An interesting story

[thooks]

So...I've been reading here for about 4 months. Lots of good info. Lots of crazy talk also.

I have a story to share with you. You can believe it or not, makes no difference to me. I know it's true and here is what happened:


I was changing the oil on my 2000 Chevy Silverado with 5.3L. I was also going to do a tire rotation. So I have the truck raised and on jack stands. I throw the drain pan under there, roll under, pull the plug and take my hammer and nail and pop a hole in the filter to let it drain, just like I always do.

I go to taking the lug nuts off. I have some trouble, as all four wheels are off the ground. I decided to get my 8 year old to come and push the brake pedal. Well, she is having trouble.

I decided to start the engine to allow the vacuum boost to take effect. By this time, I was so frustrated with the lug nuts that I had forgotten there was no oil in the engine.

I get the left rear, right front and right rear loosened, with engine running, before something hits me and tells me there's not oil in the engine.

I run around and slam the ignition off.

Then I start shaking. So I drink a couple of beers. Fast.

Then I button it up, replace the filter and call a retired mechanic friend. He tells me to go ahead and fill it up and crank it.

I did. Everything went fine. It ran great. Still runs. The engine never made a sound while there was no oil. I've also been told that it would have shut off shortly, as there is a "no oil" sensor.

I've talked to many folks about this and they all said that I probably didn't do much damage, especially since the throttle never got touched.


Anyway, that was 30K miles ago. I no longer own the truck, but I know it is still running.

 

[Pablo]

Memo to self: Never ever buy a used car from a guy named "thooks".

Seriously, idling engines put little loads on moving parts.

 

[surfstar]

I think someone was getting rid of some guilt by "telling" us his story.

 

[Matt_S]

quote:

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Originally posted by surfstar:
I think someone was getting rid of some guilt by "telling" us his story.

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I think you're right! I also agree that very little damage was probably done.

 

[eljefino]

you're fine. Add up all the "couple seconds" each oil change you get a dry start as the filter is being filled. That'll about equal your run time.

From here on out, prefill your filter before you put it on, as "penance".

Am pretty sure there isn't a low oil shutoff. Some GM cars run the fuel pump power through the oil pressure switch, using a relay to prime, but their behaviour once running if low pressure develops is in doubt to me. The premise is if there is no crank signal and no oil pressure like you'd get after an accident the fuel pump will stop running.

 

[tom slick]

I'd bet a 12 pack that an engine can idle for quite awhile with no oil in it's sump with no real damage.

 

[pastmaster]

I think the engine is OK.

I'll throw a snake into the outhouse, by asking what weight of engine oil was in the engine? 5w20 or a higher viscosity oil?

 

[simple_gifts]

see, prolong works.

 

[OriginHacker21]

Oil coats metal. I've heard of mechanics opening engines that have been sitting for years and they still have oil film on them.

I have no doubts that the engine is ok. Just ask a few techies at Jiffy Lube or Wal-Mart and ask how many times they accidently start engines without oil in them...

 

[MC5W20]

Reminds me of the old Castrol tv commercial. They run several engines on different motor oils. They then drain the engines and then run them with no motor oil. Guess which engine was the last one to stop running, no really, common guess.

 

[thooks]

To answer a few questions-

No, I genuinely told the story because of the readings in the "Overnight drain" thread.

No guilt here.

My info about the oil sensor came from some service people at GM stealerships that have had experience where their oil change folk forgot to re-fill, but drove off the rack and the truck shut off due to "low oil" sensor.

The oil was Valvoline 5W30 up until that point and beyond. That was about the 75k mile mark.


The only additive ever added in the crankcase was MMO. I had on three occassions before that point substitute a quart of oil for a quart of MMO for a 1500 mile OCI.

 

[Hirev]

quote:

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My info about the oil sensor came from some service people at GM stealerships that have had experience where their oil change folk forgot to re-fill, but drove off the rack

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That why I don't let other people change my oil.

When I was in high school auto mech. Another kid changed the oil in the football coach's truck he forgot to put oil in it before giving it back. Three blocks from school the coach's motor put rods thru the block.

Than back in the 90s a Gal I know took her new Ford into a Ford dealer for its very 1st oil change with 3000 miles on it. She left the Ford dealer with no oil in her car it made it about a mile before it blew up. They were kind enough to put a manufactured motor or so they say in her new car. It gave her nothing but trouble after that. She eventual traded it in on a new Honda.

 

[Tim]

I drove my old Volvo 240 in Houston rush hour traffic at least several miles with no oil in it.

Motor mount broke, engine shifted and punched a hole in the filter. I noticed a bunch of blue smoke in my headlights at a stoplight, but couldn't figure out who was blowing it (!).

Several miles down I am at another light and realize it is me! Engine was drained - took 4 quarts to fill it up.

That was at about 225,000 iirc. Drove it another 50,000 and sold it to a fellow at work. It has had two more owners since and is still on the road at over 300,000.

I bet no harm done just idling your motor (not that I would recommend what you did!).

 

[Racerjk]

I believe Thooks and his truck are going to be just fine!

 

[bretfraz]

Many years ago I took my 5.0 Mustang to a quickie oil change place. I used to sit in my car while they did their thing as I read my mail or listened to the radio. During the OCI, I heard the tech yell something like, "good to go" or "good to roll". Anyway, I thought that was my cue to start the engine. The techs started yelling at me to shut it off so I did. Turns out they had just drained the oil and were ready to pour in the new stuff.

The manager made me sign my receipt stating they were not responsible for any engine damages. The engine ran for maybe 5 seconds so I figured little or no damage was done, so I signed and drove off (yes....with a full crankcase this time...)

The car had about 50K on it and I drove it to 120K before selling it. The new owner did a compression and leakdown test and was very happy to find the motor in great condition. He paid top dollar for my Mustang and got a great car in return.

Gotta remember that "nail in the filter" trick. I too have a GM 5.3L and hate removing the old filter because it makes such a mess. Thanks for the tip!

 

[GreeCguy]

Nail in the filter makes me wonder if I could use that idea on my Saturn. You want to talk mess - talk Saturn oil change!

 

[kreigle]

All this talk about running without oil:

Not too many years after my dad had bought his new 1979 Saab 900 (I think it had less than 50k on it when this happened, and he was running Mobil 1), the oil pressure sensor sprung a leak and pumped all the oil out of the engine. He was in town when the light came on (at work, I think) and drove the 5 or so miles back home with the oil light on. Tracked down and fixed the oil leak, refilled the crankcase, and we put over 300k miles on that car in the 13 or so years after that. Junked the car due to rust, kept the engine since it still ran so well. My dad attributes Mobil 1 with saving the engine that day.