed that the level had dropped below the low mark on the dipstick. When I drained the oil, I measured it to be 4 quarts. I didnt think the car was burning oil... I'll have to keep an eye on it now...
 
Well for that kind of loss I would doubt its burning it. You would probably be able to see it when you start the car and stuff. It may have a leak somewhere. I have always been told that if you have a small leak, synthetic will only make it worse. But I really dont know because I havent had much experience with that problem.

So how long had it gone from its last change?
 
Ryan, if it's not knocking now, you should be ok. Now, you may have taken some of the longevity of the bearings by doing this, meaning, your motor may not reach 300,000 miles, but it probably won't die tomorrow, either.

I think the only way to really be sure is drop the pan and take a look at the bearings. If it's running ok, I wouldn't bother. Gimme a call if you need anything.
 
Synthetic will go down a bit faster than regular oil. I generally need to add about half a quart after about 3000 miles to top it from the low mark back up to full.
 
you can check the bearings, but you would have to drop the windage tray and oil pick-up in order to do it. it would be kind of a pain..
 
my car had an oil leak that went unnoticed for some time, ended up driving with low oil (3quarts.) and changed oil, everything was fine.. about a month later heard the knock :shrug:
 
Guitarman19853 said:
.... When I drained the oil, I measured it to be 4 quarts. I didnt think the car was burning oil... I'll have to keep an eye on it now...
Click to expand...

JnCsvt said:
my car had an oil leak that went unnoticed for some time, ended up driving with low oil (3quarts.) and changed oil, everything was fine.. about a month later heard the knock :shrug:
Click to expand...

If it is not knocking now, don't worry about it. It will knock (eventually). When? Nobody knows. Could be tomorrow, could be next month, maybe a few years down the road. Just continue to monitor the oil level and hope for the best.
 
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