The last time i changed my oil was around 3500 miles ago...... i drained less then a quart... any ideas?

 

Change the filter, add new oil. Drive, check the oil level w/ dipstick every day and see if your burning oil or if there is a leak.

 

Yeah, either it wasn't really 3,500 miles, or maybe there's a problem. I would change the oil, and check it as soon as 200-300 miles. If that's ok, then go another 300-500. Let the car sit on a level spot overnight, too, when you compare marks. This dipstick is hard to read, esp. after the motor's been running. If you really use 3 qts. every 3500 miles I would imagine you could find traces of oil somewhere on the motor. The sending unit was known to leak from the factory....got mine replaced under warranty and never seemed to have the issue again.

 

Don't you ever check the oil level? If you really consumed that much oil, it strikes me you would be experiencing engine problems by now.

If you changed the oil last time, perhaps you got interrupted by a phone call and only put in 2 quarts.

Even if you have a problem with your oil pressure sending unit, the loss of oil would not be significant.

 

that's really weird, because that same thing happened to me last month. I have a 97 SE with 150,000 miles and counting, and I haven't had any engine problems to speak of. I change my oil and filter regularly, never exceeding a 5000 mile interval. Every time, I get between 4-5 qts out, and I put the required amount back in, checking it after the motor has been running (to fill the filter) and topping it off to the top mark on the dipstick . . . its the way I have done it since day 1. I do check the oil at least once a month and it is always fine.

A month or so ago, driving to work, the engine oil light flashed on for like 2 seconds, then went off. Then it did it again 5 minutes later. I thought it was really weird because its never done that before. I get to work, let the car sit on level ground and cool off, and I check the oil an hour later, and its not even reading on the dipstick. So I add some oil, little by little, eventually adding a full quart, and its still not reading (I always keep an extra quart in the trunk ICOE, and I have never had to use it until now). I look underneath for leaks, and the oil pan/drain plug is clean, the filter area is clean, air filter is dry, and aside from some oil leaking from the power steering, the engine bay is dry. So I decide to just change everything again, even though it was only about 2000 miles since last change, and I drained out 1.5 qts!!! Considering I just added a qt, that means there was about 16 oz. in there to begin with!!! I have no idea what happened. SInce I've changed it, things are normal again. Its been 2500 miles since then, and its still at the full mark. I definitely added the proper amount of oil the time before it happened . . . As I said earlier, I always buy 5qts and a filter. I definitely added the proper amount, topping it off after the engine was run to fill the filter. Again, any ideas?

 

That happened here and realized that the engine was burning oil. Mine occurred in the valve seals. Oil went right through and burned. Try this on the highway, drive at speeds of 55-65 constantly for 1 hr, then let go of the accelerator and re-accelerate. If you see blue smoke through the exhaust from the rear, you're burning oil. You should notice a lost of power also.

 

Check that. I just checked it again today, after about 3000 miles, and I was down 1.5 qts. I drive 30-40 minutes to work each way on the highway everyday, and I've never seen blue smoke though . . . then again, it would be hard to notice at that speed from the rearview mirror. The valves have never been serviced . . . maybe its time to do so . . . or just trade it in for the pickup I've been wanting.

How much do you think servicing the valves and valve guides would cost?