jaffers Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I know guys im going to look really stupid but i feel sick since i realised! Ive not had the car long and the oil level has always been on the mid mark. I was planning to do a bit of a road trip and do an oil change when returning. However after completing over a thousand miles I checked the oil 2 weeks later(only having driven the car a few times in rush hour traffic) and saw that it wasn't low bit LOWER than low!! I mean the was a drip on the curly bit at the bottom of the dipstick!!! Just wanted to know or get some opinions on what damage i may have caused??? Ive been depressed ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KUGT4 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 caught mine at the same once - all good so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 H'mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Top your oil up to the max and keep your fingers crossed. If the oil light was not flickering then you may have got lucky. As regards to what the potential damage may be: Best not go there. I am a half glass full sort of guy. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floydbax Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Same as KUGT4 I let mine get this low in the first few weeks. Mainly because the previous owner told me it didn't use oil. Well I obviously drive a lot harder than he ever did because it used loads. Still, I topped it up and no problems since then, a few thousand miles ago. Although now it uses a lot less, the guys at RS Tuning (the German one not the Leeds cowboys - allegedly) diagnosis was that it had had an easy life and my hard driving style had finally bedded the rings in properly. I still listen for any unusual noises though, had a right odd rattle the other day, turned out I'd left a jubilee clip on the plenum when I put my new K+N filter on - lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nissanman312 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Check my oil every drive Call it odd just what I do You never know when you could of sprung a leak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffers Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Well, as i was planning an oil change ANYWAY i had ordered the oil filter etc. With regards to the light as has been mentioned, only twice whilst doing a 3 point turn and going back and forth the red light flickered for about 2 seconds. whilst starting it sounded rough. Its then that I clocked on! So i did the oil change and it is fine, much smoother. I'm just thinking am i likely to be seeing smoke in a few thousand miles or so?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I'm just thinking am i likely to be seeing smoke in a few thousand miles or so?! Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but you don't have a problem until you have a problem. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 ^^ What Alex said. Fingers crossed for you jaffers & hoping you're Zeds ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT350 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So the gauge on the dash is actually no true indication of oil level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So the gauge on the dash is actually no true indication of oil level? I think it can give you an approximate indication, or at least i'd like to think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So many mentions of this recently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT350 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 If they made the godforsaken dipstick with a bit more common sense involved it'd be a lot easier. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 put oil in it back up to max mark. Check it every week until you can be sure its settled. There's naff all you can do about any potential damage now anyways, what's done is done, so no point worrying about it. that said, if the level was on the dipstick at all that means there's probably still 4 litres in it - when our track car went bang it needed 5 litres just to get on the dipstick, then another 1.5 litres to read full. that was really empty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenWomble Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So the gauge on the dash is actually no true indication of oil level? I think it can give you an approximate indication, or at least i'd like to think so. The manual states that the oil pressure gage "is not designed to indicate low engine oil level". Same thing with the warning light, it's a omg stop the car NOW light not a you need to think about topping up soon light, even if the light only flickered they still tell you to pull over and cut power. The light is oil pressure too not oil level. Check pages 2-9 and 2-17 to see their words (HR manual, so page numbers could be a little off on DE cars) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 when the red oil light comes on, its often too late already. but yes, stop immediately and put more oil in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenWomble Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 scary stuff, especially with a new car as it takes time to learn how much she drinks. i also hate taking readings as practicality never matches up with the manuals. i think most people take a reading when cold, but all the car manuals i've read say to take a reading when warm after 5-10 mins for the oil to return. so how many take a reading when cold, and how many take one at temp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So the gauge on the dash is actually no true indication of oil level? I think it can give you an approximate indication, or at least i'd like to think so. Yeah it's just a pressure reading. So in a way you can tell if you have no oil, there will be no pressure (or a sensors gone) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pritchard Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) ive done nearly 20,000 miles in my Z, never put a drop of oil in there (aside from oil changes of course).its been good as gold. soi tend ot check once a month when i do my tyres. however i did a check just last week. and it was right on the min-line. slight panic! now im checking every tank of fuel (so every couple of days lol) to see where its at. its stable s i think on this occasion it probably didnt get a full top up after its last service, and nothing to worry about. but its important you do check regulary the gaugue on the dash is only oil pressure, not oil level. with very low oil you will still register oil pressure. think of it as a big cup of McDonalds milkshake: you can fill it up to a litre, and it requires 0.5litres as a safe minimum. but when you are sucking the straw there is no difference beteween 1ltre and 0.1litre. its only when you start to suck up air through the straw that the pressure drops. and its at this point damage can occur. (*or before. but this is when the oil light will come on anyway) Edited September 1, 2015 by Pritchard 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I always drive mine without any oil, it solved the smokey issue 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 If there was oil showing on the stick, you should be OK as long as you where not doing any really hard cornering, generally speaking manufactures allow a little leeway. If the pressure gauge, or light have shown very low or no oil pressure then your in trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffers Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Thans for the feedback guys. really appreciate it. I got into this whole mess because my other car is a vw tdi and on that there is a "low oil warning light" so i assumed a 3.5 sports car would definitely have one. And secondly since ive had it the oil level on the dipstick has never changed. I just assumed I've got an engine that isnt as thirsty as some other zeds. I'm not technically minded but would it be OTT to take the cam cover/head off to inspect any damage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 See Alex's post #8, if it's running fine and not giving you grief, I say let it run. You can't undo the damage and you'd be mad to spend money going looking for it. Just check the oil regularly from cold, after being stood on a flat surface overnight is the easiest I've found. Have you got roadside assitance and recovery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffers Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 ill just keep an eye on the oil level i suppose on a regular basis. Thanks for the help anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 I always drive mine without any oil, it solved the smokey issue What happened about that Bradders or have i missed the post ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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