# What does that strange little oil warning light on the dashboard mean?



## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

A little off topic but still related to vehicles.

On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother, who told him to have it checked out. He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in. Son noted that oil light did not go out, but he continued to drive the car all week. He noticed that the car stalled a few times. Hmmm... what could that be? He drove the car until Friday, when the engine finally seized.

I didn't find out any of this until Saturday. My reaction was what any father's would be upon hearing what happened, and went apeshit. The damage is a seized engine, a broken piston and lots of metal bits in the oil pan. Full engine rebuild required.

When I asked my son why he kept running the car even with the oil light on, he said that he thought that "the oil light was just taking a long time to register that oil had been added to the engine".

So his mother told him on Monday to get the car looked at. He refused to do that and kept driving it until the engine seized. She tells me that I am being too hard on him. I say that it is 100% his fault and he owes his grandfather a new engine. It is true that nobody ever told my son not to run an engine if the oil warning light is lit on the dashboard. Nobody ever told me that, either; for me it was/is obvious that if there's an oil problem in the engine then you don't run it.

What say you?


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

Is it a yellow light? 
(and sorry about the engine)


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

KD_LA said:


> Is it a yellow light?
> (and sorry about the engine)


I miss jazz sax segues between scenes in sitcoms. They should bring those back.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

It's common sense to question what any warning light means, that's their function. I would have gone apeshit also, both over the engine damage and also your son ignoring the warnings.


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

You guys have full service gas stations over there?


The Gift of Fish said:


> He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in


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## HotUberMess (Feb 25, 2018)

Mothers and sons enjoy a special bond not unlike fathers and daughters. 

You are not being too hard on him, he needs to work this off. There has to be some pain associated with this learning moment or the learning will not occur.


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## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

Son messed up. Yes he needs to pay for the new engine and everything else. Don’t know how old he is or what his finances are like but there was a time when our oldest was paying me back for a new windshield at $25 a month (a RR Xing arm shattered the windshield)

I’m not sure how much fault is actually his (your son’s) but he will never ignore another warning light again if he’s held responsible for the repair costs.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

KD_LA said:


> Is it a yellow light?
> (and sorry about the engine)


Thanks. Not my engine though. Granddad's even less happy about it than I am 


MHR said:


> Son messed up. Yes he needs to pay for the new engine and everything else. Don't know how old he is or what his finances are like but there was a time when our oldest was paying me back for a new windshield at $25 a month (a RR Xing arm shattered the windshield)
> 
> I'm not sure how much fault is actually his (your son's) but he will never ignore another warning light again if he's held responsible for the repair costs.


Son is 17. He's got around $500 saved up; I reckon I may be able to get a used engine installed for around $1,500, so that leaves him owing about a grand. He gets $30 a week from me in allowance, so it'll be a while before it's paid off.


Boca Ratman said:


> You guys have full service gas stations over there?


Some places do. He probably asked someone working there to help out; he's not mechanically minded. At his age I was rebuilding carburettors and putting big bore kits on my motorcycles.

* ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ *


HotUberMess said:


> Mothers and sons enjoy a special bond not unlike fathers and daughters.


True that. My youngest daughter especially has me wrapped around her little finger.

She's the only lady in my life who's ever been able to get me to do whatever she wants, according to her mother


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## MoreTips (Feb 13, 2017)

It sounds like your mechanically inclined enough and if you have the time and the patience the best "punishment" would be forcing your son with your help to pull and install a used replacement engine. Still a pain for you but make your son pay for the junk yard engine. He will get some needed first hand experience turning a wrench and hopefully some busted knuckles in the process, giving you two something to laugh about in the future. 

