oil loss
 

I have an 02 which has never lost any oil (so I don't check it often).
It started to rattle and buzz between 2600 and 3300 rpm. Sounded like
an exhaust heat shield. Checked it at a Midas shop, found nothing.
Went to change the oil at 40,000 mi. and dipstick showed NO oil!!!
When I drained it, I guess there was 2 quarts; which means I was
2 to 3 quarts low!!! After the oil change, the rattle is gone.
Good news? Bad news? What could have happened?
At least the rattle is gone.

[QUOTE=raysnipes,Oct 15 2006, 04:30 PM]I have an 02 which has never lost any oil (so I don't check it often).
It started to rattle and buzz between 2600 and 3300 rpm.

Actually, his car was down more than 3 quarts; He said: "When I drained it, I guess there was 2 quarts"

RED MX5 Posted on Oct 16 2006, 12:36 AM
:iagree: It may be boring (no offence) but this is the one-and-only answer.

I'm assuming you never saw the oil "idiot light" coming on?
So there never was an oil pressure / flow situation.
Lucky you :hello:

Oh. In that case I guess it's OK. ;)
j/k

As long as he didn't lose oil pressure at any time he's still probably OK.
Probably! I wouldn't want to buy the car though.

[QUOTE=SpitfireS,Oct 15 2006, 08:52 PM]RED MX5 Posted on Oct 16 2006, 12:36 AM

:iagree: It may be boring (no offence) but this is the one-and-only answer.

I'm assuming you never saw the oil "idiot light" coming on?
So there never was an oil pressure / flow situation.
Lucky you

:iagree: :hello:

Idiot light flashing is too late to save the engine. The one area Honda could improve is the oil level monitoring. It should warn the driver if the oil level is more than 20% low. In the case of the OP, the oil level is 60% low and the oil "idiot light" did not come on. When the oil idiot light would flashing ? when the oil in the crank case is less than 1 quart ?

The oil level monitoring in Mercedes even tells the driver if the oil level is 1/2 quart to high.

The oil level doesn't have to be terribly low for all the oil to be sloshed away from the pickup during hard cornering or breaking. That's usually where you'll see the idiot light flash first, and by then it can be too late.

That oil level warning would be nice.
Just a quick check before starting the engine with all the oil in the pan.
(IMO its not accurate with a started engine)
But... "we" do not have that.

So.. as Honda recommends.. keep checking that oil level at every fill up :thumbup:

TR-S2K Posted on Oct 16 2006, 06:42 AM
The "idiot light" is all and alone about oil pressure.
Theoraticly you could have enough oil pressure with very little oil in the engine.
As long as the oilpump inlet has enough oil.
Like RED MX5 mentioned, during cornering and/or braking and/or accelerating with low oil levels is dangerous, all the oil flows sideways, forwards or backwards and may leave the oil pump inlet dry as a bone.. not good.
Track junkies have an "extra oil catch something" around the oil pump inlet to make sure that even with topped-up oil levels they have enough oil around the oilpump to suck up.
So during hard and long cornering (with slicks or other race tires) they have less change (or none) of oil starvation.
:hello: