Where did all of my oil go?

Jeff822 · 06-11-2008, 12:59 PM

Well I just changed the oil last week when I got the transfer case on, 4 1/2 QT's of Castrol 20w-50 and a Fram filter. I noticed the past few days the oil light has been flickering off and on but thought nothing of it because the wire on the oil sender kept falling off last week. Today I check the oil and it read nothing on the stick. It wasn't even tapping or knocking or anything. I put a QT in and it read just a tad on the bottom of the stick. I ended up putting 3 QT's of oil in it to get the correct reading and I just changed the oil and filter less then 200 miles ago. The only oil leak I can see actually dripping down is from the return line at the pan and it only drips once or twice then stops. Also I don't see any blue smoke coming from the exhaust, just black from running rich.

VETTE_50_TH · 06-11-2008, 01:12 PM

Are you sure you put it in the right hole?

Umm, if your not burning, and you cant smell it coming from anywhere. Next guess would be that it drained though the oil filter or drain plug in the pan.

James

motorboat · 06-11-2008, 02:51 PM

are you checking the oil when the car is hot or cold? Your readings will vary if you check it when the car is still hot because all the oil will still be on everything and not pooled in the bottom of the oil pan. You might want to check it again when the car is cold-- you might have over-filled it now.

Jack the car up and check to see if its leaking from anywhere. It doesnt necessarily have to drip to be leaking (even though thats a lot of oil)

Jeff822 · 06-11-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorboat

are you checking the oil when the car is hot or cold? Your readings will vary if you check it when the car is still hot because all the oil will still be on everything and not pooled in the bottom of the oil pan. You might want to check it again when the car is cold-- you might have over-filled it now.

Jack the car up and check to see if its leaking from anywhere. It doesnt necessarily have to drip to be leaking (even though thats a lot of oil)

The first few times I checked when the car was hot, then waited about 15 mintues and got the same reading, put 3 QT's in now it reads good.

bluegs03 · 06-11-2008, 05:33 PM

Well all of that oil went somewhere... im guessing that you have a big leak somewhere. If you can put that dye in your oil and get ahold of a black light. THis will show you where the leak is comming from. Also be careful to not drive anywhere long distance because you will be low on oil very soon and engines dont like to be low on oil

Blitzeclips · 06-11-2008, 07:10 PM

Do you have an oil catch can?

Check your feed and return lines fittings. If the connection to your block or oil pan(return) is loose, primarily the feed line, it would be more prone o spew oil under high pressue (Ex.- In boost) while you're driving around. In that case you wouldn't even smell much of it and you'd only see the oil in the road if you retraced your driving path.

Only other thing I could think of that hasn't been mentioned.

Jeff822 · 06-11-2008, 08:19 PM

Thats exactly what i'm thinking. I know the return line at the pan is leaking a little (after driving I look under the car and see a few drips come out) I just ordered a new gasket so once it gets here Friday from ExtremePSI I will be able to tell.

Blitzeclips · 06-11-2008, 08:42 PM

Yeah I mean it definately wouldn't hurt to help. Even though it's(return) usually gravity fed, you never know. The pressure should effect both feed and return enough for that possibility. Hell it's worth a shot! Let us know what you find. Hope its nothing major..

Jeff822 · 06-12-2008, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzeclips

Yeah I mean it definately wouldn't hurt to help. Even though it's(return) usually gravity fed, you never know. The pressure should effect both feed and return enough for that possibility. Hell it's worth a shot! Let us know what you find. Hope its nothing major..

Tell me about it, I just bought this car 2 weeks ago and already put a transfer case on it. While driving it home it mysteriously shredded on the highway.

Just checked the plugs, they looked ok. Pulled off the LICP and there was no blow-by. Crawled around under the car with a light and didn't find much, the return line bolts I tightened a little more but thats about it. Checked the turbo for shaft play and that checked out good, just a little side/side. I did notice some oil around the oil filter housing, it wasn't much. The fliter wasn't loose or anything.

Jeff822 · 06-14-2008, 12:33 PM

Well first, the other day while driving I noticed my oil light flickering. I thought it may just be a bad connection because the clip fell off the sender unit a few times before and brought my oil pressure to 0 on the stock gauge. I check the oil and there is nothing on the dip stick, I just changed the oil 200 miles before with a Fram filter and 20w-50 so I didn't know wtf was up. I put oil in it untill the dipstick read properly. Now fast forward a few days. Now whenever I come to a stop and push the clutch in the oil light comes on and then when I give it gas it will go off. It won't come back on again untill I come to a stop, so it does not do it while i'm driving or anything. The stock oil PSI gauge read ok it seems, when i'm driving the needle will kinda stay in the middle just before the line but when I stop it will drop down almost to the bottom of the gauge.

jeepzj94 · 06-14-2008, 01:42 PM

Sounds to me like you're either leaking a lot of oil somewhere, or burning it off. My car does the same thing. I have a leak at the return line flange on the oil pan, and about every three weeks my oil light will do the same thing and I have to add oil to make it stop. Don't ignore it, if you keep running low on oil you're gonna do some damage to your engine and turbo. I'd check for leaks and find out why you have to keep adding oil. Good luck

Jeff822 · 06-14-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepzj94

Sounds to me like you're either leaking a lot of oil somewhere, or burning it off. My car does the same thing. I have a leak at the return line flange on the oil pan, and about every three weeks my oil light will do the same thing and I have to add oil to make it stop. Don't ignore it, if you keep running low on oil you're gonna do some damage to your engine and turbo. I'd check for leaks and find out why you have to keep adding oil. Good luck

I checked but the only leak I found was from the return line at the oil pan, I tightened the bolts and haven't seen it drip since.

ILLiCliPSE · 06-14-2008, 07:59 PM

sometimes the connection is bad and when you brake, it grounds the connection and the light turns on. see if there is any metal to metal contact around the oil filter housing.