Forum:
Today I noticed the oil light flash on during my daily comute of 35 miles each way in my sportrak. I thought nothing of it due to the short amount of time (split second) that it was on for and it only happening on sharp corners and pulling away. On my way home I thought I better pull in at halfords, check the oil and maybe fill up. The dipstick was reading empty and to my horror it was still reading empty after a 1 litre top up! Reluctantly I bought more oil and after about 2/3 of another litre I was getting some feedback on the dipstick. I completed my journey home with no more flashes from the light.
During the trip the light must have flashed on 10-15 times usually for a split second but once or twice for a about 1 second. I hear that the occurence in corners and accelerating is due to low oil sloshing away from the pump inlet, which is understandable. My knowledge of engine lubrication is limited but I would imagine that this short amount of time is not long enough to ruin an engine (it's still performing as normal) but I am very concerend that some damage has been done, what's the likelyhood?
Thank you very much for your help
p.s. the question of where my oil went in the first place is another issue which I may discuss at a later date.
Unfortunatly it is impossible
Unfortunatly it is impossible to say what damage if any has been done without a look deep inside the engine (big end and main crankshaft bearings would be the likely damaged first)
Assuming you don't have a external oil leak, These engines can suffer from burning quite a bit of oil (especially so with old age), so really you should be checking the oil level at least weekly.
If oil consumption is quite high, using a thicker grade can help, for example if you are using the common 10w40, then a 10w 50 will help as it's thicker at operating temp.
you reluctantly brought oil?
that makes me chuckle, you could buy an engine rebuild kit if you want but oil is easier!!!, its prob just burnt it off over time, park on clean concrete and see for drips overnight, also any blue smoke out the exhaust?, if you look at vehicle specs that will tell you how much oil the sump will hold.
Full of ideas but no time to do them!!
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Okay that was a silly thing
Okay that was a silly thing to say, I think it was the fact that I had paid £9 for 1 litre thinking that would be enough then had to buy more when I could have just bought 5 litres for £24!
Anyway, no blue smoke and no drips, last time I checked was about a month ago and there was enough then to make me worried where it's all gone so quickly. From now on I will definitely perform an oil check on a weekly basis. When I drove home after putting some oil in, the engine performed as normal, no new sounds, normal power etc. I guess I'll just have to cross my fingers.
Just out of curiosity, if there is cause to be concerned over the oil light flashing once every few minutes for less than a second, then if your oil light comes on and stays on it must be game over before you can even stop the car?
Thank you all again
Oil light comes on at minimum
Oil light comes on at minimum oil pressure, so it can get to the point (as in your case) where it gets low enough that the light comes on briefly (more likely when cornering or uphill/downhil as the oil is being sloshed about more in the sump and can't get proper pickup from the oil pump.
If oil light suddenly comes on and stays on , then it can be from sudden total oil lose, like a major external leak.
It depends what the engine is doing at the time to how much damage is done, just driving around town at low revs then it would probably survive ok. Bit different to driving high revs at speed on the motorway and it happens.