Good luck , my sister did the samething at his age, ignoring a gauge and light overheating the motor causing a warped and seized engine. Unfortunately it was our mom's van and she didn't learn a thing, skip ahead 20 years she did it again this time to her BMW, lol.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

MoreTips said:


> It sounds like your mechanically inclined enough and if you have the time and the patience the best "punishment" would be forcing your son with your help to pull and install a used replacement engine. Still a pain for you but make your son pay for the junk yard engine. He will get some needed first hand experience turning a wrench and hopefully some busted knuckles in the process, giving you two something to laugh about in the future.
> 
> Good luck , my sister did the samething at his age, ignoring a gauge and light overheating the motor causing a warped and seized engine. Unfortunately it was our mom's van and she didn't learn a thing, skip ahead 20 years she did it again this time to her BMW, lol.


I take it sis didn't have to buy a new engine for the van?


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## bsliv (Mar 1, 2016)

It is the son's fault but don't be too hard on him. Did anyone tell him the potential consequences of driving with the light on? Probably not. I doubt if he took an auto mechanics course. I doubt he was taught mechanics at home. 

To the son, having it checked out may have been adding oil. Maybe he thought the light was an oil quantity light. 

Put the shoes on different feet. What if a person who doesn't know how computers work and deletes valuable stuff. Yes its their fault but they didn't know what to do. 

Time for busted knuckles and a learning experience. If he puts in an honest effort to repair the engine, I'd be a bit forgiving on costs. I'd take his $500 and allowance until the repair was complete. Then surprise him by giving the money (or part of it) back.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

The Gift of Fish said:


> A little off topic but still related to vehicles.
> 
> On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother, who told him to have it checked out. He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in. Son noted that oil light did not go out, but he continued to drive the car all week. He noticed that the car stalled a few times. Hmmm... what could that be? He drove the car until Friday, when the engine finally seized.
> 
> ...


You say it's obvious to you not to run the engine, but you also say you were rebuilding carburetors at his age.

I think when you teach a kid to drive (or they take driver's Ed, whatever) you should teach them more than just driving.

He told his mom, who told him "get it checked out." That's not clear enough to me. She should've told him how important it was to have oil in the motor. Maybe she did, but didn't really explain it.

My car is the first I've ever had with the tire sensors. When you have a leak and put air in or get the new tires it takes a bit of time for the light to go off. Maybe he thought oil was the same.

Your son should learn that you don't **** around with a multi-thousand dollar piece of equipment, especially if it belongs to someone else. But I think you, mom, and grandad need to realize that when you let a KID use that equipment they need more instruction than he was given. The fact that he had to get an attendant to put oil in it tells me he's been taught next to nothing. Does he even know how to check it or change a tire?

You can figure out what the best way is to deal with this, but do that bearing in mind you definitely share some of the blame. And he likely feels like crap already. If you put it all on him he'll just be resentful because he (like I) will not think its 100% his fault.

Do we still call them "idiot lights"?


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

bsliv said:


> It is the son's fault but don't be too hard on him. Did anyone tell him the potential consequences of driving with the light on?


Well, that's the thing. I guess I didn't tell him what problems to look out for because I thought it would be obvious that an engine can't run if there's an oil problem. I haven't told him to stop the car and pull it over if it gets a flat and not run it on the bare rim until the tyre flies off, either...


> To the son, having it checked out may have been adding oil. Maybe he thought the light was an oil quantity light.


Yes, he did. But the light staying on surely means that something is wrong, that was not fixed by adding oil?


> Put the shoes on different feet. What if a person who doesn't know how computers work and deletes valuable stuff. Yes its their fault but they didn't know what to do.


I guess so


> Time for busted knuckles and a learning experience. If he puts in an honest effort to repair the engine, I'd be a bit forgiving on costs. I'd take his $500 and allowance until the repair was complete. Then surprise him by giving the money (or part of it) back.


I wish I'd had a father like you when as a teenager I set fire to my parents' bathroom.


Fuzzyelvis said:


> I think when you teach a kid to drive (or they take driver's Ed, whatever) you should teach them more than just driving.
> 
> He told his mom, who told him "get it checked out." That's not clear enough to me. She should've told him how important it was to have oil in the motor.
> 
> ...


