Oil - how low is too low ??

[MYBAD79]

One of the neighbours just asked me today to check the fluids on her Camry... ok, coolant ws good, brake fluid, ATF all good.... now the oil: dipstick was bone dry :huh: :clobbered:
Usually it's about one QT from the low level to the high level line on the dipstick so I added a QT and checked again... still bone dry :huh:

At that point I suspected the dipstick is too short :lol:

I added another QT and just barely got some oil at the end of the stick.... added another half QT and then it was about 3/4 towards the high level mark....

Apparently there was this red light coming on every now and then.... for a few weeks now..... hmmmmmm..... wonder what that was .....

here's the bummer: engine runs fine and makes no noise..... LOL .... it seems oil is not as important as we might think.... LOL

 

[big2bird]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

 

[mrvette]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

:banned: OH BULLSHIT!!!! what was the trip??? 2 blocks??

:hunter::club:

Edit,....course that old '72 Lemans coupe of mine with the 300k mile 350 engine finally gave up the ghost and ran a couple hundred mile with the red light on and absolutely NO oil pressure, and even Terry gave up that one...she bought another slave car....

 

[big2bird]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

:banned: OH BULLSHIT!!!! what was the trip??? 2 blocks??

:hunter::club:

Edit,....course that old '72 Lemans coupe of mine with the 300k mile 350 engine finally gave up the ghost and ran a couple hundred mile with the red light on and absolutely NO oil pressure, and even Terry gave up that one...she bought another slave car....

Couple hundred miles with no oil pressure. Sounds like the same thing to me.
He showed me the hole in the pan at work Gene. No oil. NADA

 

[010752]

If it was synthetic, I wouldn't worry too much.

The truck I bought a while ago took 2.5 qt to bring it to the line, guy had been driving it for 6 months like that after his buddy a mechanic changed the oil for him. I changed it and it takes 6 quarts and hasn't used any in the 4000mi I've put on it, runs fine.

 

[JeffP1167]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

Back in 84 I had a 4 cylinder Camaro ... Dealer didn't fill with oil, drove about 10 miles but after about 3-4 miles motor got extremely hot at about 5 miles started rattling and making noises you would have to hear to believe around 8-9 miles cooling system couldn't take no more and by this time motor had very little power it finished the last mile on a tow truck. Dealer replaced engine at 17,000 miles.

So no way could a fiero go a week when mine couldn't even go 20 minutes.

 

[denpo]

Ran my crappy Kia with one quart below lower limit (dry dipstick) for god knows how long.
One day noticed the car was running like crap, put 2 quart, Back to normal.
If I ever manage to kill the engine I'd probably take that as an accomplishment.:hunter::smash:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

Back in 84 I had a 4 cylinder Camaro ... Dealer didn't fill with oil, drove about 10 miles but after about 3-4 miles motor got extremely hot at about 5 miles started rattling and making noises you would have to hear to believe around 8-9 miles cooling system couldn't take no more and by this time motor had very little power it finished the last mile on a tow truck. Dealer replaced engine at 17,000 miles.

So no way could a fiero go a week when mine couldn't even go 20 minutes.

What? you killed off an all mighty iron duke??? Even if it's half a 301, the 301 was awesome, I can't imagine how bad ass just half of it still is

 

[JeffP1167]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

Back in 84 I had a 4 cylinder Camaro ... Dealer didn't fill with oil, drove about 10 miles but after about 3-4 miles motor got extremely hot at about 5 miles started rattling and making noises you would have to hear to believe around 8-9 miles cooling system couldn't take no more and by this time motor had very little power it finished the last mile on a tow truck. Dealer replaced engine at 17,000 miles.

So no way could a fiero go a week when mine couldn't even go 20 minutes.

What? you killed off an all mighty iron duke??? Even if it's half a 301, the 301 was awesome, I can't imagine how bad ass just half of it still is

yep only thing iron about it was it was a boat anchor after. I would actually like to have one again with gas prices like they are. but maybe a firebird dressed like a trans am with the 4 banger. But my 3.8 camaro does pretty good on gas and has what twice the power as a 2.5

 

[mrvette]

True story:
Acquantence drove a high milage Pontiac Fiero for one week to work and back with the oil drain plug gone.:rofl:

:banned: OH BULLSHIT!!!! what was the trip??? 2 blocks??

:hunter::club:

Edit,....course that old '72 Lemans coupe of mine with the 300k mile 350 engine finally gave up the ghost and ran a couple hundred mile with the red light on and absolutely NO oil pressure, and even Terry gave up that one...she bought another slave car....

Couple hundred miles with no oil pressure. Sounds like the same thing to me.
He showed me the hole in the pan at work Gene. No oil. NADA

I just giving you a hard time man....:smash::twitch:

 

[BBShark]

My GF had her oil "changed" at a Valvoline center. Showed up to my house the next day with valves clattering. The dipstick was bone dry. Checked to see if the plug was in and it was. These numbnutz just forgot to put oil in!

I filled it with oil and it has been fine since. I have no idea how many miles she put on it.

 

[molested84]

Bringing back memories...

I used to have a '76 Corolla that would burn so much oil it looked like the county mosquito fogger going down the road.

After awhile I stopped checking the oil level and just waited till I could hear the bearings squeal. Then pull over, throw a quart in and be on my way.

 

[Beagle 1]

Bringing back memories...

I used to have a '76 Corolla that would burn so much oil it looked like the county mosquito fogger going down the road.

After awhile I stopped checking the oil level and just waited till I could hear the bearings squeal. Then pull over, throw a quart in and be on my way.

Yea, same here. I had a 56 Chevy that I automatically added a qt with every tank of gas. Real good stuff too! 50 wt reclaimed no name stuff. When gas was $.30 a gal, this oil was $.10 a qt. 1966.
Every once in a while, it would get away from me and the valves would start clattering when it was down about 3 qts. The oil pressure idiot light never would come on. I know it worked, because it lit up when starting the engine.