Oil level and effects
Took my CRV in for a service and the oil life on the dash said 10% life and the low oil light never came on. Was 9000 km since the last oil change, which is a bit longer than usual for me. Even so, the mechanic called and said the oil was low and it has caused a bit of oil burning – though he couldn't say how much. He's doing an engine flush to try to rectify the situation. I've never heard of having low (but not too low) oil causing oil burning. Is this true? What do you think the impact will be on my engine? Thanks.
My car has 110000 miles.
My car has an automatic trans
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
When the oil life says 10% life left, this has to do with how long it has been since the last time you changed the oil was. This does not indicate a low oil level in the motor. As for the oil burning, this is not a result of the oil being low. It is possible that the reason for it being low was that it was burning oil, however oil being low will not on its own cause it to burn oil. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to run a series of tests on your vehicle now that the oil is fresh to determine if it is actually burning oil at this point. If it is, this could point to a larger more critical issue.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Low Oil and Check Engine Light
However, low oil pressure, which can be caused by low oil levels, can be a reason for the check engine light to turn on. Low oil pressure can seriously interfere with your car`s performance and disable your vehicle if not addressed immediately.
The oil warning light comes on when either the oil temperature gets too high or the oil level or pressure is too low. If the oil is not lubricating the engine effectively it could lead to expensive or even irreparable engine damage, so it`s important to act quickly.
Typically, the oil light does not indicate a low oil level, but low oil pressure! Meaning that the anwser as to how low your oil level would have to be before the light turns on, would be “too low!”.
When the oil warning light comes on, it is a sign that the engine oil pressure has dropped to a low level, which is dangerous. An engine running with low oil pressure can quickly destroy the engine.
When there`s not enough oil, moving parts within the engine do not get the lubrication they need. This allows them to make physical, metal-to-metal contact, which can cause a light tapping or knocking sound.
Most systems include two dashboard lights: one indicates that it`s time to change the oil, while the other tells you that the engine has low oil pressure.
Simply put, as part of your Honda`s Maintenance Minder System, your Honda`s onboard computer system continuously tracks such daily driving conditions as speed, engine and ambient outdoor temperatures, number of starts and stops, engine load, number of miles driven, and operating time.
The lower line represents the minimum mark and usually indicates the engine oil is approximately one-quart low. The engine oil level should be in the cross hatch section and at or slightly below the full mark when the engine is cool.
Unlike your gas light which turns on when your fuel tank is low, an illuminated oil light doesn`t always mean you`re low on oil. It could also mean that your engine`s oil has gotten too dirty.
If the oil level and condition are okay, the engine is running normally, but the oil light is still on, the likely culprit is a worn-out oil pressure sensor. In this case, you can safely drive, but you will want to get the car checked out and the sensor replaced by a qualified mechanic as soon as possible.
Low oil pressure is no joke. Keep driving when the pressure drops and you will seriously damage your engine. If your oil light comes on or you see any other signs of low oil pressure, have your engine serviced as soon as possible.
A loose gas cap is one of the most common reasons for the check engine light to go on. Check that your gas cap is screwed on securely and that it`s in good condition. If you have a tank of bad gas in the car, your check engine light may come on.
These problems can range from faults within the electrical system, the engine, fluid levels or to problems within the car`s emissions system. The problem can even be as simple as forgetting to tighten your gas cap – in fact, this is the most common reason why check engine lights appear in the first place.
Limp mode is activated when the ECU (electronic control unit) notices that something is not operating within predefined parameters, this can be caused by a variety of factors such as: Extremely low levels of oil or coolant. Transmission errors – such as when the gearbox can`t change gears properly.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
after replacing oil pan gasket,low oil level light stays on, but oil level and pressure are normal?
ANSWER : Bob: Thanks for your inquiry. Oil level and oil pressure are measured using separate sensing systems. If the level sensing feature stopped working at the time the pan gasket was replaced, either the level sensor was damaged, not reconnected, or the wire harness and terminal were damaged. There is a possibility that the wire harness was just never re-connected to the level sensor so check that first. If you desire that this problem be diagnosed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a warning light diagnostic – oil level and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
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lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.
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Stop car check oil warning
ANSWER : This light will usually come on when one of two things are happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil or the oil pressure sending unit is not working properly and may be producing a faulty reading. I would recommend first, to check the actual oil level in the motor by using the dipstick. Be sure the oil level reaches the "full" mark. If this registers as "full" then you likely have a faulty oil pressure sending unit. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your low oil pressure light to come on.
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I have checked the oil level and the oil level on the dipstick is far over ‘maximum’. Should I carry out a full service?
ANSWER : You should find out the reason the oil is overfull. If the oil is contaminated with water then you may have a head gasket blown. If the oil is contaminated with fuel then you may have a fuel injection system flooding the engine. Either way have the oil and filter replaced (since it may be contaminated) and the correct amount of oil put in. When you have this service done, have them check why the oil was overfilled in the first place.
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i just changed oil and i drove less than 200 miles and the dip stik show low oil levels and there is no oil leak My car has 135000
ANSWER : Hi there. How much oil did you put in during the oil change? What is the specification? How do you know that there is no oil leak? The engine may have a leak that simply has not dripped and provided visual evidence. I suggest having an inspection performed to be sure there aren’t any underlying problems. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with an oil leak inspection.
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Get "check your oil level" on dash info panel. Had it checked out, was told it was oil sensor and a "dealer item". Was also told t
ANSWER : Hi there. The oil sensor is not incredibly difficult to replace on a 2001 Cadillac DeVille, but can be difficult to get to without a lift. This video is for a different vehicle, but the same engine as your car, so you might want to watch this to see how it’s replaced. In regards to estimated cost, it would vary based on who is completing this service. I don’t believe this is part of our mobile service offerings at the moment, but I have forwarded your request to our sales and service team to let you know if we can and what the cost would be for this service.
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Oil consumption. Burning oil. Oil light turns up on idle.
ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. The valve stem seals are the most common cause of this on your engine. When they fail, it requires that the cylinder heads be removed and rebuilt to fix it. The piston rings can also cause this but they are not as common. Unfortunately there is not anything, not even heavier oil that will fix this. You will need to have the heads rebuilt.
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2006 BMW oil filter gasket keeps breaking and oil leaks from oil filter. Oil leaks only after starting car in morning. PCV valve?
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
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