I didn't want to post, but I read about this happening a few times on this forum, then it happened to me and this has never happened before, certainly months after an oil change. Just some background. I am retired, I drive the CUV around town at low speed maybe 3-5 miles a day. I don't Idle the car other than the 1 minute warmup form a cold start. Last weekend was a bit different. I was meeting some old High School friends at a car show in Manchester which is about 30 miles from me with about 22 of those driven on a high speed highway. So I attended that show went home an then Sunday met some other friends at a car show in Atkinson, which is about 10 miles from my house.
Well, heading home I decided to stop for gas at my favourite station an IRVING in Plaistow. I had noticed a tiny bit of what seemed like timing chain racket starting the car at home. it wasn't terrible, but this engine has been silent. I popped the hood to check the oil, which i usually do at home about every 2 weeks or so as this thing hasn't burned any oil. Wow it was HOT under there. It was a warm day but nothing crazy - just high 70's low 80's. I could barely touch the hood prop rod. I had only driven the car for 4 miles after a 'cold' start leaving the show. Then I pull the dipstick. NOTHING on there! So I wipe reinsert and finish pumping gas and clean the back window with the filling station squeegee. I pull the dipstick again, and there is just a bit of oil - maybe an 1/8" - on the bottom of the stick well below the fill dot. SO I wipe an reinsert again - same reading. I head home, I don't have "my oil" with me. The top off stuff is at home.
I get home the engine is killer hot under there. Duh, I didnt look at the temp gauge, but I bet it was in the middle. Coolant level was at Max Hot, I decide to let the car sit for a few hours.
Later in the day, I pull the dipstick and I get the same reading below the bottom fill dot (hole, actually). Now this engine has never been flaky. it usually reads a 1/6" below the FULL HOT dot. Always when check Cold. Engine is still very hot. can't even lay your hand on the plastic engine cover. cover. Coolant level is good. So I grab the jug that I used to do the last oil change (Valvoline Advanced 0W20) and add a quart.
Drive around the block and park it. Next day check the oil level and it is good. Car runs reasonably quiet, but I am very hard of hearing with no hearing above 6KHZ. Like an AM Radio. it is running a bit sluggish, but I should mention a couple weeks earlier I got some bad gasoline. About 5 gallons. I know because the car ran bad right after the fillup and bad all of the following week. The I put 3 gallons of Mobil premium in, then the Irving.
So, where did the oil go? This is a D.I. high compression engine - basically the Ford 2 liter ecoboost without the ecoboost or fancy steel reinforced ringland turbo pistons and HD rods, I have a guess but I would appreciate any of your guesses. I think its been 4 months since the last oil change and about only 1900 miles of mainly "old grandma" style driving. Thanks guys and gals (if there are any on here!)
- Ken