After not using any oil before, dipstick surprisingly shows no oil in engine

2002 Toyota Highlander Limited Edition V6, engine and transmission 3.0 liter
24-valve VVT-i V6 Automatic, bought in December, 2001 and now has 127,000
miles.
After using synthetic motor oil during most of the vehicle's life, today I
saw the oil warning light blip on for a fraction of a second just before
arriving at work. After checking oil level, I learned I had NO indication
on the dipstick! The last oil change had been 7,000 miles earlier with
Mobil 1 synthetic.

Every time I have changed the oil in the past, it has been very close to the
original level with nearly zero oil usage. Now out of the blue, there is no
level and indications of some sludge in the area under the gas cap.

No leakage noted on the ground and no leakage evidence near the drain plug
or oil filter. Oil was changed today and vehicle driven almost 100 miles.
No problems at all in engine performance and oil level.

Anyone ever experience something like this before where engine oil usage is
WAY higher than it is normally?



Bud H

"Bud H" <budh@REMOVETHISwmis.net> wrote in message
news:120cepi8fji45bc@corp.supernews.com...[color=blue]
>
> 2002 Toyota Highlander Limited Edition V6, engine and transmission 3.0
> liter 24-valve VVT-i V6 Automatic, bought in December, 2001 and now has
> 127,000 miles.
> After using synthetic motor oil during most of the vehicle's life, today I
> saw the oil warning light blip on for a fraction of a second just before
> arriving at work. After checking oil level, I learned I had NO indication
> on the dipstick! The last oil change had been 7,000 miles earlier with
> Mobil 1 synthetic.
>
> Every time I have changed the oil in the past, it has been very close to
> the original level with nearly zero oil usage. Now out of the blue, there
> is no level and indications of some sludge in the area under the gas cap.
>
> No leakage noted on the ground and no leakage evidence near the drain plug
> or oil filter. Oil was changed today and vehicle driven almost 100 miles.
> No problems at all in engine performance and oil level.
>
> Anyone ever experience something like this before where engine oil usage
> is WAY higher than it is normally?
>
>
>
> Bud H
>[/color]

Oil consumption generally does not jump up like that unless it leaked out,
was not completely filled in the first place, or the dip stick was not
inserted all the way. I'd monitor oil level closely in case it was not a
fluke.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 19:24:18 -0500, "Bud H" <budh@REMOVETHISwmis.net>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>2002 Toyota Highlander Limited Edition V6, engine and transmission 3.0 liter
>24-valve VVT-i V6 Automatic, bought in December, 2001 and now has 127,000
>miles.
>After using synthetic motor oil during most of the vehicle's life, today I
>saw the oil warning light blip on for a fraction of a second just before
>arriving at work. After checking oil level, I learned I had NO indication
>on the dipstick! The last oil change had been 7,000 miles earlier with
>Mobil 1 synthetic.
>
>Every time I have changed the oil in the past, it has been very close to the
>original level with nearly zero oil usage. Now out of the blue, there is no
>level and indications of some sludge in the area under the gas cap.
>
>No leakage noted on the ground and no leakage evidence near the drain plug
>or oil filter. Oil was changed today and vehicle driven almost 100 miles.
>No problems at all in engine performance and oil level.
>
>Anyone ever experience something like this before where engine oil usage is
>WAY higher than it is normally?[/color]

You had the oil changed, implying that a service did the work for
you. Were the people doing the work clueful? Or did you go to
"Spiffy Lube" quick change place, where the people doing the work
couldn't find their tush with both hands and a road map?

Yeah, they may have filled the oil with three quarts (instead of the
right amount (five or so, depending on the engine) and measured the
level - with the filter empty, because they hadn't started the engine
yet. That will account for almost one quart right there.

Other than under-filling, it has to go somewhere - be vigilant for a
while till you rule out trouble and call it a fluke. If it's being
burned rapidly, you'll see it. If it's leaking rapidly, you'll see
it.

I've been to these "Spiffy Lube" places a few times - and each time
I've been less than impressed. Good thing I was watching, because
they didn't even know to buy a vowel from Vanna. While I had a broken
foot and wasn't up to doing it myself, I had them service my Corvair -
It was the only Automatic transmission car in the family at the time,
and with no usable left foot available...

And I had to stand there on crutches and explain how to do it,
because nobody in the entire place had ever seen a Corvair before -
they didn't have anyone there over 25, Manager on down... This is
Never a good sign.

("No, slip a plastic bag over the oil filter, or you're going to
have a big mess to clean up..." "No, it won't 'just drain away', can
you see that skirt seal between the engine and the body? It keeps the
cold air on the top and the hot air on the bottom.")

("It's not in the computer? Why am I not... Okay, it takes an AC
PF-4 and 4-1/2 quarts. You don't have a filter? I have a spare
filter in the trunk. Whaddya mean 'Where's the trunk'? - try the
other end..." )

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:up6d02d791tu1qv6b96akeirk410k7ncbj@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 19:24:18 -0500, "Bud H" <budh@REMOVETHISwmis.net>[/color]

<SNIP>
[color=blue]
>
> ("It's not in the computer? Why am I not... Okay, it takes an AC
> PF-4 and 4-1/2 quarts. You don't have a filter? I have a spare
> filter in the trunk. Whaddya mean 'Where's the trunk'? - try the
> other end..." )
>
> --<< Bruce >>--[/color]

LOL! My Uncle had a '69, brand new, and I had a '66 with a 3 speed, and Fred
Flinstone brakes (the floor behind the driver consisted of the carpet and
the mat..."Don't put your feet on the floor!")

Nice little car. Too bad Nader made his fame killing the best idea Chevy had
for a long time!

[color=blue]
>
> --
> Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
> Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
> 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
> Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.[/color]