Oil leak in car, questions?

geepondy

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I own a 2002 Saturn SL1. I had the oil changed at the dealer's last Saturday and leaving work tonight, the oil pressure light came on, intermittently. Looking under the car with a FLASHLIGHT (Streamlight polypro Lux), I noticed the whole right side bottom was covered in oil. Went to gas station about 1/2 mile away and bought oil and was flabergasted to find out, the car took over 3 quarts of oil and yet the oil pressure light was still coming on intermittently. Anyhow, I drove about 12 miles where I was down another 2 quarts, filled it back up and went the rest of the five miles or so home.

I will check out the car tomorrow morning in the light to see if I can ascertain if it is leaking around the oil filter or drain plug (can anybody who owns a Saturn tell me if the drain plug is easily located?) but I want to give it a good once over before going to the dealer. Where should I check for big oil leaks like that? I want to do my best to try to figure out whether something went bad or they did something wrong in the oil change before they see it. As it is, I will have it towed there, I don't dare drive it no more. The car seems to run fine, hopefully no long term damage was done from running one less then a quart. Again, I'm flabbergasted to find out the light doesn't come on until it gets that low. I wanted to post in a Saturn forum but I lost my password and they haven't emailed it to me yet so hopefully some CPFers can give me some insight.
 

dano

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Drain plug is at or near the bottom of the engine.

Right side oil leak is either: the oil filter was double-gasketed (the oil changer left the old filter's gasket on the pick-up, and the new oil filter gasket in combo. with the old gasket causes leaks) or defective filter.

Oil lights usually come on when there's about 1.5qts or less of oil remaining.


--dan
 

IsaacHayes

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If the engine was damaged, the place that changed the oil would be responsible for the repair bill since they failed to tighten the oil filter/plug. It's like Dano said or they didn't tighten it enough or at all.
 

geepondy

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I am hoping the light will be good enough so that when I look, I can take a picture. I am nervous they may try to cover up. They shouldn't but I always expect the worse and hope for the best.
 

BB

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It sounds like it is their fault... You driving it with the oil light on (pass just long enough to get safely stopped) would cause more damage.

You need to call the dealer and/or get a second person to witness that the filter was loose or improperly sealed/leaking. Tow, do not drive the car to a repair shop.

This may be an expensive fix (possible engine rebuild) and the dealer may try anything to get out of paying to fix. Or, they may tell you nothing was damaged (and the damage may not be apparent for many thousands of miles of driving).

-Bill
 

turbodog

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Just FYI, but the oil light doesn't directly monitor the oil level. It monitors pressure.

When the level drops low enough that the pump is drawing air the pressure will drop and the light will come on.

And actually... if it came on for just a second or so, you're probably ok. Think about this: every time you crank your car it runs for a second or two with NO oil pressure.

And finally, most shops claim no responsibility for incidental damages. Shops around here have it specifically mentioned on legal notices on their walls. They will refund the cost of the oil change and no more.

You _really_ should change your own oil.
 

IsaacHayes

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There can be two oil lights.

Oil pressure, and Oil level. Depending on the vehicle, motor, and year, it may not have a low level light. (for instance my 94 car has the sensor , but the 04 motors that are the same as mine do not have a place in the oil pan for the sensor). You'll have oil pressure as long as the oil pump is working and can pick up oil. I have an oil pressure gauge and warning light. The oil level light will turn on when oil is VERY low. The oil level switch is in the bottom of the oil pan, and the oil pressure sending unit is typicaly on the side up higher on the pan.

Either way, if it was the oil pressure light, or oil level light, the problem is the car is extremely low on oil, so that's the problem right there, it's leaking somewhere!!
 

VWTim

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turbodog said:
And finally, most shops claim no responsibility for incidental damages. Shops around here have it specifically mentioned on legal notices on their walls. They will refund the cost of the oil change and no more.

You _really_ should change your own oil.

If any shop that I went to had that kind of verbage posted I'd stop going there ASAP. I also would question how that would stand up in court.

As to your situation I'd poke around a bit, but also contact the dealership immediately. If they're a good place they'll either send a tech over to you place to inspect it and save a tow bill, or offer to tow it to them after inspection. Sounds like an oil filter issue to me, ususally a double gasket will surface on first start, but not always. Could also be a bad filter or simply a dirty sealing surface on the filter.
 

turbodog

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Ok, let me re-word it a little.

ALL shops have it posted.

It's stood up already. My best friend got his engine filled with 90w gear oil instead of 10w-30.

Countless times, same results.


VWTim said:
If any shop that I went to had that kind of verbage posted I'd stop going there ASAP. I also would question how that would stand up in court.

As to your situation I'd poke around a bit, but also contact the dealership immediately. If they're a good place they'll either send a tech over to you place to inspect it and save a tow bill, or offer to tow it to them after inspection. Sounds like an oil filter issue to me, ususally a double gasket will surface on first start, but not always. Could also be a bad filter or simply a dirty sealing surface on the filter.
 

geepondy

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Had towed to Saturn dealer this morning. They said problem was cracked gasket in oil filter. He said it was a manufacturer's defect and would not have readily been seen while the oil was being changed. Two lessons to be learned from me is to check the oil level after the dealer changes it and to carry a couple spare quarts of oil in the trunk.
 

geepondy

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Yes, they fixed the problem and paid the tow charge. Perhaps I should have been more pushy and asked for reimbursement of the oil I had to put in and/or perhaps ask for a free change the next time for the trouble it put me thru but I didn't.

I don't think there is any permanent damage, the engine appears to be running fine.
 

Lucero

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I was searching for something else when I found this thread.

A similar thing happened to me once and the faulty part was the sending unit to the dashboard. So, the part that tells you on the dashboard that your car's oil pressure is low had a loose hose clamp and that was the source of the leak.

I stopped several times to add oil on the night this occurred and was able to see that the oil added at the top of the engine was almost immediately trickling out of the bottom of the engine.

$.02
 

VWTim

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Arkayne said:
If you change the oil yourself on a new car, does it void the factory drivetrain warranty?

Nope, as long as you can prove something about that service was being done. Usually an oil/filter purchase reciept is plenty.
 

VWTim

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turbodog said:
Ok, let me re-word it a little.

ALL shops have it posted.

It's stood up already. My best friend got his engine filled with 90w gear oil instead of 10w-30.

Countless times, same results.

perhaps "ALL" shops in your area, but not around here. I know this for a fact as I worked a lube and repair shop for 8+ years out of HS and in that period of time we did replace 1 motor that was directly out fault. And speaking with a local insurance agent who oversaw the chain store down the road they replaced motors almost quarterly. Shops have insurance for things just like this.
 
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