All good points


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

One thing is missing from the saga. No where does it say the oil level was checked before adding more oil. Maybe the attendant did but if he didn't he should have and could possibly have saved the engine.


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## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

I think it was mostly his fault.

The caveat is it sounds like no one ever taught him things that are important about auto maintenance. Did anyone show him how to check the oil level? Things that are common knowledge to you and I, might not be to someone else.

He should have gotten a more thorough answer than "get it checked out" but he apparently never learned anything about cars.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

driver training is a joke these days... only 6 hours with a "pro" and 50 more hours "practice" are required of teens (driving with licensed adult in car) were the "idiot" lights explained to him by anybody? the oil light, the temperature guage and the battery light should be on the test! sadly, they are not.

he pays $500, you pay the rest... and explain all the gauges/lights to him while the car is in the shop! or split it with who ever loaned him the car in the first place.

Allowance? we have 4 adult children, not one ever got an "allowance" from us. I was always clear where to go when money is needed, Work. Dog walking, yogurt shop, grocery store, baby sitting, car washing.... I can't remember all the jobs they had as teens, they all bought their own cars and paid for all the gas and insurance themselves (and auto club) they never drove our cars.


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## 911 Guy (Feb 8, 2018)

Give him a list of required reading / links and quiz him on them. Savings sacrificed minus a possible merciful gesture.


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

911 Guy said:


> Give him a list of required reading / links and quiz him on them. Savings sacrificed minus a possible merciful gesture.


Have him read the owners manual. Some may be model specific but much is valid for most cars.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

LAuberX said:


> Allowance? we have 4 adult children, not one ever got an "allowance" from us. I was always clear where to go when money is needed, Work. Dog walking, yogurt shop, grocery store, baby sitting, car washing.... I can't remember all the jobs they had as teens, they all bought their own cars and paid for all the gas and insurance themselves (and auto club) they never drove our cars.


For the sake of brevity I called it allowance, but in order to get the $30 he has to work a few hours on Saturdays at his mother's store. If he works the Saturday he gets the money that week. If he doesn't then he doesn't. There's no free money in this house.



AllGold said:


> I think it was mostly his fault.
> 
> The caveat is it sounds like no one ever taught him things that are important about auto maintenance. Did anyone show him how to check the oil level? Things that are common knowledge to you and I, might not be to someone else.
> 
> He should have gotten a more thorough answer than "get it checked out" but he apparently never learned anything about cars.


Yes, I had previously told him that the car consumed oil and to watch the oil level. I showed him how to check the oil and once, when it was low, I took him to Autozone, showed him which oil grade to buy and then showed him in the parking lot how to put it in.


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## MoreTips (Feb 13, 2017)

The Gift of Fish said:


> I take it sis didn't have to buy a new engine for the van?


Unfortunately that was the end of the van.


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## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Yes, I had previously told him that the car consumed oil and to watch the oil level. I showed him how to check the oil and once, when it was low, I took him to Autozone, showed him which oil grade to buy and then showed him in the parking lot how to put it in.


Ah. That information wasn't in the O.P.

In light of that, you did your due diligence and it is entirely his fault.


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

Not enough information to judge but my first reaction based on the info presented is that its not the kids fauly

How old is the car, and many miles ? The car already had a known oil problem Cars dont "consume" oil, they burn oil or they leak oil or both and these are serious and dad and grandpa know that. So what was the problem,, a leak or bad valves, or rings. Either way it was grandpas responsibility (his car) ) to have checked this known problem out and fixed it before giving it to the kid Most of the time (in my experience) by the time the light comes on its too late, damage has already been done. They call these things idiot lights for a reason In this case I think Grandpa was the idiot, not the kid

so its not the kids fault.. This engine needed attention before the kid started driving it. The engine was probably shot already, It was just a matter of time. It didnt matter who was driving. this engine was a dead man walking Grandpa set the kid up

