no oil on dipstick

[stshbg]

Help!! Yesterday I changed the oil in my "new" '90 C2. I removed a total of 6.5 quarts and added a total of 9.5 quarts. No oil detectable on the dipstick. I ran the engine at appropriate times and drove it about .25 miles after and still no oil on dipstick. Dipstick appears fully intact. the engine was rebuilt 30k ago. any ideas???

[Resident Sicko]

Sounds disturbing...but if you add even more, I might suggest an ounce at a time. (Mistkae I made personally when adding oil as it seems our engines go from empty to overfull way too quick for most.

The dipstick you are using is the yellow thing to the upper right of your engine bay, right? -And you are sure it is going into the right tube? (Sorry, just had to ask)

[stshbg]

Thanks for responding. Yes its the yellow thing I'm checking. I'm reluctant to add much more oil at this time. I'm wondering if this is the correct dipstick. As I say its fully intact. I'm not sure of the correct length for the dipstick. There should be enough oil as I am certain of the amount I added which was about 3 quarts more than I drained out. I don't get it!!??

[crg53]

You said you ran the engine "at appropriate times" and drove it for .25 miles, but where was the oil temperature gauge at????? If the thermostat is not open, you will not get an accurate reading on the dipstick.

[bazar01]

If you added 9.5 quarts, that is a good starting point, but you will not see any oil in the dip stick until the engine is fully warmed up, with the oil temp hitting 9' o clock mark on the gauge then back down a little under which meant the oil thermostat to the oil cooler has opened.
Drive your car some more until it is up to operating temp, park in a level ground, let it idle for 3 minutes, then check the oil level.

[stshbg]

Initially I let engine idle for about 30 minutes. The temp guage was about 20% below red area. I drained oil from engine and oil tank, replaced filter, added 6 quarts to oil tank, idled engine for 60 sec, checked dipstick, turned engine off and added 3.5 more quarts, again idled for a couple minutes, checked dipstick, drove short distance up the street and back, checked dipstick--no oil detected, turned engine off. I didn't notice the oil temp guage at that time. Left car at my brother's house. Thanks for responding.

[stshbg]

I'm sure the engine had cooled between beginning oil change and completion, about 3 hours. Thanks for the help. I think I'll try running it to suggested temp and checking it again. I'll let you know how it turns out. I expect to have more questions as this was a non-runner when I bought it. Thanks very much.

[Bob Kontak]

With almost ten quarts you are not going to starve your engine. I would drive the car for 30 minutes rather than idling it before making a check. Also the car on level ground as mentioned will impact your reading.

[mrbeverlyhills]

Um, sorry to state the obvious but are you checking the oil with the engine running? If not you can fill it with 20 gallons and not get a reading. Level ground with the car idling.....

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by stshbg

I removed a total of 6.5 quarts and added a total of 9.5 quarts. No oil detectable on the dipstick.

Only 6.5 quarts? Where did you drain the oil from?

If its like my 993, you drain the oil from the engine and oil tank. There are two drain bolts.

My 993 takes about 11 quarts and nothing will show on the dipstick till I put about 9.5 to 10 quarts into it.

As for checking the oil level, go for a 10 mile drive to fully warm up the engine oil, park on level ground with the engine running at idle and after 15 seconds, your oil level needle should be horizontal at 3 o'clock with the dipstick showing midway between the minimum and maximum marks.

You do know about the P-Car Workshop site?

[stshbg]

Thanks for all the responses. I drove for about 10 miles and checked with the engine running and measured on the low side of normal range. that's one project complete with more to come.

[on2wheels52]

Does that mean it was three quarts low before you drained the oil?
Jim

[Joe Bob]

Checking oil is not indicative of miles driven, check it AFTER the thermostat is open, the engine is BOTH warm and running. The oil temp gauge will hit about 1/2 way then drop when the hot oil hits the cooler....THAT's when ya check oil....

Oil should be below mid mark. Any higher you run the risk of sucking oil into the intake and killing all the mosquitoes in the adjacent three Counties.

[LUFTMAN]

check to see if front oil cooler in right front fender gets hot or the pipes that lead to it. oil temp takes a long time to heat up when idling and when it gets hot the distance from lo to high on the level gauge is not very much (1 pint) when rev engine 2500 rpm or more you can watch the oil level gauge go from full (top of scale) to center area. that gauge is very sensitive. car must be hot and idiling on a level surface to get the correct reading on the dipstick and gauge. and it takes a while. regards tom

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Checking oil is not indicative of miles driven, check it AFTER the thermostat is open.

Which opens at 181 degrees F.

True enough, but it doesn't take long or many miles for the oil to reach that temperature unless it is freezing out.

[Joe Bob]

Thermostats do fail......watching the gauge or checking if the oil line to the front is hot is a good check....