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Where's my oil?

4K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  TurnNburn 
#1 ·
I drove my astro 3 hours up the mountains and back last week, ensuring fluids were all topped off before I left. Today I checked my oil today and it was bone dry and little charred. I added a couple quarts, ran it, checked it, still dry. added another quart, still dry, added another, still dry. I'm at 4.5 quarts in now, running the engine, shutting it off and getting NO oil reading at all. No leaks on the ground. Where is all the oil going? I just had the head and intake gaskets replace a few weeks ago.
 
#6 ·
Are you sure you are checking the oil dipstick? Is your dipstick broken? Be careful about how much more you add, too much oil will damage the engine.
How is your transmission fluid, and your coolant?

I would say there is more to this story.
 
#7 ·
I've been checking the yellow oil dipstick, added oil to the yellow lettered oil cap hole. Transmission fluid is low, no oil in coolant, not drop in coolant level either. It's 40 degrees F here so the exhaust is white but does not smell like burnt oil. No leaks on ground. The oil cap neck where u add oil is loose. It's missing the screw for the bracket that secures it. The shop may have left the screw off when I had the gaskets done. It's semi stable, should still allow oil into the engine. Brand new water pump and coolant hoses as well.
 
#9 ·
Dipstick tube broken off at the block??
Unbolt the bracket holding the tube. Is the tube loose??
Cross hatch pattern or line marks on end of dipstick??

Do not start the engine again until you get it figured out. With a possible 8-9 qts of oil in there it could be severely overfilled. Which could cause more damage.
 
#11 ·
Ye, the dipstick has the hash marks. I'm going to put the oil pan nut off and see exactly how much oil is in there. If alot, then I'll pull the dipstick tube off for inspection. Is anyone famiar with the way the dipstick tube goes in? If it was loose, could.it really prevent the dipstick from going into the engine?
Thanks everyone for your help!
 
#12 ·
Dipstick tube is a 2 piece deal. First part goes in the block under the starter and runs up under the exhaust manifold and bolts to the block by the number 2 spark plug. Second half bolts to the back of the alt and it slides into the first half.

It wouldn't be the first time we had one not long ago. It was loose at the back of the alt bracket. And the 2 tubes came apart. With luck that is all that happened and it is just way over full now.

Take the doghouse off and just follow the tube and see if it is still together. Or if the dipstick is checking air next to the block.
 
#13 ·
JonnyDelux said:
Ye, the dipstick has the hash marks. I'm going to put the oil pan nut off and see exactly how much oil is in there. If alot, then I'll pull the dipstick tube off for inspection. Is anyone famiar with the way the dipstick tube goes in? If it was loose, could.it really prevent the dipstick from going into the engine?
Thanks everyone for your help!
The tube slides into the block with a flared section to stop it. I have seen them break at the flare and fall away from the block. The tube should be solidly mounted. Any movement before unbolting the mount would be a good sign that it is broke.

The painful part if it is broken is that the exhaust manifold will likely have to be removed to get the broken piece out of the block.
 
#15 ·
Shouldn't need any adjustment unless it's bolted in the wrong place, or it has been physically bent/damaged in some way. Which, seeing that it's separated, it has to be something like that.
 
#17 ·
JonnyDelux said:
Good news, I pulled the oil pan nut and boy did that oil flow out. I gor the dog house off and found the a separation between the two pieces that make up the dipstick tube. Heres a pic of the separation. Both sides are mounted solidly. How do in adjust this to maintain proper dipstick measurement?
I have had my engine apart a few times. It never went into the block the last time fully. So I been down this road already. What to do is this. Once you got it together correctly where it isn't moving.

It takes 4 1/2 quarts. Carefully measure and add that using a new oil filter. Start it until the oil pressure is there. Wait 20 minutes a half hour for the oil to settle. Then read the stick and see where it is. Then add a half quart and let it sit and read it again.

That is your new full range. Mine says full at 5 quarts and is showing a half quart low when it is actually full now. So on mine anywhere in the hashmarks is fine now.
 
#18 ·
Thanks for the advice, I would think if two tubes fit together with a flange and are bolted in place, those bolts should offer some adjustment?

My dipstick was working fine before I had the gaskets done. It was working after I had them done. Is it possible an engine mount tilted the engine? or anything else that would cause this to happen?
This problem was just one I found after the shop had my Van. My new water pump was loosely bolted down and leaking, oil cap neck where you ad oil is loose, not to mention they got oil all over my interior. I would expect that from a bargain shop, but I paid top dollar to have a half *** job done. They warranty their work, plus my gaskets are leaking already
 

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#19 ·
JonnyDelux said:
I would expect that from a bargain shop, but I paid top dollar to have a half *** job done. They warranty their work, plus my gaskets are leaking already
And that is why most of us here do our own work. if somebody gonna F it up I gonna do it. because it is obvious n matter how much you pay they just don't care. It is money get it out the door.
 
#20 ·
chevymaher said:
JonnyDelux said:
I would expect that from a bargain shop, but I paid top dollar to have a half *** job done. They warranty their work, plus my gaskets are leaking already
And that is why most of us here do our own work. if somebody gonna F it up I gonna do it. because it is obvious n matter how much you pay they just don't care. It is money get it out the door.
Exactly this.
 
#23 ·
I was willing to give the shop the benefit of the doubt on the water pump but there are to many things stacking up against them now.

It is likely that they pulled the alternator loose like they would have had to do with the AC pump. In doing that the dipstick was unbolted and loosened but not completely separated. When you checked the first time it was probably just barely holding. Then the vibration from the road trip shook it apart the rest of the way.

The blue is a tell tale that the cover gaskets did not get replaced. That is RTV sealant. If installed properly new gaskets would not have required sealant to be used.

I highly suspect that the shop tried taking short cuts in both parts and labor.
 
#24 ·
Actually that could also be the gaskets. I just changed my valve cover gaskets in my van and they were bright blue. Also they didn't have a great fit so they stick out a little, but mine atleast doesn't leak. :2:
 
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