97 Sebring 2.5L V6 coupe - 90000m case of the disappearing engine oil

Took it in for an oil change about 4 weeks ago because I noticed that the oil gauge showed 1/2 full & I thought maybe I just wasn’t paying attention to it prior to that. After the oil change oil level was high. Christmas Day it wouldn’t start (and for two days after). Towed it to a shop - told me they think it’s leaking oil into the engine. Brought it home yesterday - oil gauge again shows 1/2 full.

No under car leaks, no unusual running problems. Shop started it the first time by(GRRR) giving it gas and it did not fail to start again. What could it be other than an internal leak and if it’s that, what to do?

“Oil leaking into the engine”,does that mean leaking into the combustion chamber and burned (you would see the results of this) or oil leaking into the coolant (you would see the results of this).

In either case the cause is a serious internal engine concern.

Suprised they let you bring it home with out trying to sell you a repair.

You car really has a “engine oil volume” gague? not a pressure gague.

It’s a small town shop with no real interest in working on my car apparently. As soon as they figured out it would start, they lost interest. Here’s the thing - I know so little about it that I can’t give you a good answer unless I know what to look at. All I know is - externally and performance wise, there is no clue that anything is wrong.
I always thought it was a pressure gauge, but in 11 years I have been in the repair shop ZERO times until now (really) - so everything I used to know about the car I’ve pretty much forgotten. So it’s the pressure that has dropped to half. Which means what? Oil pressure sender…or other possibilities?

A oil pressure gague that reads in the middle is reading correctly.

Never heard of a shop that has no interest in working on a car.

Have your oil pressure tested with a mechanical gague,this is the best answer I can give with the info. you have provided.

The oil pressure being high or low and the oil level being high or low has no bearing on the engine starting or not (unless it’s starting to sieze,this does not sound like your situation)

I do have to add I don’t know if your vehicle is equipped with a zero oil pressure no start device.Some vehicles are prevented from starting by design, if oil pressure is not present.