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No oil (again?) - any safety margin in oil levels?


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I had a replacement engine fitted last year as my original 4EFE had top and bottom end wear, which according to the mech's looking into it was probably due to it running on low oil (from previous owners I thought at the time). So a new engine went in Feb 16 at 96k miles on the clock. Well, I was out of work last year and did few miles, so when the new engine went in with oil (as Fiddlersport drained all the fluids out before sending me the engine) I had the full 9k miles before needing some more. Well I have started a new job, and the mileage is 106 per day - so I calculated an oil fill at end of April when car would have done 9k miles since give or take.



Well, on way back from work on Friday I saw the oil light come on briefly - first time ever since I have had my Starlet (4 + years now). Checked oil today and absolutely zilch on the dipstick! I wonder now if the car has always had a faulty oil warning sensor, and it was probably me who accidently f*cked up the 1st motor by running it dry.



So, is there any margin of safety in oil levels if dipstick is showing below 'low', and if not and the warning light came on only briefly is that an initial 'shot across the bow' before it would have come on permanently. Or have I f*cked engine number 2!



I have not heard the same grinding bottom end noises before the first engine was screwed this time, but I guess it can't have done it much good running so low :( I have heard some metallic shrill 'tingling' noise on engine load at some points of the rev range (changing gear out of sweet spot or going up hills), but I assumed that was the catalytic convertor which is still the original. Those noises were present when the car had the first engine. I was going to post about what things could have survived over between engines to make those noises, but some Youtube vids point to it being a tired cat (it still on the original exhaust all through..). So I dismissed it, but could those be due to oil levels? Is 9k miles between oil change optimistic?



By the way, there is no oil leak afaik.



I will be really p*ssed if I have unknowingly broken another engine! Any advice appreciated, cheers.


Edited by dazstarlet
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I believe the oil light comes on at about 7 psi of oil pressure. Which is well quite frankly I wouldn't even trust the engine to run at a high idle with that oil pressure, let alone driving conditions.



Fill it up with oil and see how you get on, the motors are rather robust. For peace of mind it's probably worth replacing the pressure switch for a new one, their only a couple of quid.


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The light light isn't a level warning, it's an oil pressure warning.

It's an old car, you need to be more proactive with looking after it, it takes a couple of minutes to check the oil. Why not do it once a week, or two?

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Top up the oil and drive away.


You should be checking your oil level weekly.


4efe engines are fairly bomb proof but known to use a small bit of oil. 9k miles is too far between services. Service parts are very cheap no reason to do it more often . Also as said above . Your oil light is oil pressure no an oil level light.


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