DaytonaBlueMetallic

I wouldn't be surprised at that one. Car's going in to get body work and a repaint today, so I could have them check it.

1Artdude

Okay, so my engine has 168K on it. Still drives great except for the burning oil, which I blame on GM. Went in to get my oil changed, which I did every 3K miles, and the mechanic said I had little to no oil in my engine. I was shocked. Found out the oil sending unit was bad. Not only was it leaking around the unit seal but when driving the car, it acted like a syphon and pulled the oil out of my engine, which ruined the rings. There is nothing on the sending unit that shows up as an engine light problem when the sending unit goes bad. There were no oil drip signs while the car was just sitting. Looks like now I'll have to install a new or rebuilt engine. Being a senior on a fixed income, I really can't afford to do this but looks like I have no choice. Thanks GM. Never purchasing another one of their vehicles; especially with all the recalls.

donbrew

I am a disabled senior too, on a smaller fixed income than you, I wager. I can open the hood a see copious amounts of oil where it should not be and pull the dipstick frequently.

Why would you blame GM for your car burning oil?

If you are on a fixed income why would you change the oil every 3,000 miles, the Owner Manual says to change it when the oil life monitor says to? That is just wasteful.

1Artdude

Okay donbrew, perhaps I was not clear in my post, there were no copious amounts of oil, pooling or otherwise, on the engine. My change oil engine light goes on every 3000 miles or depending on the kind of driving I do, fwy. as opposed to surface streets, it may come on sooner. When the percentage on the dash board gauge, drops to about 5%, I change the oil. Isn't that what you do? I normally don't check the engine dipstick but once or twice after I get an oil change. Of course, now I do it once a week since my engine is burning oil. I blame GM because there is no way to tell when the oil sending unit fails. When it does, it sucks the oil out of the engine while driving but doesn't drip when parked. Had there been some kind of sensor attached to the sending unit to let me know it had failed or that there was an engine problem, I would have taken it right in to get it looked at. With no indication of a problem with my engine, I didn't know, and there would be no reason I would have known, that when the sending unit failed, it began to syphon oil out of my engine while I was driving it. I had had no issues with the oil previously and usually only checked my dipstick once or twice a month after an oil change. I hope that answers your question. By the way, I am a disabled senior as well.

donbrew

Where does the oil go? Does syphon mean it is being transported to another planet? If it wasn't dripping it was being thrown into the engine compartment under pressure (and then dripping). I has to go somewhere.
My oil life monitors (2 different HHRs) always went to about 12,000 miles. I have always checked my dipstick at least weekly, that's what my dad insisted on.
Just what type of sensor could sense that oil was leaking? I can't think of a type, besides a dipstick. BTW, oil pressure sensors have never been an indicator of oil level; I once stripped my oil drain plug and drove with no oil but the oil pressure gauge said 60 PSI.

firemangeorge

Fwiw.
No car manufacturer has a "sensor" that will tell you if an oil sending unit fails.
And, if there were no "copious" amounts of oil leaking from that sending unit then I seriously doubt that is were your oil loss was from.
The oil pressure sending unit is just a sensor with a wire attached. It can't siphon oil out and send it elsewhere.

Doc brown

Hmm... Very suspicious that you didn't see oil on the ground or at least smell something. If the engine was that low on oil you would have certainly heard noise. You would have also had an oil pressure light. Is the mechanic that told you there was no oil the same one telling you that you need a rebuild? The valve train is the first thing that will make a lot of noise. If it was running quiet and smooth when you took it in, I'd be looking for a second opinion.

That said if you are a senior that means you've had more than a few cars. You are saying you've never checked the oil in any of them? Not so many years ago all cars developed oil leaks, bad valve seals, etc. You HAD to check the oil regularly. Your HHR has 168k? Something is bound to go at that mileage. When all is said and done it's the owner's responsibility to check fluids including the oil. This is not GMs fault.

whopper

Oh my here we go - blaming GM on your lack of maintenance in checking your oil? The dipstick is the sensor - as others have said there is no car out there that checks for leaks at the oil pressure sensor.

And the Oil change light coming on every 3000 miles? What oil change light? There is an OIL LIFE indicator via the DIC that displays the percentage left, but no Oil change light.

And there is no way it "sucks the oil out" - it just leaks. It leaks down the front of the engine, onto the starter and onto the ground.

So which is it - it's burning oil like you started out with, or is it leaking at the pressure sensor?

donbrew

I was just pondering that point. Do you think the oil PRESSURE light comes on every 3,000 miles because it is way low on volume?

Or, maybe we are talking about a BMW?

Oldblue