Immediately after changing my oil (I do my own) I check my oil before and after every drive for a few days at least, usually for a week, just to catch any leak due to a mistake I may have made.
Thereafter I check it once a week. Sometimes I’m lazy and skip a week. You’re probably correct that most drivers don’t check it every week. But it only takes one defective filter or plug installation to totally destroy an engine. I’m sure of they realized this they probably would. They probably also would if they realized that one of the oil’s functions is to keep the insides of the engine clean, and one quart of oil becomes gump far faster than 4 quarts.
The malfunction lamp (actually the oil pressure lamp) unfortunately will not light until the pressure completely disappears. Oil pressure does not go down as the level drops. The oil pump pickup tube draws the oil from the oil pool (it acts like a drinking straw) that’s in the oil pan and pushes it through the bearing spaces, creating the oil pressure. As long as the top of the pool is above the end of the pickup tube. there’s pressure and the light stays off. Only when the level drops below the tube does the pressure disapppear, and it happens suddenly and totally. And the damage also happens suddenly and can be total loss of the ability of turning parts to turn due to bearing seizure.
Yes, the oil sensor could have gotten out of whack. I’d want to check the pressure sensor to be sure it’s working and test the light.
I have no doubt that you’re an honest and diligent person who simply didn’t realize the importance of monitoring the oil level. You’ve been very honest and straightforward in your postings. There are many ilke yourself that believe that if they’re following the scheduled maintenace schedule they’re doing everything necessary to properly care for the car. And you’re not the first to post here with a similar dilemma.
People are saying “read the manual” because the information is all in there. But we all realize that most people don’t read their manuals. Myself as well.
This situation will be exhausting. But you’ll get through it. Sometimes life’s lessons can be tough.
Whoever told you there would always be metal shavings was wrong. They aren’t always produced before failure. Bad smell = localized overheating due to lubrication failure.
If they were only able to drain out 1 1/2 quarts of oil from the engine, It WAS oil starved. No if’s and’s or but’s. Theres no way on gods green earth an engine is going to run for any length of time on 1.5 quarts. Whether it looks like it or not, that camshaft seized from lack of oil. As far as the warranty covering it, I wouldnt count on it. Warranties usually pay up on a major job like this only if the failure is due to the failure of a covered part. If your oil light failed to illuminate, thats not Honda’s fault. Its up to the vehicle’s owner to make sure dash lights, gauges, etc are operating. And yes, I AM a certified master technician with 27 years. Sorry, but dont be surprised if the answer is no.
Why cant you rely on the car telling you when it needs oil???
Your situation is the perfect answer to your question. You said your oil light didnt come on. Its obviously broken for some reason. Like any other man made thing, its prone to failure. Thats why there is a dip stick there. You’re vehicle needs human intervention also.
No, when you buy a vehicle, YOU are responsible for maintaining it. If anything is non operational on the vehicle it is your responsibility to either repair it or find someone (a mechanic) to repair it.
The OCD club would have you believe that the oil pressure light only goes on to tell you that your engine is fried. NOT TRUE.
Then they engage in a measuring contest, substituting "how often I do needless maintenance" for inches. Refile your claim. Don't listen to anyone who claims to check their oil once a week or put graphite in their locks every six months. They're either lying or, to put it kindly, not the kind of person you want near dangerous machinery.
Zombiewoof,
I’ve escalated the claim with Honda Care, we’ll see what happens. What is frustrating is that I’ve done everything Honda Care asked. I had it towed to the shop they said was responsible. The shop looked at the car, Honda inspected it and no one could tell what caused the problem.
Question: The shop took out the Valve Train, Intake Manifold, Timing Belt Covers and the Valve Covers for the head were the affected cam is.
After doing all that dis-assembly, if the problem was lack of lubrication, would the mechanic and the Honda inspector be able to see that?
When the malfunction light went off, I read the manual and it said to check the fuel cap and that the light would go off in a few days. My “few days” weren’t up yet when the VSA light went on and the car started to shudder, so that is why I made an appt.
I know you can’t answer this and its probably more philosophical in nature, but if Honda relied on customers to check oil regularly, then why have oil pressure indicators in the first place if as soon as they go off, it means engine failure and “its all gone to hell” (ha ha)
If Honda really expected people to check their oil once a week, then why put any oil lights in the car?
Anyhow, thank you for your posts.
