2015 Encore - lost all engine oil !@#$#@!
#1
12-12-2018, 08:16 AM
2015 Encore - lost all engine oil !@#$#@!
To make a long story short... I had a small leak in the valve cover gasket so I took it to a reputable shop and had new gaskets installed. After they dropped my car back at work, I drove about 10 miles, was there for a couple of hours, then drove 20 miles home. When I got home I checked the oil level and the dip stick was bone dry. Checked again about 30 minutes later, still bone dry. Then I looked around the passenger side of the engine and the back of the engine was covered with oil and a fair amount of oil (maybe a quart or less) on my garage floor...
The repair shop is going to tow it in and check it out... but my question is this... If they fix the leak, fill it with oil and it all seems fine... how can I determine if there was any damage or degradation to the engine? How will I know if this incident has taken thousands or tens of thousands of miles off of its expected life expectancy? Are there wear tests, measurements, bearing vibration analysis test, or even thermal imaging tests that can tell if there has been any damage or degradation?
Or, if they get it fixed up and cleaned up, is this a good time to trade it in? This car just has 90k miles on it. We have 30 years of driving Buick experience and most have easily done 250k miles... Will I have to worry about this car from now on?
what would you do if you typically like to drive a car until it is no longer trustworthy?
Thanks in advance...
thenson
The repair shop is going to tow it in and check it out... but my question is this... If they fix the leak, fill it with oil and it all seems fine... how can I determine if there was any damage or degradation to the engine? How will I know if this incident has taken thousands or tens of thousands of miles off of its expected life expectancy? Are there wear tests, measurements, bearing vibration analysis test, or even thermal imaging tests that can tell if there has been any damage or degradation?
Or, if they get it fixed up and cleaned up, is this a good time to trade it in? This car just has 90k miles on it. We have 30 years of driving Buick experience and most have easily done 250k miles... Will I have to worry about this car from now on?
what would you do if you typically like to drive a car until it is no longer trustworthy?
Thanks in advance...
thenson
#3
12-12-2018, 08:40 AM
Don't get me wrong. We are Buick lovers and love the Encore.
As empty nesters, we love this car about 98% of the time it is perfect.
Our only complaints are that it is about 4 inches too narrow and we don't know why they didn't put an arm wrest on the passenger seat. The car drives and handles wonderfully.
We recently adopted a 2013 Honda CRV that is about 4 inches wider and 10 inches longer and it just seems a bit more roomy overall. It is hard to believe that just a few inches would feel that much different... The CRV gets about 20% less gas mileage, which is rather significant for us...
Before driving the CRV I was 100% sold on the Encore and would get another one but now after driving the CRV some, my hopes are that Buick will make a few improvements in newer models...
Just my opinions...
thenson
As empty nesters, we love this car about 98% of the time it is perfect.
Our only complaints are that it is about 4 inches too narrow and we don't know why they didn't put an arm wrest on the passenger seat. The car drives and handles wonderfully.
We recently adopted a 2013 Honda CRV that is about 4 inches wider and 10 inches longer and it just seems a bit more roomy overall. It is hard to believe that just a few inches would feel that much different... The CRV gets about 20% less gas mileage, which is rather significant for us...
Before driving the CRV I was 100% sold on the Encore and would get another one but now after driving the CRV some, my hopes are that Buick will make a few improvements in newer models...
Just my opinions...
thenson
#4
12-14-2018, 06:08 AM
Think you may be OK? Had that happen once to myself with no long term consequences. Oil has a certain clinging viscosity characteristic. Believe all those cold morning dry cold starts are way more damaging. And then, the neighbor that gets in car and starts, drives immediately with pedal floored and it's 10 degrees outside.
Check of coarse to see if actually burning any oil and check level I'd say daily for a few weeks or so. Back when, with non-detergent oil would fill crankcase with kerosene and run engine for 2 minutes and drain out. Be surprised all the sludge and debris released. Never hurt motor at all.
Now too with my '69 road runner, that would burn oil due to rings not being fully expanded at full pedal unless continuous high RPM maintained prior. Reason being it was a high performance motor and rings were undersized for heat expansion. Run it regular and motor was fine, run hard and fine but alternate styles and nope!
Check of coarse to see if actually burning any oil and check level I'd say daily for a few weeks or so. Back when, with non-detergent oil would fill crankcase with kerosene and run engine for 2 minutes and drain out. Be surprised all the sludge and debris released. Never hurt motor at all.
Now too with my '69 road runner, that would burn oil due to rings not being fully expanded at full pedal unless continuous high RPM maintained prior. Reason being it was a high performance motor and rings were undersized for heat expansion. Run it regular and motor was fine, run hard and fine but alternate styles and nope!
Last edited by Rich B.; 12-14-2018 at 06:14 AM.
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