Engine losing oil

[mike66]

Hi,

 

Mine is a GMC sierra 2008 5.3 vortec, Went to one of the quick lube shops in Calgary for an Dexos 1 oil change and the tech showed me the dip stick , oil level was very low, below the cross - hatched area at the tip of the dip stick, last oil change was done 5000 kms back. I love the truck but cannot afford to fix a serious engine problem if there is one. Any advise to my questions is appreciated. Please note that the engine has no visible leaks.

1)Truck has done 1440000 Kms, is it normal for the engine to loose so much oil?

 

2) Don't know for how long I have been driving with that low oil level,could this cause further engine damage. (last oil change 5000 kms back). Low engine oil pressure warning did not come on.

 

3) After yesterdays oil change , oil level covers the 3rd hole on the dip stick and half way to the 4th hole. Not sure if this level is okay.

 

Appreciate your advice. Thanks.

 

Mike

 

[gmtech4]

yes the level is fine but at the top of the hash marks is full ,,,

 

no engine damage was done unless the low pressure light was on for a while ,,,,

 

these engines have oil consumption issues and threads up the butt about it ,,,

 

just top up the truck every now and then and drive it and ,,,,,

 

relax ,its ok

[txab]

Check it often

[Doug_Scott]

Your level was down about a litre or so, and it took 5000km to use that much oil. Don't see how that could even be considered an issue.

 

Do not count on low pressure light to tell you about your oil level. As long as there is oil above the oil pump pickup you will have pressure. Having a foot of oil above the pickup will have the same oil pressure as if there was an inch above the pickup.

[mike66]

@ govtech4 & doug_scott

 

Appreciate for taking the time . Was thinking of selling the truck . Changed my mind now. Forgot to mention, to add to my frustration the dude at the quick lube shop overfilled my engine , the level was up by an inch over the full mark , took it back to the shop and he dropped oil to correct the level could this over fill cause any damage, I drove the truck for about 90 Kms before realizing this ?

 

Thanks again.

[gmtech4]

Nope

[mike66]

Thanks Rob. I guess I have one more last question this time. Did an engine oil flush , they call "xtend engine oil flush" at lube city , in Calgary, will never do it again , is this really bad and is there any thing I must look for ?

 

Thanks guys for taking the time.

[gmtech4]

No , it is a wallet flush only , they up sell this crap for more money , google "marketplace oil change ",, they did an under cover thing about an oil change place in Ontario and holy cow is all I have to say

[txab]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/oil-change-shop-caught-scamming-customers-marketplace-investigation-1.2418675

[gmtech4]

Lol, good one daryl !!!!

[Mikeee]

My 03 5.3 with 345,000 miles (555,223.68KM) uses oil. I check the oil level after so many fuel ups. When it is 1/2 quart down I add 1/2 quart. This way, in case I forget to check it should be no more than a quart down. I also use the trip-o-meter as a guide as well.

 

I fill up about 3-4 times a week so I pretty much have a handle on it.

 

I use Rotella T5 which is not available everywhere so that is why I keep a bottle with me at all times.

[Doug_Scott]

Lol, good one daryl !!!!

 

No doubt some of these quick lube places are operated by crooks, but, that article leaves the reader with the impression that only licensed mechanics should be changing oil. The guy that offered that opinion is supposed to be a licensed mechanic in Ontario, yet he completely forgot what he did for the first year of his apprenticeship, that began right out of high school. Oil changes are done by the newest tech in the shop. Not licensed mechanics.

 

In Ontario you are not required to spend any time in school. If you worked in a shop for 5 years without being registered as an apprentice, and the shop owner, and a license mechanic both sign the app, you can go write for your license and if you pass, you are now licensed, not having spent a single day in trade school.

 

Unless they have changed it, you do not go to school for 3 years. If you did, that means it took 8 years to complete the apprenticeship and schooling. What you actually do is go to trade school a maximum of 3 times, with each time lasting 8 weeks. That is a max of 6 months over a 5 year period, done 8 weeks at a time.

 

Always wanted one of these shows catch the customer trying to deceive the shop. How many mechanics here have heard the customer say "I want a tune up on the car, it is running fine, no problems at all, it is just time for a tune-up", and after you complete the tune up the car now is hard to start cold, gives poor fuel mileage, runs rough after coming off highway, etc. Somehow putting 8 spark plugs in caused all those issues.

 

I had a customer that had an old Lincoln, who used to bring the car in twice a year for a tune up, and for some reason, every time after doing the tune up the car ran worse. I finally convinced the shop owner to try something. After the customer left the car, I moved the car to the other side of the lot, and left it there. Car never came into the shop. Shop owner kept the keys so no one could touch the car. Next day, customer is back with long list of what the car is doing now. Don't know what the shop owner said or did, but, we still had the car come in for tuneups, but only if there was a list of what was wrong.

 

How many mechanics have heard the customer say "you just did a wheel alignment and the car still vibrates on the highway", customer never said a word when asked why they thought it needed an alignment when the car first came in. If I happened to be in the office when a customer came in wanting a tuneup I would ask them to describe what the car was doing. When they said it was running fine, I would tell them to save their money, if the car is running good, and you are happy with it, giving me $80 would only make their wallet thinner, and mine thicker. That would usually get them to start talking. Actually had one guy say he did not want to say because it would cost more.