Oil 1.5 qts low and engine chatter

[mclasser]

My buddy last checked his oil 1 mnth/2000 miles ago and it was full. This morning, he noticed some upper engine chatter when the car was idling and warm. It was only when in reverse and drive. After driving 20 miles to-and-from work, he checked the oil and it was ~1.5 qts low. He topped off the oil and in the 3 mile drive home from AAP, the chatter's still present. The oil idiot light never came on and his sump is 4.5 qts. Who knows exactly how long the level's been low but can running 1.5 qts low have caused permanent damage? I told him to drive the car 10 miles or so to see if the knock goes away.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Is it a diesel?

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Is it a diesel?
Lol yeah, my TDI sure does make a racket! Has done so for 175k miles!

It could just be a coincidence. Maybe the timing chain is rattling or a belt pulley. Probably need a mechanic to look at it.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Oil light comes on when there is NO oil. Useless light.

What year/make/model/vehicle/engine?

Oil ages rapidly when low. Tell your buddy to change the oil and filter. Hopefully, he didn't start sludging it up.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: Greasymechtech
Oil light comes on when there is NO oil. Useless light.


Yet people criticize BMW for getting rid of the dipstick and being able to check your oil from inside the car!

 

[TFB1]

Unless you're doing the boy racer thing, WOT starts, cornering hard, etc that pulls the oil away from the pickup, 1.5 qt low in a 4.5 system won't make a difference(and probably not even then)... No part of the engine should have starved for oil... Now if it were 2.5 qt low, that could be a problem...

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
Yet people criticize BMW for getting rid of the dipstick and being able to check your oil from inside the car!

That's because BMW's light was wrong and inaccurate, so people were adding oil when they shouldn't have.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
Yet people criticize BMW for getting rid of the dipstick and being able to check your oil from inside the car!

That's because BMW's light was wrong and inaccurate, so people were adding oil when they shouldn't have.

What no one understands is a low oil light(not talking pressure here) generally only functions at ign on, as when the engine is running, level in the pan is going to be anywhere from a quart to maybe two quarts low... That's because a goodly portion of the oil is in the upper regions of the engine...

The sensor(s) are usually in side of oil pan, so if vehicle is on angle with sensor side high the lights will often pop on if engine is even slightly low... Mostly they are a warning to remind the folks that never raise the hood to maybe check level...

 

[Gasbuggy]

3 quarts should be enough to keep things together.

 

[CBR.worm]

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Buick we bought for a family member has a low oil light. I am less than thrilled about the amount of oil the '04 3800 LeSabre is going through with 60K miles on it.

But, I appreciate the light.