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Hi you guys,
I have a 2008 5-speed LX. I got it about 3 months ago with 8500 miles on it. Now it has about 11,500 miles.
Here's my problem:
Both times I've checked the oil near the end of the oil cycle (around 3000 miles), the oil level on the dipstick seems low. Slightly (2-3mm) underneath the lower dot, not between the dots. But there was also some oil splashed up into the "acceptable" range between the dots. Wipe off dipstick and repeat several times, same result each time. So it was confusing to read.
The first time this happened, I panicked and put in some oil. However as the car sat around 5-8 minutes the oil level on the stick came up, resulting in the level now being slightly above the "high" dot. So I took it right in for an oil change, to avoid high oil pressure blowing out the seals. It seemed that the oil took a long time to all drip back down into the pan after I shut the engine off.
Now it's at 3000 miles since that oil change. It showed up low again. I didn't have time to sit for 10 minutes to verify the result. So I put in about 1/3 quart, and will probably do another oil change as soon as it gets out of the shop (from an unfortunate little fender bender resulting in bumper replacement). Oh, the oil life indicator still reads 50%, even at 3000 miles.
Questions:
1. How long does it take the oil to drip back into the pan for an accurate read?
2. Do these engines eat oil? I would think that with such low mileage on my car, it wouldn't be consuming any oil.
3. If I have unknowingly (based on assumption in #2, above) driving around with not quite enough oil in my car, what are the chances that I damaged it internally? (the dipstick has never shown real low oil, just a few millimetres below the lower dot.)
4. Should I maybe just plan to put in a little oil at, say, 2000 miles into the oil change?
5. Does it need an oil change if the oil life indicator says 50%, at 3000 miles?
Thanks everyone!
veganskater
I have a 2008 5-speed LX. I got it about 3 months ago with 8500 miles on it. Now it has about 11,500 miles.
Here's my problem:
Both times I've checked the oil near the end of the oil cycle (around 3000 miles), the oil level on the dipstick seems low. Slightly (2-3mm) underneath the lower dot, not between the dots. But there was also some oil splashed up into the "acceptable" range between the dots. Wipe off dipstick and repeat several times, same result each time. So it was confusing to read.
The first time this happened, I panicked and put in some oil. However as the car sat around 5-8 minutes the oil level on the stick came up, resulting in the level now being slightly above the "high" dot. So I took it right in for an oil change, to avoid high oil pressure blowing out the seals. It seemed that the oil took a long time to all drip back down into the pan after I shut the engine off.
Now it's at 3000 miles since that oil change. It showed up low again. I didn't have time to sit for 10 minutes to verify the result. So I put in about 1/3 quart, and will probably do another oil change as soon as it gets out of the shop (from an unfortunate little fender bender resulting in bumper replacement). Oh, the oil life indicator still reads 50%, even at 3000 miles.
Questions:
1. How long does it take the oil to drip back into the pan for an accurate read?
2. Do these engines eat oil? I would think that with such low mileage on my car, it wouldn't be consuming any oil.
3. If I have unknowingly (based on assumption in #2, above) driving around with not quite enough oil in my car, what are the chances that I damaged it internally? (the dipstick has never shown real low oil, just a few millimetres below the lower dot.)
4. Should I maybe just plan to put in a little oil at, say, 2000 miles into the oil change?
5. Does it need an oil change if the oil life indicator says 50%, at 3000 miles?
Thanks everyone!