If you do make him pay,all the kid owes is enough to buy a used car that burns or leaks oil.... maybe $500


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

oldfart said:


> Not enough information to judge but my first reaction based on the info presented is that its not the kids fauly
> 
> How old is the car, and many miles ? The car already had a known oil problem Cars dont "consume" oil, they burn oil or they leak oil or both and these are serious and dad and grandpa know that. So what was the problem,, a leak or bad valves, or rings. Either way it was grandpas responsibility (his car) ) to have checked this known problem out and fixed it before giving it to the kid Most of the time (in my experience) by the time the light comes on its too late, damage has already been done. They call these things idiot lights for a reason In this case I think Grandpa was the idiot, not the kid


From Websters:

Consume: : to waste or burn away : PERISH

As in, _the car engine consumed oil_. That definition works for me. What I think you are getting at with your pedantry surrounding the use of the word consume is that cars are not supposed to consume oil. Well, some cars do; some cars don't. My Camry is of the XV40 generation, which is known for consuming oil. This is common nowadays as manufacturers increase tolerances within the engine in order to decrease friction and increase fuel economy. It's a trade off. In some cases, like the Camry, to an unacceptable degree in some examples of that engine.


> so its not the kids fault.. This engine needed attention before the kid started driving it. The engine was probably shot already, It was just a matter of time. It didnt matter who was driving. this engine was a dead man walking Grandpa set the kid up


Anyway, I know that my own car uses just over a quart of oil in between 5,000 mile oil changes, so I put just over a quart of oil in between oil changes. Oil costs me $2 per quart. It's an old car which costs me peanuts to run. The engine certainly isn't "dead". Rather than buy a new car I think I'll just keep topping it up with oil. It's not really ruining my life in any way.

Would it be preferable for everyone to be able to drive cars that are absolutely perfect that will never in their lifetimes have any kind of mechanical issue whatsoever? Of course, but car manufacturers know that is not possible so they install idiot lights in their cars to warn drivers, for example, when the car is in immediate danger of damaging itself and it should not to be used until the problem is resolved.


> If you do make him pay,all the kid owes is enough to buy a used car that burns or leaks oil.... maybe $500


What nonsense, lol. It's a good thing you're not an insurance loss adjuster!

"What? Your car got totalled? Oh, I see your car had ghetto rims and blacked out windows. Ok, in that case all we owe you for is a car with ghetto rims and blacked out windows. We're giving you a '91 Honda Civic, last owned by some guy in East LA called Chucho. Maybe you'd make a good James River loss adjuster, I don't know. 

No, the idea of compensation is that you restore the affected person to the state they were in before the loss. In this case, that would mean giving granddad back a car of the same or similar make, model, year and running condition. Either by repairing his car, or buying him a different one.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother
> 
> What say you?


I say that son should have been taught proper basic maintenance and troubleshooting of a vehicle before he was even allowed to get behind the wheel. All of the below should be known before even opening the driver's side door.

Son should be able to tell the difference between fuel, oil, trans fluid, radiator coolant, trans axle fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, battery water/acid and bearing grease.

Son should be taught to look on ground under vehicle for any fluids every time walking upon vehicle. Son should know where a/c compressor is and know that condensation is normal.

Son should know required tire pressure and to check every week for uneven tread wear. Son should know what a brake indicator is and the high pitch squeal sound it produces.

Son sounds like the majority of rideshare drivers. Just get in and start accepting rides. Don't research insurance, don't research state laws and regulations, don't research SE tax requirements. JMO


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Son should be taught to look on ground under vehicle for any fluids every time walking upon vehicle.


C'mon.... you're saying you get down and look under your vehicle every time you're about to get in it? 

Apart from the above, you raise some good points.


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

The Gift of Fish said:


> A little off topic but still related to vehicles.
> 
> On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother, who told him to have it checked out. He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in. Son noted that oil light did not go out, but he continued to drive the car all week. He noticed that the car stalled a few times. Hmmm... what could that be? He drove the car until Friday, when the engine finally seized.
> 
> ...


