[mountainmike747]

OK, so I took my 08 2.4 NA to get it serviced, regular service, no warning lights, just a plain ol' service. Picked up my pride and joy and set of home. Then it started, the oil light flickered on and off. Once, twice, three times. I'd only gone a couple of miles, so headed back to the garage thinking maybe they hadn't put in enough oil. After a check of the dipstick, the mechanic added about another pint. I set off again. then it happened again, this time the oil light is on permanently. Turned around again and headed back to the mechanic again. Checked the filter again, I noticed a few "hairs" in the bottom of the filter housing, which had come from the cross thread cap, ok. He removed the hairs and replace old cap with a new one. Refilled with new oil, and......still the oil pressure light comes on. Checked oil pressure and its low. "somethings restricting the oil flow" he says. He's had the car for two days now, checking 'things' and his conclusion, probably sludge in the engine. WHAT???? This is a car that has had regular oil changes with quality oils, Checked myself. How can this happen. "Probably need to drop the Engine' he says. Now I'm a patient guy, but for the life of me I can't see how in the space of a couple of days I've gone from having an engine with no apparent problems, no warning lights. To one with major problems. All I wanted was an oil change.
Has anyone had experience of this or is there something simple here that the mechanic has overlooked. This is starting to get expensive. Any help or ideas will be appreciated.
Mike

 

[The_Ghost]

OK, so I took my 08 2.4 NA to get it serviced, regular service, no warning lights, just a plain ol' service. Picked up my pride and joy and set of home. Then it started, the oil light flickered on and off. Once, twice, three times. I'd only gone a couple of miles, so headed back to the garage thinking maybe they hadn't put in enough oil. After a check of the dipstick, the mechanic added about another pint. I set off again. then it happened again, this time the oil light is on permanently. Turned around again and headed back to the mechanic again. Checked the filter again, I noticed a few "hairs" in the bottom of the filter housing, which had come from the cross thread cap, ok. He removed the hairs and replace old cap with a new one. Refilled with new oil, and......still the oil pressure light comes on. Checked oil pressure and its low. "somethings restricting the oil flow" he says. He's had the car for two days now, checking 'things' and his conclusion, probably sludge in the engine. WHAT???? This is a car that has had regular oil changes with quality oils, Checked myself. How can this happen. "Probably need to drop the Engine' he says. Now I'm a patient guy, but for the life of me I can't see how in the space of a couple of days I've gone from having an engine with no apparent problems, no warning lights. To one with major problems. All I wanted was an oil change.
Has anyone had experience of this or is there something simple here that the mechanic has overlooked. This is starting to get expensive. Any help or ideas will be appreciated.
Mike

They had to have "accidentally" dropped something in your motor. Furthermore, your in Canada ( I assume because you said pint, not quart). What is the powertrain warranty you have up there?

 

[Robssol]

Document EVERYTHING! You might want a second opinion. If they are at fault, you shouldn't have to pay for their negligence. :nono: This is part of the reason I do as much as I can myself :thumbs:

 

[ChopTop]

Oil pan bolt tight?

 

[mountainmike747]

Sorry Ghost I'm not in Canada, I'm English and old habits die hard. I get the feeling something happened during the oil change, I just wanted to know if anyone had had a similar experience and what the remedy could be, maybe the mechanic overlooked something. I kinda trust the guy, but maybe thats my first mistake. Its a bit difficult to get a second opinion, I don't want to drive her in this condition. Oil pan bolt tight.

 

[ChopTop]

My oil pressure warning light is on. What should... — Yahoo! Autos (full article)

Except:
Note: On some late model vehicles, the warning light will come on (or a message will appear) if a sensor in the oil pan detects a low oil level. The light is supposed to come on before the level gets low enough to cause any damage.

If your oil level was low, it means your engine is either leaking oil or burning it. Leaks can be fixed by finding and replacing leaky gaskets and seals. Sometimes the oil filter will leak if it isn't installed or tightened properly. But an oil burning problem means the valve guides, rings and/or cylinders are worn or damaged and more costly repairs are needed.

Good luck on finding the issue and please keep this thread updated when/if/how the issue resolved.

 

[mountainmike747]

Choptop, No leaks and not burning oil, no smoke. Is the oil light only for oil level? He replaced the filter twice already and the cap. Keep the ideas coming though. Thanks

 

[chickenwire]

How did he "check" the oil pressure? Are there any codes that can be read? (There must be.)

