Help, check engine light, low oil

[mindaugas]

450 miles, low oil already. This is not looking good. I put a quart in, light is still on. Absolutely no engine knock or weird noises what so ever. I'm lucky I even saw the light come on. Dip stick looked ok after I put the oil in and ran the engine for another minute at idle. I'm not sure if I should throw another quart in.

[deermagnet]

The check engine light does not come on for low oil. The oil warning light would come on for that. I guess the CE light came on for some other reason and you then checked the oil. You have to get the code read to see what caused it.

How low was the oil on the dip stick when you checked it? What does it read on the stick after adding the quart? How many times did you check the oil in the last 450 miles?

Me, I check my oil level 4-6 times in 500 miles. I never let it get down more than an eighth-inch on the stick.

Get the code read and CHECK YOUR OIL EVERY SINGLE DAY until you get to know how much it uses! During the warmer months when I'm off work and driving a lot, I will check my oil every single day before heading out. That is how you avoid losing an engine.

I have 237,000 miles on my engine that has been using a semi-excessive amount of oil for the last 175,000 miles. It runs like a dream and I've never come close to losing the engine from low oil. Check your oil level every day. Check your oil level every day. Checking at every fill-up is not good enough. Check your oil level every day.

Mark Griffin

Edit- I don't know if I mentioned it, but CHECK YOUR OIL LEVEL EVERY DAY! It's so easy to do and you'll sleep a lot better.

[lasturbo]

I agree. Mine uses a quart every 500 miles with a 148k on the clock.

[mindaugas]

Thanks, I feel a little less worried, just freaking out.

It was more than an 1/8 inch on the dipstick before I added. After I added it was at the full mark. I also check it twice, pull dipstick out, clean, back in, pull out, check, repeat. Oil looked a lot browner too. I have a feeling the oil was not changed by the dealer, I will make sure to do that this weekend with mobil1. I checked it twice over the 450 miles, each time I put gas in it, I was filling up at half a tank.

When u check it, do u warm it up first, or check it cold? I will be checking every day until I know. I'll leave the quart out and head home, stop half way and see where I'm at. It's only a 15 mile drive. I'll check before I leave as well. Wife is coming up to follow me just in case. And of course, forgot my cell. Oh, and this is all highway mileage, I know it's worse on the highway.

[circmand]

Thanks, I feel a little less worried, just freaking out.

It was more than an 1/8 inch on the dipstick before I added. After I added it was at the full mark. I also check it twice, pull dipstick out, clean, back in, pull out, check, repeat. Oil looked a lot browner too. I have a feeling the oil was not changed by the dealer, I will make sure to do that this weekend with mobil1. I checked it twice over the 450 miles, each time I put gas in it, I was filling up at half a tank.

When u check it, do u warm it up first, or check it cold? I will be checking every day until I know. I'll leave the quart out and head home, stop half way and see where I'm at. It's only a 15 mile drive. I'll check before I leave as well. Wife is coming up to follow me just in case. And of course, forgot my cell. Oh, and this is all highway mileage, I know it's worse on the highway.

when you add oil wait long enough for it to settle. Otherwise the new oil hits the stick on the way down and shows full but really isnt. A PVC valve change at this time is a good inexpensive idea as well.

If the oil is low enough to cause the check oil light to come on one quart should not fill it to the full mark.

[MSHardeman]

Mine uses about 3/4 of a quart of oil between fill ups (about 320 to 350 miles). It seems excess compared to other VX's, but that's the way it's always been so as long as I stay on top of it I'm not too worried.

As for your check engine light it could be a few things. The easiest thing to check first is if your gas cap is on tight enough. When you crank it down let it click a few times to make sure it's seated well. If not, that could throw a CEL. The other thing that I have noticed out here in Colorado is that I will get a CEL sometimes if I do big elevation gains or losses. I don't think the computer likes the different oxygen readings that it gets so it throws a tantrum and turns the CEL on. Could be that easy, but go to AutoZone and have them read the code for you.

[Mile High VX]

Mine uses about 3/4 of a quart of oil between fill ups (about 320 to 350 miles). It seems excess compared to other VX's, but that's the way it's always been so as long as I stay on top of it I'm not too worried.

As for your check engine light it could be a few things. The easiest thing to check first is if your gas cap is on tight enough. When you crank it down let it click a few times to make sure it's seated well. If not, that could throw a CEL. The other thing that I have noticed out here in Colorado is that I will get a CEL sometimes if I do big elevation gains or losses. I don't think the computer likes the different oxygen readings that it gets so it throws a tantrum and turns the CEL on. Could be that easy, but go to AutoZone and have them read the code for you.

The other thing that I have "on occassion" is that if I really have a day of "spirited" driving it throws a code. Quick trip to my local O'Reilly's and the code magically goes away...

[mindaugas]

Stopped by auto parts store on the way home, VX ran great the whole time. Here's the code and description.

P0401
Exhaust gas
Recirculation flow
insufficient detected

I checked the dipstick again about an hour and half after filling and it looked fine. So what happens if I overfill? It explodes?

[deermagnet]

P0401 is not the worst code you could get. The low flow could be caused by the valve being blocked or the small tube going from the valve into the intake being blocked. You can easily clean the EGR valve and the small tube yourself. Do a search here for EGR cleaning. It's quick and easy.

Check out this thread- http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=19092

If you put a quart of oil in with it only being down slightly on the stick, you may be overfilled. A little overfill is okay, but you don't wanna be way overfilled. Then the crank will be hitting the pool of oil constantly causing it to foam. Then you'll get air in the passages with the oil, meaning there is less oil circulating, not good. Just check to make sure you're not too much over the full mark. Checking cold or warm does not make a huge difference, as long as you're on a level surface and you wait 5-10 minutes. You could easily pull the plug yourself to drain a small amount if needed or just get a full oil change if you doubt the dealer did it.
Mark

[VXjunky]

you said the oil was on the brown side anyway...change it....im trying Castrol 20-50 high mileage on the advice of my porsche mechanic to try and curb this VX oil habit...along with the pcv valve

[mindaugas]

Check engine light is off, dipstick looks good, no overfill. I'll continue to monitor it like a hawk and try cleaning the EGR, thanks!

[vt_maverick]

If you put a quart of oil in with it only being down slightly on the stick, you may be overfilled. A little overfill is okay, but you don't wanna be way overfilled. Then the crank will be hitting the pool of oil constantly causing it to foam. Then you'll get air in the passages with the oil, meaning there is less oil circulating, not good. Just check to make sure you're not too much over the full mark. Checking cold or warm does not make a huge difference, as long as you're on a level surface and you wait 5-10 minutes. You could easily pull the plug yourself to drain a small amount if needed or just get a full oil change if you doubt the dealer did it.
Mark

I've always heard that if you put in too much oil the engine will just burn up the excess and blow it out the exhaust. Maybe it's the foam that gets burned and "excreted"?

you said the oil was on the brown side anyway...change it....im trying Castrol 20-50 high mileage on the advice of my porsche mechanic to try and curb this VX oil habit...along with the pcv valve

Heavier weight oil means it takes more effort for the engine to crank in low temperatures right? Probably not a concern in LA, but might be one for someone in CO.

[Mile High VX]

I would recommend Mobil 1 High Mileage 5W-30...$24,50 for the 5 quart jug at Wallyworld...and a WIX filter.

[johnnyapollo]

I thought I was losing a lot of oil at 1/4 qt per 1000 miles....

[lasturbo]

I thought I was losing a lot of oil at 1/4 qt per 1000 miles....

I will take your consumption John...LOL