---------

I always thought when the oil warning light came on - it was already too late.
This is a lesson he will not forget, nor his mom. Mom told him to have the light checked - he did not do it.
He did ask what the light meant. That deserves points.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> C'mon.... you're saying you get down and look under your vehicle every time you're about to get in it?


No, I said


SEAL Team 5 said:


> to look on ground under vehicle for any fluids every time walking upon vehicle.


 Which means when you're walking back to your car from a convenience store, a shopping mall, a grocery store, your front door or just about any place you should get into the habit of checking the ground under your car for any fluids. You can usually see something from 20 or 30 feet away. Or even if you park in the same exact spot everyday then check the ground there when the car is elsewhere.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> you should get into the habit of checking the ground under your car for any fluids. You can usually see something from 20 or 30 feet away.


I don't agree with either of these - it's not necessary to check under a car every time you approach it, nor do I believe it's possible to check properly for stains under a car without getting down to have a look. JMO, YMMV, etc.



KK2929 said:


> ---------
> 
> I always thought when the oil warning light came on - it was already too late.
> This is a lesson he will not forget, nor his mom. Mom told him to have the light checked - he did not do it.
> He did ask what the light meant. That deserves points.


On modern cars, the oil pressure warning light doesn't mean that there is zero oil pressure / that the engine is seconds away from seizing. It means that oil pressure is low, and in this case the engine was able to be run over the course of five days before finally locking up. Obviously though it's not a good idea to be in the habit of having an oil level checking routine based on when the oil light comes on; some damage may indeed have been caused by then although most likely not enough to kill an engine.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> I don't agree with either of these - it's not necessary to check under a car every time you approach it, nor do I believe it's possible to see stains under a car without getting down to have a look. JMO, YMMV, etc.


Of course not every friggin time you walk back to your vehicle. Just random checks. And I said fluids, not stains. If you're seeing stains then it's too late. The leaking fluids have already evaporated and now you get this


The Gift of Fish said:


> a seized engine, a broken piston and lots of metal bits in the oil pan. Full engine rebuild required.


You're making this way too complicated.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Of course not every friggin time you walk back to your vehicle. Just random checks.


Right, which is why I thought that when you said every time, I thought it was excessive:


> Son should be taught to look on ground under vehicle for any fluids every time walking upon vehicle.





SEAL Team 5 said:


> You're making this way too complicated.


Sorry if you feel confused; I'll put it more simply.

Knowing what idiot lights mean = good
Knowing & practicing car maintenance = good
Checking under your car every time you walk up to it = not good. Not bad, either; just excessive.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Right, which is why I thought that when you said every time, I thought it was excessive:
> 
> Glad you now agree.


Sorry for the technicality issue, but Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People states it takes 25 times before something becomes automatic for a human. So with this being about your son and neglect I would tell him every single time.


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## rman954 (May 31, 2016)

Oil service light is not the same as the low oil pressure warning which is usually an audible warning as well as SHUT OFF ENGINE. Oil service lights are just a timer that don't go out unless reset. 

While I practically grew up getting underneath and inside a bunch of piece of shit cars keeping them running. A lot of people haven't. Also putting a non mechanically minded person behind the wheel of an unreliable vehicle is just begging for disaster. 

Make it also a lesson in why he should study and work hard so he doesn't have to drive around in some hooptie.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

rman954 said:


> Oil service light is not the same as the low oil pressure warning which is usually an audible warning as well as SHUT OFF ENGINE. Oil service lights are just a timer that don't go out unless reset.


Correct; low oil pressure is not the same as an oil service light. However, the car in question does not have an oil service light, so I don't see any relevance here.


> Also putting a non mechanically minded person behind the wheel of an unreliable vehicle is just begging for disaster.


