A friend left his Chrysler van, V-6, with me for 10 days while he went to Florida. first thing I did was to check the oil. I put in 2 1/2 qts. I live in NJ, the weather has been in the 40s-50s. How much damage do you think has been done to the engine?
I put in 2 1/2 qts, damage?
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Originally Posted by JLawrence08648
A friend left his Chrysler van, V-6, with me for 10 days while he went to Florida. first thing I did was to check the oil. I put in 2 1/2 qts. I live in NJ, the weather has been in the 40s-50s. How much damage do you think has been done to the engine?
You damaged the engine by adding oil?
A friend left his Chrysler van, V-6, with me for 10 days while he went to Florida. first thing I did was to check the oil. I put in 2 1/2 qts. I live in NJ, the weather has been in the 40s-50s. How much damage do you think has been done to the engine?
You damaged the engine by adding oil?
So after you put the oil in what did the dipstick read?
It was half full and now is full. It's okay.
There was an ad for castrol syntec where they drained an engine, put one lonely quart in, then bombed around a race track. It did fine.
Your friend should only be concerned if cornering forces uncovered his oil pickup-- some cars are sensitive to this. However, we typically coast through corners so it wouldn't be a huge load on unlubricated parts.
The oil pickup is pretty low down in the pan and covered even in very sub-optimal conditions.
There was an ad for castrol syntec where they drained an engine, put one lonely quart in, then bombed around a race track. It did fine.
Your friend should only be concerned if cornering forces uncovered his oil pickup-- some cars are sensitive to this. However, we typically coast through corners so it wouldn't be a huge load on unlubricated parts.
The oil pickup is pretty low down in the pan and covered even in very sub-optimal conditions.
Maybe there was damage done we simply don't know I doubt this is the only time it has been ran low on oil.
I was doing the brakes on a friends car - a 2005 Civic Hybrid. I noticed the check engine light was on so I decided to pull the code - it was related to the oil pressure switch. Checked the oil - there was none. It took about 3.5 quarts to get to full on the dipstick. Total capacity of this engine... 3.5 quarts. Yet, it sounded fine and ran perfectly. I guess running it a little low on oil once in a while isn't really a big deal...
Originally Posted by eljefino
It was half full and now is full. It's okay.
There was an ad for castrol syntec where they drained an engine, put one lonely quart in, then bombed around a race track. It did fine.
Your friend should only be concerned if cornering forces uncovered his oil pickup-- some cars are sensitive to this. However, we typically coast through corners so it wouldn't be a huge load on unlubricated parts.
The oil pickup is pretty low down in the pan and covered even in very sub-optimal conditions.
My Neon would do that with a hard turn. With a full sump of oil. It had Mopar high rate springs and big sway bars though, and was on Falken Azeni's. Thanks for the memories.
To the OP;
You did a good deed. Enjoy your karma.
It was half full and now is full. It's okay.
There was an ad for castrol syntec where they drained an engine, put one lonely quart in, then bombed around a race track. It did fine.
Your friend should only be concerned if cornering forces uncovered his oil pickup-- some cars are sensitive to this. However, we typically coast through corners so it wouldn't be a huge load on unlubricated parts.
The oil pickup is pretty low down in the pan and covered even in very sub-optimal conditions.
My Neon would do that with a hard turn. With a full sump of oil. It had Mopar high rate springs and big sway bars though, and was on Falken Azeni's. Thanks for the memories.
To the OP;
You did a good deed. Enjoy your karma.
Less than a quart of oil is actually IN CIRCULATION, the other oil is running back down to, or sitting in the oil pan. If the oil level is above the intake, which usually reaches almost to the very bottom of the pan, then all is good ... for awhile, at least.
The downside is that the oil works twice as hard and gets hotter, because it spends more time IN CIRCULATION, and less time sitting and cooling. Run your engine for a long time on half the oil, and you will eventually cook the oil and potentially ruin your engine.
