2 Quarts Low Engine Oil!! - Engine Noise - I feel DUMB

[trossit]

A combination of wrong assumptions led to this.....

I have been hearing strange noises the past 2 weeks that I thought was a failing DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel)....I was WRONG. I checked my oil today and it was NOT even on the stick! I took it to the dealer to top it off and it was 2 quarts low! After adding 2 quarts of oil to the engine the noise issues went away. Wow....do I feel dumb! I just wonder what part of the engine was starving for oil when I heard whirling noises and sometimes chuckling noise which sounded like it was coming from the flywheel area. The noises occurred only when the engine was under load (accelerating and abruptly decelerating). Also more noticeable when engine was cold.

Here are some assumptions:

1. The engine has 73,000 miles
2. I always take it to dealer for new DEXOS 1 full synthetic oil
3. I was 60 days overdue for a oil change
4. I have owned the car about 20,000 miles and never checked the oil
5. The car doesn't leak a drop
6. The low engine oil light never came on
7. Engine temp always normal
8. The exhaust doesn't show blue
9. You could hear start up noise for the first 2 seconds when cold
10. The noises would present while accelerating in low gear to 4000RPM
11. The noise would also present itself between shifts or when you abruptly lift the throttle and compression down from 3000RPM
12. This issue has been going on for about 14 days.....more noticeable when cold, hardly noticeable when warm[LIST=1]

What will keep me up tonight is what did I hurt? I don't know enough about this V6 engines design to know if when engine oil is at 2/3's of hits capacity presenting some odd noises can it withstand it? Does anyone else know of a similar experience? Did I just take 20,000 miles of the engine life?

The car now runs strong, heard no noises with 6000 RPM shifts once the oil level was topped off.

[DonM]

I have a '13 LFX that likes to drop 2 quarts (give or take) at about 5K miles. My low oil light has come on a few times and I've learned to check the level more frequently as it approaches the 5K mark. I've never gotten any noises out of the engine when it does go low (I buy 2 extra quarts when I get my oil changes just for this reason).

Like yours, there is no burning or leaking, the oil just goes...somewhere. I currently have 153,000 miles on the car and have not noticed any ill effects from the occasional drop.

[lbls1]

You need to either watch the oil level closely or have an oil economy test done, to determine how quickly the car is burning oil. One quart per 3,000 miles is fine, but two or more quarts at that mileage or less points to a consumption problem.

Good luck.

[trossit]

Originally Posted by DonM

I have a '13 LFX that likes to drop 2 quarts (give or take) at about 5K miles. My low oil light has come on a few times and I've learned to check the level more frequently as it approaches the 5K mark. I've never gotten any noises out of the engine when it does go low (I buy 2 extra quarts when I get my oil changes just for this reason).

Like yours, there is no burning or leaking, the oil just goes...somewhere. I currently have 153,000 miles on the car and have not noticed any ill effects from the occasional drop.

I would have thought the "low oil" light would have come on before the engine starts making noise. I suspect the noise was coming from the 3 timing chains up front that were not getting bathed in oil when you have just 4 quarts in the pan. 4 quarts and its not happy. Have you heard this noise before?

[trossit]

Originally Posted by lbls1

You need to either watch the oil level closely or have an oil economy test done, to determine how quickly the car is burning oil. One quart per 3,000 miles is fine, but two or more quarts at that mileage or less points to a consumption problem.

Good luck.

Because the lift at our local dealership was down I delayed the routine 5000 mile oil change. The oil now has over 6000 miles on it. It makes sense if it burns 1 quart per 3000 miles, it burned 2 quarts in 6000 miles. I guess the moral of the story is don't trust low oil lights, CHECK OIL manually routinely. The engine made this noise periodically for 15 days before I investigated a low oil issue verses a noisy flywheel and clutch assembly. The good news is with the 2 quarts added the engine runs like new (strong and no noises), bad news I will never really know if this comprised longevity of the engine until later.

[lbls1]

Originally Posted by trossit

Because the lift at our local dealership was down I delayed the routine 5000 mile oil change. The oil now has over 6000 miles on it. It makes sense if it burns 1 quart per 3000 miles, it burned 2 quarts in 6000 miles. I guess the moral of the story is don't trust low oil lights, CHECK OIL manually routinely. The engine made this noise periodically for 15 days before I investigated a low oil issue verses a noisy flywheel and clutch assembly. The good news is with the 2 quarts added the engine runs like new (strong and no noises), bad news I will never really know if this comprised longevity of the engine until later.

It is a good idea to check your oil level periodically. You should add oil anytime the level dips below one quart. I used to be anal to the point where I would change the oil body anytime it would dip below a quart and/or at 3,000 miles. My current cars do not use that amount of oil, but I still like to check their levels periodically to make sure everything is in order.

[trossit]

Originally Posted by lbls1

It is a good idea to check your oil level periodically. You should add oil anytime the level dips below one quart. I used to be anal to the point where I would change the oil body anytime it would dip below a quart and/or at 3,000 miles. My current cars do not use that amount of oil, but I still like to check their levels periodically to make sure everything is in order.

I will never make this mistake again. I have read these engines consume oil due to excess gasses in the crankcase, ventilation issues. The scary part is....the lower your oil level gets the rate of oil consumption increases. In my opinion a low oil indicator light should trigger much sooner! I was more than 2 quarts low and no oil warning!

[gtstorey]

It’s really not an oil level indicator and really more of an oil pressure loss indicator. It should never cut on and if it does stop driving immediately or you will have serious engine damage. Think of it as more a check on a properly functioning oil pump.

[trossit]

Originally Posted by gtstorey

It’s really not an oil level indicator and really more of an oil pressure loss indicator. It should never cut on and if it does stop driving immediately or you will have serious engine damage. Think of it as more a check on a properly functioning oil pump.

Yes, if that low oil light comes on....surely it will ruin your day!

[PaulsSS]

Seriously you should check your oil level EVERY TIME YOU FILL UP WITH GAS. Check it and keep at least 1/2 qt over full AT ALL TIMES. Doing anything else is asking for a large expense at your expense.

[lbls1]

Check the level with the engine turned off at least 15 minutes. This will give you an accurate read of the remaining oil that's in the pan. Start by checking your oil daily, and when you see how much the car is burning or not, you can slack off a bit by checking it weekly or every other day until you get to the bottom of the consumption issue, or whether there is one.

[barkeater46]

Originally Posted by lbls1

Check the level with the engine turned off at least 15 minutes. This will give you an accurate read of the remaining oil that's in the pan. Start by checking your oil daily, and when you see how much the car is burning or not, you can slack off a bit by checking it weekly or every other day until you get to the bottom of the consumption issue, or whether there is one.

Exactly that....

[ccalderon210]

Originally Posted by trossit

I would have thought the "low oil" light would have come on before the engine starts making noise. I suspect the noise was coming from the 3 timing chains up front that were not getting bathed in oil when you have just 4 quarts in the pan. 4 quarts and its not happy. Have you heard this noise before?

Unfortunately pre refresh Camaros don't have low oil level indicators

[Andre27]

I have a 2017 Ford Raptor, and once or twice I too noticed the oil level dropping drastically 1 to 2 quarts every 5,000 miles. The low oil light didn't go off and I didn't hear any noises. My mileage is 130,000 miles now and I haven't noticed any serious effects from the oil level dropping drastically. But I've been monitoring the oil level ever since just in case and my mechanic friend advised me on the best oil for 3.5 Ecoboost.