Not if that person is told about oil consumption, is told to regularly check the oil and is shown how to put oil in the engine. No special mechanical ability / mechanical wizardry is required to do that. To change a head gasket or swap out camshafts, yes. To keep the oil topped up, no.

What is required is willingness to be on top of the issue, of which there was evidently an insufficiency.


> Make it also a lesson in why he should study and work hard so he doesn't have to drive around in some hooptie.


No, the lesson on studying hard is unrelated to the use of a car. The lesson on studying hard is imparted regularly by me in the form of confirmation to him that if his grades slip at college then I simply stop paying his tuition.

The lesson on taking care of a car and doing what he is asked to do comes in the form of him now having to ride the bus or get rides from his mother or friends, and from paying towards a replacement engine.


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Thanks. Not my engine though. Granddad's even less happy about it than I am
> 
> Son is 17. He's got around $500 saved up; I reckon I may be able to get a used engine installed for around $1,500, so that leaves him owing about a grand. He gets $30 a week from me in allowance, so it'll be a while before it's paid off.
> 
> ...


$1500? lol. Try $4000.



The Gift of Fish said:


> Correct; low oil pressure is not the same as an oil service light. However, the car in question does not have an oil service light, so I don't see any relevance here.
> Not if that person is told about oil consumption, is told to regularly check the oil and is shown how to put oil in the engine. No special mechanical ability / mechanical wizardry is required to do that. To change a head gasket or swap out camshafts, yes. To keep the oil topped up, no.
> 
> What is required is willingness to be on top of the issue, of which there was evidently an insufficiency.
> ...


If an engine needs oil checked that regularly then there should be constant and obvious signs of burning oil out of the exhaust or significant daily leaking. If neither of the these 2 symptoms are present then a once a month or 2 check is all that is needed, if that.


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## EcoboostMKS (Nov 6, 2015)

You guys realize the oil warning light doesn't go on because it's low on oil, right? It means oil pressure is low. The light could go on and oil level is fine and not leaking. When oil pressure is low, it's not circulating correctly and building enough pressure. That or it can be something as simple as a bad pressure sensor. It doesn't have anything to do with your oil fluid level.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

jfinks said:


> $1500? lol. Try $4000.


$4,000? lol.


> If an engine needs oil checked *that regularly* then there should be constant and obvious signs of burning oil out of the exhaust or significant daily leaking.


How regularly? I didn't state how long it had been since the oil level had last been checked or oil added to it. How do you know how regularly the oil on this car had to be checked?

It looks like this thread has started to attract the usual nit-pickers & point scorers, so I think we can close it out now. Thanks for all the other replies from the other people, though; they confirm what I had already been thinking and also highlighted the need for me to increase my maintenance training when my other children get behind the wheel.



EcoboostMKS said:


> You guys realize the oil warning light doesn't go on because it's low on oil, right? It means oil pressure is low. The light could go on and oil level is fine and not leaking. When oil pressure is low, it's not circulating correctly and building enough pressure. That or it can be something as simple as a bad pressure sensor. It doesn't have anything to do with your oil fluid level.


Yes, the oil light does indeed measure oil pressure and not oil level. If oil really was added to the engine as claimed, non extinguishing of the warning light points to oil pump failure.

As I mentioned above, I asked my son why he continued to drive the car if the oil light did not go out after adding oil to the car and checking the level. It would have been obvious to me that if adding more oil did not make the oil light go out, then there was still a problem that was not solved by adding more oil. His explanation was that he "believed it may be taking the oil warning light a long time to detect that oil had been added to the engine". As in, five days. I don't buy it.


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## EcoboostMKS (Nov 6, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Yes, the oil light does indeed measure oil pressure and not oil level. If oil really was added to the engine as claimed, this points to the oil pump failing.