The downside is that the oil works twice as hard and gets hotter, because it spends more time IN CIRCULATION, and less time sitting and cooling. Run your engine for a long time on half the oil, and you will eventually cook the oil and potentially ruin your engine.
It's running so I'd just tell your friend to check his oil or be prepared for an unscheduled expense
You didn't hurt anything, most vehicles will run fine with just a couple quarts in it. As one of the above posters suggested, it's not good as a much smaller volume of oil is doing all the work-- the oil will get hotter and break down much faster.
Similar experience. Way back in high school, best friend lent me his ancient, consistently abused, rusty Toyota Corolla (early 70s vintage). Oil pressure light came on while I was driving, so I pulled over and checked. The stick was dry. Bone dry. Not even a little spatter -- nothing. It took three qts before the oil reached the operating range on the stick! Started car and drove away. That car lasted my friend and his dad several more years.
While the lubricated parts would be better off with plenty of clean, fresh oil, they really won't suffer immediate, catastrophic damage until the pressure drops off -- and stays off.
EDIT: I know, I know, I shouldn't admit this on BITOG, but I occasionally do the "extra quart purge" when I change oil. After I drain the sump, and before removing the filter, I replug the sump, add a quart of fresh oil, and start it. Pressure comes up just like it does with a full fill, and I let it run for ~15-20 seconds, then shut off, redrain, and do the filter. I do this less often now, especially since oil has gotten so expensive. But if I have an extra quart. . . Point is, even with only one quart on board, OP rises like normal. Of course, I would NEVER drive the car this way.
While the lubricated parts would be better off with plenty of clean, fresh oil, they really won't suffer immediate, catastrophic damage until the pressure drops off -- and stays off.
EDIT: I know, I know, I shouldn't admit this on BITOG, but I occasionally do the "extra quart purge" when I change oil. After I drain the sump, and before removing the filter, I replug the sump, add a quart of fresh oil, and start it. Pressure comes up just like it does with a full fill, and I let it run for ~15-20 seconds, then shut off, redrain, and do the filter. I do this less often now, especially since oil has gotten so expensive. But if I have an extra quart. . . Point is, even with only one quart on board, OP rises like normal. Of course, I would NEVER drive the car this way.
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If it was driven mostly short trips or stop and go driving, damage might be minimal.
I'd certainly have a little talk with that guy once he returned.
My 2¢
I'd certainly have a little talk with that guy once he returned.
My 2¢
Originally Posted by dave1251
Maybe there was damage done we simply don't know I doubt this is the only time it has been ran low on oil.
Exactly what I was thinking . Be sure you tell the owner you checked the oil as soon as you got it & you had to add 2-1/2 quarts of oil . I am guessing he / she is clueless and never checks it and rarely has the oil / filter changed .
Maybe there was damage done we simply don't know I doubt this is the only time it has been ran low on oil.
Exactly what I was thinking . Be sure you tell the owner you checked the oil as soon as you got it & you had to add 2-1/2 quarts of oil . I am guessing he / she is clueless and never checks it and rarely has the oil / filter changed .
Originally Posted by JLawrence08648
A friend left his Chrysler van, V-6, with me for 10 days while he went to Florida. first thing I did was to check the oil. I put in 2 1/2 qts. I live in NJ, the weather has been in the 40s-50s. How much damage do you think has been done to the engine?
What year is the van or what engine? I'm guessing the 3.8, they are bad for burning oil.
A friend left his Chrysler van, V-6, with me for 10 days while he went to Florida. first thing I did was to check the oil. I put in 2 1/2 qts. I live in NJ, the weather has been in the 40s-50s. How much damage do you think has been done to the engine?
What year is the van or what engine? I'm guessing the 3.8, they are bad for burning oil.
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There is no way to tell if there was any damage done. If you had to add 2.5 quarts of oil, odds are your friend has been low on oil before, this wasn't the first time. If there was any damage done, it was done long before you got your hands on his vehicle. I would tell him to keep an eye on his oil level.
+1 demarpaint. Ed
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