I have a 45 mins commune with my 2000 oldsmobile started noticing it needing more oil every other week and now its drinking coolant that often too.
If there are no visible leaks of either oil or coolant, then you have to conclude that the engine is consuming both of these fluids–and that ain’t good!
Oil consumption is usually just the result of an engine that has many miles on it (you left out this detail), or one that has been poorly maintained (we don’t know this information either). As to how concerned you should be about the oil consumption, much has to do with the rate of consumption, ergo–how many miles do you drive before adding 1 qt of oil. Is it a qt every 300 miles? Every 500 miles? Every 750 miles, or…?
The disappearing coolant is potentially more damaging than increased oil consumption, as it suggests a bad intake manifold gasket (which some GM engines are notorious for) or a bad head gasket. Which engine do you have in this car? Have you seen evidence of coolant contamination of the oil? (It would look like a chocolate milkshake, more or less.)
Please post back with a LOT more details.
1995 to 2004 Intrigues (3.8 V6) were part of the GM Dexcool settlement for replacement of lower intake manifold gaskets. Unfortunately the time limit to submit a claim was Oct. 08.
When the intake manifold gasket on my 2000 Blazer started leaking, it was losing about a pint of coolant a month. There was no coolant or sludge on the dipstick. Occasionally, I smelled coolant when the engine was hot.
At the next oil change my mechanic found a few drops of coolant in the drained oil. He wanted me to take it to the dealer and have the gasket replaced as soon as possible. Even a small amount of coolant can displace the oil from the main bearings damaging the engine in a short time. If the leak has been ongoing engine damage may have already occurred.
Ed B.
Thank you for your time and comments. I do have a high mileage vehicle it’s currently at 187,500 miles. I checked the oil didn’t see any contamination on the dipstick. I get a low oil light about 1000 miles then I add oil on average 2 quarts or until its full on the dipstick. As for the coolant its probably every 1500 miles. I run about hundred miles a day. There are no visible leaks. My engine is a 3.8L twin cam V6. I have notice that the car runs…sounds louder than it used to. No knocking or odd noises just louder.
Is this really a low oil level light or is this an oil pressure light? Why let it get down 2 quarts. I’d check the level and add some every few days at this rate.
every Intrigue I have ever seen has a 3.8L pushrod V6.They do have an oil level light and it can shut off your engine. I was negotiating an off ramp in a spirited fashion and when I plastered all the oil against the right side of the pan the oil level light came on and it thought I was out of oil and shut off the engine in the middle of the turn, Stupid design!