Given the engine died, it wasn't something electrical. Could be a bad oil pump. Rod bearings may be worn out. There are a lot of passages that oil needs to travel through in an engine and something in the system may be clogged. It's usually something other than not enough oil in the car though.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

EcoboostMKS said:


> Given the engine died, it wasn't something electrical. Could be a bad oil pump. Rod bearings may be worn out. There are a lot of passages that oil needs to travel through in an engine and something in the system may be clogged. It's usually something other than not enough oil in the car though.


Yes, autopsy of the engine would be required to find out exactly what occurred.


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

The Gift of Fish said:


> $4,000? lol.
> How regularly? I didn't state how long it had been since the oil level had last been checked or oil added to it. How do you know how regularly the oil on this car had to be checked?
> 
> It looks like this thread has started to attract the usual nit-pickers & point scorers, so I think we can close it out now. Thanks for all the other replies from the other people, though; they confirm what I had already been thinking and also highlighted the need for me to increase my maintenance training when my other children get behind the wheel.
> ...


Yes 4000, an engine short block can run about 1500. Even used ones can get high. An engine swap pays around 20 hours of labor. At 100 an hour at a shop that's 2000. Add some tax and misc other stuff and you can hit $4000 easily.

The good and bad is that if an oil pump goes out a lot of times that requires an engine pull also which can get up to the same amount of labor. The parts are just a lot cheaper. And of course when you tear down an engine that much to pull you might as well throw a waterpump and timing chain/belt on it also.


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## Bus Bozo (May 25, 2018)

Back in the day driver's ed wasn't just about learning to drive. We had to demonstrate a few things.....how to check and add oil, how to check tire pressure and add air, how to change a tire, and where to check and add washer fluid. 

I think it's your kid's fault, but then again I live with this.......

Husband: Oil light came on in the car today.
Me: Did you check it?
Husband: No...
Me: Thanks (as I head out to the car).

And this, the day before a snowstorm....

Me: I'm going to check the washer fluid in the car.
Husband: Why? Is it empty?

Sheesh .


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> A little off topic but still related to vehicles.
> 
> On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother, who told him to have it checked out. He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in. Son noted that oil light did not go out, but he continued to drive the car all week. He noticed that the car stalled a few times. Hmmm... what could that be? He drove the car until Friday, when the engine finally seized.
> 
> ...


Probably it was just the oil pump going out.
They will sometomes light briefly weeks in advance on hard stops..
Even with full oil level.

Time for a new motor NOW.

LET US ALL HOPE HE HAS LEARNED.



The Gift of Fish said:


> A little off topic but still related to vehicles.
> 
> On Monday, my son noted that the oil warning light came on while driving his grandfather's car. He told his mother, who told him to have it checked out. He did not, but instead took it to a filling station and asked the attendant to put some oil in. Son noted that oil light did not go out, but he continued to drive the car all week. He noticed that the car stalled a few times. Hmmm... what could that be? He drove the car until Friday, when the engine finally seized.
> 
> ...


This is why OIL PRSSURE GAUGES ARE GOOD.
AND KNOWING HOW TO READ THEM.

BELOW 20 P.S.I. CHECK OIL.

OVER 60 P.S.I. CHECK FOR CLOGS.

( if you dont have high mileage worn rings, or Racing oil pump)

If You Really LOVED your engine, you would install electric pre lube pump !



The Gift of Fish said:


> Thanks. Not my engine though. Granddad's even less happy about it than I am
> 
> Son is 17. He's got around $500 saved up; I reckon I may be able to get a used engine installed for around $1,500, so that leaves him owing about a grand. He gets $30 a week from me in allowance, so it'll be a while before it's paid off.
> 
> ...


On Lawsuits you cant garnish more than 30% of his earnings.



MoreTips said:


> It sounds like your mechanically inclined enough and if you have the time and the patience the best "punishment" would be forcing your son with your help to pull and install a used replacement engine. Still a pain for you but make your son pay for the junk yard engine. He will get some needed first hand experience turning a wrench and hopefully some busted knuckles in the process, giving you two something to laugh about in the future.
> 
> Good luck , my sister did the samething at his age, ignoring a gauge and light overheating the motor causing a warped and seized engine. Unfortunately it was our mom's van and she didn't learn a thing, skip ahead 20 years she did it again this time to her BMW, lol.


