Need Your Opinion

[jawrgy]

Hey guys

Need some people with more experience than me about cars to give their opinion.

This issue is:

I got my car recently serviced during the week. The mechanic said everything was perfect see you in 3-6 months. Now over the following days a series of oil puddles popped up in my garage. I looked underneath my car and at the front of the car (between the battery and radiator) it was all shiny black and oil was dripping. Perfect, all mechanics are closed till the new year and I won't be able to drive my car. I then popped my bonnet to check the dip stick and suprise, suprise the dipstick was not in correctly. It was sticking out and on further inspcetion I could see oil on my z pip and down the side of the engine. It was disapointing because i take my car to a respected import mechanic in sydney and a little mistake like this has made my engine all dirty and my car unlikley driveable till I take my car back in the new year.

What I wanted to know from you guys if i should be able to drive my car. It would be extremley coincidentel if the leak is coming from some place else so i assmue that the dipstick not being in correctly is the source of the leak. I have attached two photo's below, one of the dipostick and a leak on the floor. The leak on the floor gathered after the car being parked in that spot for one hour.

In summary: Can i drive my car with the oil thats available in the engine or has the car dropped too much oil that it is not safe to drive. I have maybe drived between 100km-200km since the service and no warning lights have popped up on my dash.

[jawrgy]

I have a 350gt skyline, if that might help.

[Daleo]

Jawrgy, you need to find out how much oil is in the engine; wipe the stick properly, and reinsert it. pull out and check.

If it's above the low mark, you're ok, but I'd still put some in. If it's just that drop on the end of the stick, add 1/2 a litre and see where you end up. If still nothing, add another 1/2. Take your time there's no reason to hurry. I'm assuming you've got some 10w/40 oil handy?

You'd be amazed how much oil you can pump out through a dipstick, but by the same token it's amazing how much of a mess you can make with 500mL of oil; once it's sprayed around.

They're a hard engine to check once they've been running, as they hold a lot of oil in the heads etc, and it takes a while to run back down. I always check mine first thing in the morning.

If you're not sure though, please don't drive it; better to wait a day, than destroy a perfectly good engine.

Good luck, Dale.

P.S. After the weekend I d be dropping back and telling him what happened, and getting him to dump the mixture of oils out, refill, and steam clean your engine bay. It's the least he can do.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Daleo

[luke gtr]

Mate, not all mechanics ate closed until next year.

I'm back at it on Wednesday.

As stated above, pull the dipstick, clean it with a rag, reinsert, pull once more and check level.

If on the dipstick, it is approximately 800ml from low to full.

If not, add 1l, and follow the check procedure again.

DON'T drive with low oil.

It is highly possible all the oil is from the dipstick.

Depending on engine wear(not knowing your car), its also possible the dipstick was blown out from blow by.

Happened to me at the drags once.

Was ok for the rest of the night.

Oil went everywhere.

Fill the oil, make sure the dipstick is all the way in, clean it down, and you should be ok.

If you still don't feel confident checking your level, ask a family member or neighbor.

Better to ask a stupid question or favour, than pay for an engine rebuild.

Good luck with it mate

[jawrgy]

hey quick question, with this dipstick there are no markings, just the bends. Where should the oild be? My old car had little holes through which showed where the oil should be but Im not sure how to read the one int he picture. Any help?

[jus10]

yeah its possible that you have some high crank case pressure and it pushed the dipstick out its self thus pushing oil out too

[luke gtr]

Aim for just under the higher bend.

Won't matter as much if its a little overfull, will if its underfull.