A couple of quarts low suggests you have a leak somewhere Kev, check the ground were you park for obvious puddles and wet spots. Also while its running, sniff around and see if you can smell coolant, sometimes a strong whiff of antifreeze can help guide you to a leak you can't easily see. Keep us posted if you can.

Yes do check the dipstick too, it might have headed into the crankcase as sleeper has pointed out. A mix of antifreeze and oil takes on the appearance of chocolate milk, if you see that on the dipstick...get thee to a mechanic quickly!

 

Officer - that code you got, as Greybeard999 pointed out right off the bat points to the thermostat as the cause of the problem. And as GDZHHR points out, the P0128 code = "Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature". Running low on coolant, I would suspect would not generate that code. If the code comes back you need to replace that thermostat, as it is likely stuck part-way open, causing the engine to be slow to warm up.

Re: checking for coolant in the oil - a quote from Sleeper: "One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell.."

 

Agree about the code related to the T-stat. Remember learning that one here..

I just wonder where the coolant has gone ? Anybody home ??

 

Didn't find any on the dipstick.. Sorry, have been gone and busy all day..

 

He goes in for an oil change tomorrow. Engine oil life at 37%. I will stick with the tech as he changes it and see what I can see.

 

Good about the dipstick..

Keep an eye out for any on the ground under it then.. & pay attention for a smell of antifreeze as 843 suggested..

I would also check the coolant level often till this mystery is resolved.. It didn't just evaporate..

 

Sleeper,

I never see any on the ground, and never smell any.. I am all too familiar with that smell from my previous truck which had a hole in the reservoir.

Checked the coolant today twice, both times, level unchanged.

Last two times I have had my oil changed, I had my dealership do it for $25 and both the last two times the damn tech had left the filler cap off the top of the block. Once I didn't notice until I hit MI and popped the hood for show n tell (how embarrassing to see that off under the hood after that trip, and oil splashed everywhere..) and the second time I looked when I got back to my apt (10 min. drive)... could this have done ANYTHING?

 

Hot Level will be higher that Cold level in res..

Oil: could this have done ANYTHING?

Yes it should make you realize, they don't care as much about your ride as you do..

Change yer own oil & save the $25

 

No garage to do it in Sleeper, and the apartments I am at, have banned personal vehicle modification for anything involving fluids changing, or changing out equipment on the vehicle.

 

Not good enough excuse, I've seen people change their oil in the auto parts parking lot..

You could find a way if you really wanted to.. Where are you getting these cosmetic mods done at then ?

Oil is more important than the latest gee-gaw..