At least sweep shop and scrub floor.

A greaseless floor is a Safe Floor.


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Thanks. Not my engine though. Granddad's even less happy about it than I am
> 
> Son is 17. He's got around $500 saved up; I reckon I may be able to get a used engine installed for around $1,500, so that leaves him owing about a grand. He gets $30 a week from me in allowance, so it'll be a while before it's paid off.
> 
> ...


Wait until he tells you he knew what 'X' warning meant, and he chose to ignore it anyway...17...still some innocence there.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

AllGold said:


> Ah. That information wasn't in the O.P.
> 
> In light of that, you did your due diligence and it is entirely his fault.


Yup.
We find GIFTOFFISH INNOCENT OF COMPLICITY !



Bus Bozo said:


> Back in the day driver's ed wasn't just about learning to drive. We had to demonstrate a few things.....how to check and add oil, how to check tire pressure and add air, how to change a tire, and where to check and add washer fluid.
> 
> I think it's your kid's fault, but then again I live with this.......
> 
> ...


I got the simulator with 3 speed shift on the column.

We tried to run down kids in crewcuts and plaid shirts darting out from behind corvairs . . .

I think the seat in the Simulator was down to bare springs.

Then i bought a $200.00 buick wildcat with a 430 4 bbl and was TURNED LOOSE ON THE WORLD AT 15 !
( wildcat was so wide, one fender on white line, one fender on yellow. Cars were wide, roads were narrow in rural Louisiana)
No insurance required !

We had a Trans Am for driver ed.
Gold.
My 2 fellow students would sleep when not driving due to being stoned.

High School in the 70's !


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

I almost got the seized-engine scare last year... at a time when I didn't need any expenses.

Two mile drive to work in the morning, I pull into parking lot and as I'm slowly cruising the packed lanes, the engine makes a sudden funny noise and some warning message briefly flashes by on the display. Immediately I slammed on the brake and shut off the engine, sat there, worried, until warning message came back: oil pressure low. I was barely 3 months since my last oil change. Looked under the car, nothing. Worry more. Called tow truck anyway and headed to the garage.

The oil line (a hose, mind you, not a metal pipe) had burst. The oil didn't just leak out, it got pumped out! Found a small puddle at home where it began, with a small trail leading out. They said (claimed?) there was barely enough oil left to keep from seizing. Left with repairs (metal oil line this time) and fresh oil/filter. No sign of metal scrapings/etc. A week later changed oil again, no signs. Thankfully nothing since.


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## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

KD_LA said:


> I almost got the seized-engine scare last year... at a time when I didn't need any expenses.
> 
> Two mile drive to work in the morning, I pull into parking lot and as I'm slowly cruising the packed lanes, the engine makes a sudden funny noise and some warning message briefly flashes by on the display. Immediately I slammed on the brake and shut off the engine, sat there, worried, until warning message came back: oil pressure low. I was barely 3 months since my last oil change. Looked under the car, nothing. Worry more. Called tow truck anyway and headed to the garage.
> 
> The oil line (a hose, mind you, not a metal pipe) had burst. The oil didn't just leak out, it got pumped out! Found a small puddle at home where it began, with a small trail leading out. They said (claimed?) there was barely enough oil left to keep from seizing. Left with repairs (metal oil line this time) and fresh oil/filter. No sign of metal scrapings/etc. A week later changed oil again, no signs. Thankfully nothing since.


Scary story. When I see those trails of oil on the road I wonder about the outcome.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

There is zero warnings on the dash that can be safely ignored.

Dippy is responsible for the fix.

That’s all there is to it.


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## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

New shirt for your son perhaps...

Stole this from another thread


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