I can't believe it's really possible to install the oil filter incorrectly - I just don't think you'd be able to put it back together. BUT, maybe it is and that's causing the issue.

If your mechanic is pulling the code and it says "low oil pressure" it may be an issue with a sensor getting unplugged or affected during the change causing a false diagnosis.

Anybody know exactly where the oil pressure sensor and/or low oil sensor is located?

 

[bobbob160]

GM Bulletin on Oil Pressure:
The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:
On rare occasions, a low oil pressure light may be experienced shortly after an oil change due to a damaged oil filter.

Recommendation/Instructions:
If this is encountered, remove the oil filter and inspect the filter nipple that seats in the oil filter housing portion of the engine block as shown below. If the oil filter nipple is damaged, mis-positioned, or crushed, replace the oil filter with an OEM oil filter and evaluate the concern.

Engine Oil Pressure switch is a Tan/Black wire.

 

[The_Ghost]

Pressure sensor "switch" is just below the oil filter housing and toward the front of the motor.

 

[KappaKadet]

And the moral of the story is: Never take your car to a dealership if you can possibly avoid it! Certainly not for a simple half hour DIY job like an oil change.


Another possibility regarding your current problem is that they put way too much oil in your engine. You went back and they poured in yet another quart/pint! Take it home and change it yourself. If you drain 6 or 7 qts, that will tell you what happened; oh and never go back to that dealership again!

 

[mountainmike747]

Is there a code for low oil pressure?? Do you know what number it is? Does the oil light come on for both? Pretty sure the filter is installed correctly if not the first time then the second. I've always changed the oil myself, but this time..... The last time.

 

[mountainmike747]

Really don't want to drive it home, Kadet. Too frightened.

 

[KappaKadet]

Good luck!

Really don't want to drive it home, Kadet. Too frightened.

Make them change the oil again and this time let you watch. Have them carefully measure what they take out. Wouldn't be the first time a "expert mechanic" put way too much oil in one of these little engines.

 

[mountainmike747]

Yea, told them to stop all work and that I want to be there for any work being done.

 

[chickenwire]

bobbob's post is exactly what I was wondering. Apparently if you get your nipple in the wrong position it can create problems.

 

[2.4solstice06]

Its not out of the ordinary to want to watch the work being done after an incident like this. I remember a guy brought a Z06 corvette for an oil change, and the tech forgot to put the drain plug back in. He started it for probably about 3 seconds before realizing something was wrong (puddle on the ground). To make the customer comfortable, my boss refilled it with oil and told him to come back in 2 days. after he came back, we changed the oil again while the customer watched, and sent his old oil out to be analyzed for anything that looked abnormal. Test came back good, customer was happy, realized it was just an honest mistake.

 

[ChopTop]

GM Bulletin on Oil Pressure:
The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:
On rare occasions, a low oil pressure light may be experienced shortly after an oil change due to a damaged oil filter.

Recommendation/Instructions:
If this is encountered, remove the oil filter and inspect the filter nipple that seats in the oil filter housing portion of the engine block as shown below. If the oil filter nipple is damaged, mis-positioned, or crushed, replace the oil filter with an OEM oil filter and evaluate the concern.

Engine Oil Pressure switch is a Tan/Black wire.

Good post. Changed my oil last week and never realized how important it was to make sure the oil filter was seated correctly. On the metal oil canister filters you'd screw into the block I always fill them with oil so there would be less chance of oil starvation. You can't do this on the Kappa oil filters but I do saturate the filter w/oil before screwing it back down because I think it may help begin filtering oil faster. It might not but I figure better to be safe than sorry.

I ask if they have a mechanical oil pressure tool to test the oil pressure. It basically works similar to a blood pressure monitor. Also, if nothing else I'd have them drain the oil and refill because too much oil isn't good for the engine either.

 

[The_Ghost]

I just had my waterpump done and a week later had an oil leak. Took it in and they cleaned it up and said it was residual from doing my wp. Decided to check my oil several days later because I noticed it was still leakong only to find that it was about 2 1/2 quarts overfilled! So dealers make mistakes!

 

[timlange3]

What does your dipstick say?

Is it possible they did not remove the O ring from the cap and install a new one that comes with the filter? Or worse, left the old one and installed the new one too?

Or even worse, the old one fell into the filter area and now it is plugging up the hole?