Low oil but oil pressure gauge read correctly?

[Rajin]

So after driving today I decided to check my oil, just traded for this car not too long back, all it has is a 16G, Greddy BoV and a exhaust, and a ss oil feed line.

Well, I noticed on shutdown I was getting knock/valve chatter like the oil pressure was suddenly gone or there wasn't enough oil in the motor.

I check it today and it read on the first notch, I add two quarts then I was above the second notch.

Car's not leaking oil onto the ground at all. The rear main area looks really clean but the front main's pretty nasty and the AN line to the oil filter housing looks crooked? But no oil around it.

Any idea?

 

[talondave]

First off, notch to notch on the dip stick, is one quart, not two! In most cases the lifters start ticking at idle on most of our cars when having old lifters! Either switch to a thicker oil, or switch out your lifters with some new 3g lifters, or even do both! Either one of those things I mentioned will most likely fix you're problem!

 

[Rajin]

Thanks Dave, also, noticed, no lifter tick at all, but was told Rotella oil was ran in it, and the old oil is piss black.

Signs of a old oil change?

Also, front main side of motor is dirty, but crank play is in spec, actually, no play at all.

Also, 16G is on the car, balance shafts are still on her, would it be wise to delete any of the honeycombs on the MAF and also noticed, after I added the 10W-30 oil the car didn't smoke under any hard accel.

 

[talondave]

Thanks Dave, also, noticed, no lifter tick at all, but was told Rotella oil was ran in it, and the old oil is piss black.

Signs of a old oil change?

I would definitely give it an oil change with atleast 10w40 of you're choice!

Also, front main side of motor is dirty, but crank play is in spec, actually, no play at all.

That being dirty isn't that big of a deal, just needs cleaned up! I would, take off the front cover, clean it up, put a new main oil seal, and replace the timing belt/components..

Also, 16G is on the car, balance shafts are still on her, would it be wise to delete any of the honeycombs on the MAF and also noticed, after I added the 10W-30 oil the car didn't smoke under any hard accel.

I wouldn't touch the honeycombs, cause it could mess with the way the maf measures the air flow!

 

[gyd23]

I would definitely give it an oil change with atleast 10w40 of you're choice!
That being dirty isn't that big of a deal, just needs cleaned up! I would, take off the front cover, clean it up, put a new main oil seal, and replace the timing belt/components..

I wouldn't touch the honeycombs, cause it could mess with the way the maf measures the air flow!

i agree!! X3
make sure you do tons of research on these kind of things before you go and do them, many before you have gone and taken the honeycombs, even just half of it and taken them out thinking it will give you more power when in reality it will just mess up your airflow.
research research research, no one on here can tell you enough how important that is.
whether its as simple as changing the intake or building an engine.

 

[Rajin]

Alright, the previous owner said he'd changed the oil a month ago, just was strange to be low.

 

[gyd23]

Alright, the previous owner said he'd changed the oil a month ago, just was strange to be low.

maybe he just didn't put enough in and/or its burning it? (if its not leaking).
and did you honestly put in 2 quarts of oil when it was only at the minimum line? (the bottom of the 2 lines)?

 

[Rajin]

It was actually lower than the bottom notch. Barely reading. No noticeable leaks, burning maybe?

 

[SrKegler]

Just keep an eye on the oil level until you know how much you're using. The guage doesn't show oil level, just oil pressure. By the time the guage drops or the idiot light comes on, it's too late.

The oil being black after just a month isn't uncommon. Engine might not have had changes frequently enough. New oil helps clean out the old crud. Might be a couple of changes before oil stays normal.

 

[Rajin]

I'm more confused than anything, it's almost like it burnt a quart and a half over the period of a day or two and then started to clatter on shutdown.

 

[AK Thunder]

Are you getting blue smoke from your exhaust?
Your piston rings could be worn or your turbo seals could be going..
If your getting smoke on start up after sitting over night your valve seals could be dripping into the cylinder as well..

 

[gyd23]

I agree... check to see if it blows blue smoke from your exhaust. if there is some way its burning that much oil without you noticing it running like complete a**, then its burning oil.
will be either: Turbo seals, valve seals, or even your head gasket... just check your coolant too for the heck of it to see if its possibly your HG? Those are few common things that cause it to burn oil.

 

[Rajin]

White smokes a little on idle, that's all.

Also, not a single bit of power change, and the smoking in rare, sometimes it'll smoke after sitting while idling, valve seals or hg right?

 

[gyd23]

White smokes a little on idle, that's all.

Also, not a single bit of power change, and the smoking in rare, sometimes it'll smoke after sitting while idling, valve seals or hg right?

more than likely but if its white smoke... that would be coolant burning, not oil.

If your absolutely sure its not leaking anywhere, just for the heck of it pull off your coolant cap and check out your coolant, make sure there is no oil in there, and vise versa.

because if your not leaking oil, and its not blowing blue smoke then it is just magically disappearing.

 

[Rajin]

I know right, it's CONFUSING THE SHIT out of me.

It white smokes at idle if I sit a long time, can smell burningish oil. Doesn't have the sweet smell coolant does when it burns. If I rev though, it'll straighten out. Well, I planned to redo the head and do the BSE on the car, might as well do it now .

 

[gyd23]

I know right, it's CONFUSING THE SHIT out of me.

It white smokes at idle if I sit a long time, can smell burningish oil. Doesn't have the sweet smell coolant does when it burns. If I rev though, it'll straighten out. Well, I planned to redo the head and do the BSE on the car, might as well do it now .

Guess so... maybe in the process you'll find your problem.

 

[Rajin]

It's not anything related to the HG, thankfully, it's valve seals, only thing it could be.

 

[Rajin]

So since the initial finding of the lack of oil, I've received no other issues, valvetrain noise, the oil's always been on point. I honest believe that the car had cheap ass oil that hit it's flash point and burnt up.

Since the oil change with me, the car's been DEAD on point, just a smidge above the second notch.

Regardless, she's getting ARP Headstuds and a nice metal HG from Mitsu or Cometic, haven't decided yet, and a BSE and new rings on the pistons.

Valve seals as well.
Still the original oil loss intrigues me, I checked all oil related AN fittings and everything. All was snug and in place. I'm still up in the air, but I've bought a new front main and I'll have everything staightened out soon.