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Magical disappearing oil!!
Topic Started: Jan 15 2010, 12:02 PM (1,362 Views)
ShadeTree
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Ok, I check my fluids once a week or so. Never had any problems, they've always been right on full, the car has never used oil to speak of. Until my last fluid check. I slipped and waited a week and a half, but when I did check it was a good thing I did!! Somehow it appears that about a quart and a half of engine oil has magically just disappeared. No leaks, no smoke. Any ideas as to where the oil might be? BTW the car is still running just fine. Good gas milage, the whole bit. I'm perplexed by this one.
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StevieC
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Do you live in a bad neighborhood? Someone might have stolen it!
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

How many miles are on the motor?
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Dallas


compression test? it probably has started burning, or its due for an oil change and it has thinned out/worn out
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ShadeTree
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106,000 miles on the clock. And yes, it is a little overdue for an oil change.
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metromad


Drive it and park it atop a clean piece of cardboard overnight and verify no leaking. If no leaks, must be burning it. Only 4 ways for oil to leave an engine: Leaks, Burning it, Draining it to change, or Somebody stole it as suggested earlier!
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mwebb
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FOG

if you have not replaced the PCV valve recently
replace it now

use
European spec
ACEA A3,B3 - B4 synthetic oil
i use BMW LL-01 from BMW, because i can get it cheap about $6.oo per quart

some of the crap API SM - ILSAC GF4 oil is very volatile and actually partially evaporates
in use at higher temperatures
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apb
New Member
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Had you just made a long trip? Sometimes with a lot of short trips water content builds up in the oil and if you then make a long trip where the engine gets up to temperature and stays there for some time it drives off all the water and you appear to have lost oil.
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

I change the oil on both the Metros at 5000 - 7500 mile intervals and mine has a leak and goes through about 3 quarts. The wife's has no leaks anywhere and she loses a quart and a half between changes.
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dept411
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Metro on the brain
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I have to agree with mwebb on this. My oil stayed at the upper level before I put in a thermostat. Old one was stuck open and only got up to temp after 20-25 miles of driving. I put in a 195 t-stat and have noticed the temp coming up quickly and staying in the middle even in really cold weather. I've had to add 2 or 3quarts between changes. I average 90miles daily so shes up to temp for awhile. I'm using 5-30 mobil oil. May need to go to a thicker one myself.
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

Give that a ashot and see how it goes. I used 10W-40 myself for a while a noticed a reduction in my oil leak.
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Woodie
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Stick with the 5W-30 and think about fixing the problem. Thicker oil costs you mileage, power, and engine life.
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dimetrodon


Check for leaks. The camshaft seal on my 1990 got pushed out by pressure and it was pretty easy to re-install it with a little RTV after cleaning the seal seat. It has stayed put since then.
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Metro Fanatic
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mwebb
Jan 15 2010, 01:42 PM
if you have not replaced the PCV valve recently
replace it now

use
European spec
ACEA A3,B3 - B4 synthetic oil
i use BMW LL-01 from BMW, because i can get it cheap about $6.oo per quart

some of the crap API SM - ILSAC GF4 oil is very volatile and actually partially evaporates
in use at higher temperatures
How will replacing the PCV help? That's still on the list to do for bullet. She's performing marvelously but I still have a few things to change since I bought her 10,000 miles ago.

I also agree with Woodie on this. Adding oil is treating the symptom of your possible leak, if able, stop the leak altogether. It will be interesting to see what works on this one. Good luck
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I'll jump in and relate that my PCV clogged up, the hose filled with waste, the valve cover developed pressure and blew out the cam seal. :O I spent some time thinking it was the oil pan and kept adding oil. :banghead It kept dropping to 1 qt. low.
Not until I took the time to pull the timing belt cover did I discover the truth. :smackface
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