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RichardB
Member Since: 03 May 2010
Location: Hants
Posts: 485
  
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| 3.0 TDV6: How low can you go... |
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Just back home after a bit of an episode today which ended with 4.5l of engine oil being added back to the car 
We've been away for a relaxing weekend. This morning I looked out of the hotel bedroom across the car park to Symonds Yat on the River Wye only for my eye to be drawn to a trail of oil across the car park leading to the back of my car. A bit alarming as the night before I'd had no problem at all, no warning lights and D4 running as sweet as a nut.
I checked under the car and there was engine oil everywhere from the sump guard back along chassis rails. Without starting the car, I checked the oil level to see "below minimum" but absolutely no other warnings at all.
Clearly something very amiss so LRA summoned and arrived a couple of hours later. Chap was quite keen to get a flatbed out to carry us home but I asked him to see if he could check it out as I'd only has a service very recently and I sort of suspected something. He did start the engine, for a very short time. No warnings. He took the bottom guard off and there was a good pool of oil in there and down side of engine but no leaks. Then he has a look at the oil filter. Pool of oil around the base. When the filter was removed, the O ring was severed completely.
So LRA went of to get a new filter and 5l of oil from Droitwich - a 2.5hr return journey. New oil filter fitted quickly but it took an hour to sort the oil level. Put 2.5l in with no noticeable effect. So being wary of overfilling, started car to see if it would make a difference and then the dammed car took ages before it would redisplay level. Anyway a further 0.5l and it showed "Add 1.5l". a further 1.5l and its near the top.
Drove home with no issues at all. Oil level still at same level after 100miles.
So, to not avoid a long story... How low will the oil go before you get an on dash warning? Should I be worried when sensors otherwise seem fully functional?
Tomorrow I shall be calling the Service Agent with a request for a full steam clean of engine and underside plus a check over.
BTW: LRA guy was a top bloke - very helpful once he realised I wasn't too keen to spend 4+ hours being recovered. Though both he and I were starting to get seriously fed up at the lack of a proper dipstick.
(Also, no faults came up on his IDE or my Faultmate FCR - which I had a sneaky look at after the initial call.)
Any other thoughts welcome.
(Just very pleased this happened in such a spot where I had an enforced day of relaxation; rather than on hard shoulder of M4.)
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 26th Jun 2011 8:34 pm |
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Flack
Member Since: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Preston Lancashire
Posts: 6312
  
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RichardB
If no warnings came on then you will be fine, Its usually to late to do anything when the warnings come on , at speed anyway.
I am a mechanic and where I used to work i was once test driving a Range Rover that the apprentice had just serviced when the oil light came on at around 40 mph, I shut the engine off as quickly as I could and got out of the car to see oil over the road and a thin trial behind the car.
He had not tightened up the sump plug and it had fallen out, but the car was recovered filled with oil and it was fine, did some checks for metal particles and there was nothing.
Flack 
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| 26th Jun 2011 9:35 pm |
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Popelka
Member Since: 31 May 2008
Location: Praha (Prague)
Posts: 2430
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years ago I had the oil light come on while driving so pulled into next garage (1 mile further) and checked to find it still on the dipstick but only just on the bottom so it was well below minimum (Non-LR)
question:
does the warning light when driving react to oil level or oil pressure,
I read that there is a menu on the screen that you can use to check oil level when the engine hasn't ran for approx 10 minutes (allows oil to drain to sump I guess)
and what is the relationship between the oil level and oil pressure sensors when driving ? Experience is a difficult teacher, because she gives the test first and then the lesson afterwards!!!!
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| 27th Jun 2011 5:34 am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
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I don't know about the D4, but traditionally the oil warning light is pressure operated. So it is entirely possible to have full oil pressure so long as their is enough oil in the sump for the oil pump to be able pick up. As the level drops, it will also start to draw air, and this will make the pressure fluctuate. With too little oil, the oil will also get hotter, and will not be able to sustain its lube qualities as well.
It the good old days, cars used to have oil pressure and some even had oil temperature guages.
Generally, for the oil light to have come on whilst driving, its too late. If nothing has broken or dropped off causing all the oil to be lost quickly, then the level will have been gradually getting lower and lower for a long time, and you have probably already stuffed the bearings in the engine due to the oil overheating and degenerating.
Its not a good idea to run with low oil level for too long.
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| 27th Jun 2011 7:04 am |
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Flack
Member Since: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Preston Lancashire
Posts: 6312
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Quote:question:
does the warning light when driving react to oil level or oil pressure,
Its a pressure switch that puts the warning light on when there is no oil to pump around the system. Its the same when you change your oil & filter if you watch the light when you first start the engine it will take a few seconds for the light to go out.
This is because you have emptied the filter bowl & most of the oil from the oil pick in the sump.
Flack .
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| 27th Jun 2011 7:06 am |
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Popelka
Member Since: 31 May 2008
Location: Praha (Prague)
Posts: 2430
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so basically are we saying Richard should also get an agreement that if in the future he has engine issues that it should be covered by his service agent  Experience is a difficult teacher, because she gives the test first and then the lesson afterwards!!!!
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| 27th Jun 2011 4:58 pm |
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RichardB
Member Since: 03 May 2010
Location: Hants
Posts: 485
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Well, it's all under warrenty with a full 2+ years to run and I've got the evidence that 4.5l of oil was refilled on job log paper and logged with LRA.
I'm also pretty sure that there was still enough oil even though it was low, plus there was <1k miles on that change of oil and I'd only been pottering gently along some narrow country lanes.
So I'm not too worried - yet...
Anyway, no quibble from the Service Agent. LRA had already notified them and it's in tomorrow for a full steam clean on engine and underside.
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| 28th Jun 2011 7:01 pm |
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