Oh, and I posted this somewhere and I’m not sure if you read it, but the shop took out the Valve Train, Intake Manifold, Timing Belt Covers and the Valve Cover for the head where the affected cam lay. After all this disassemble, would the mechanic and Honda inspector be able to tell if the problem was from lack of lubrication?
If they removed the seized cam itself they should be able to see the damage on the associated wear surfaces, perhaps with the help of magnification. Without removing the can it may not be possible to actually see.
By the way, I sincerely hope you have some success with your claim.
Um, actually, Zombie, by the time the oil pressure warning light comes on your wear surfaces are dry and the damage has actually begun. Whether you believe that or not is your choice.
In this case, as in many, “needless maintainence” would have prevented an engine failure. I probably do more than necessary, I admit. But when it comes to checking fluids, it’s not possible to do it too much, only too little. I’ll err on the side of protecting my engine, thank you.
I’ll decline any discussion trying to connect my oil checking frequency with my self respect as a man. The two are unrelated.
Jacinta, you need to listen to Tardis, as much as you wish to not listen to him. I’ve gone through all the posts, and what I get is this: your engine ran low on oil and siezed. No reason to expect oil shavings, that would be unusual. The cam bearings siezed from lack of oil, stopping the engine. You saw a puddle of oil under the engine, was a loose plug confirmed? Your car does not have an oil level indicator. What have I missed?
2030, you are NOT going to get any milk out of this cow… YOU had your car towed to a Dealer with no oil in it…They found the drain plug loose and you have admitted to a puddle of oil in your garage…They also found the timing belt had been stripped (teeth ripped off) which caused the no-start… (or at least that’s what has been stated) If a cam seized, there will be evidence as to why it seized…
In all fairness, I must tell you that in an engine running with little or no oil pressure, the cams and valve gear would be the last thing to suffer damage. I should also tell you I consider engines that use rubber timing belts to be junk from the get-go, especially ones classified as “interference” engines where a belt failure destroys the engine…A true “No motor oil” failure is usually accompanied by lots of noise, heat and other drama, along with MAJOR damage to the crankshaft bearings, which will fail LONG before the cams…
For all you or I know, the timing belt could be replaced, the drain plug tightened, the engine refilled with oil, and your car might run just FINE…But I suspect we have gone WAY past that point by now…But if your car was in MY shop and I could not find any problems or damage, that’s what I would do…
Mountainbike,
After the initial dis-assembly and Honda inspection and no car for a week, Honda Care NOW asks that the shop expose the crank and cambearings…pull the cam out. I’m extremely disappointed Honda didn’t ask this in the first place, and the Honda Inspector didn’t say anything. If Honda sent out an inspector, and he didn’t see lack of lubrication with the 1st disassemble process, why didn’t he just say so? (I know you can’t answer that but you see why my faith in Honda is failing)
Do you happen to know what qualifications the Honda Inspectors that Honda Care sends out have? Do they have to have some sort of certification? or length of experience with cars?
Caddyman,
ARe you saying I should have seen lots of noise, engine smoke etc. BEFORE the cams went out?
If so, I didn’t get any of that.
If Honda truly relied on car owners to check their oil manually, then why would they need to put low oil pressure indicators in cars? Why even put an oil life percentage meter in the dash?
They only said the timing belt “jumped time”. Is that the same as stripped?
Why are we WAY past the point of doing what you suggested? By the way, there is damage, I am confused by your comment at the end. Isn’t a seized cam considered damage?
I thought Honda’s were extremely reliable cars. We have a Honda Accord that’s about 15 years old and still running great. Why would Honda use rubber timing belts if they are junk?
Bottom line:
You wasted a good deal of money buying an extended warranty, and are wasting valuable time trying to get them to pay up.
Honda backed or not, extended warranty issuers are in it for the money. They’ll deny you until you give in, or hire a lawyer, maybe even a team of lawyers. By that time, you’ll have spent more in fees than you would have gotten back from the warranty company.
After the mechanics disassembled the engine (as stated in previous posts), why didn’t the engine show signs of “lack of lubrication”? No bad smell, burnt smell…
What I don’t understand is, and no one has explained…is that aside from the dry dipstick, why didn’t the engine show a lack of lubrication to the Honda Inspector?
I have learned, many years ago, when information passes through two, and much worse, three hands, it no longer is remotely related to what actually happened. Everyone twists it to suit THEIR needs…
No one has found any ACTUAL damage, right?? A bunch of mostly unrelated dash lights came on and it wouldn’t start. There was little or no oil in the crankcase at that point. Those are the only known FACTS, right? So why not just put things back together and see how it runs?
Fact: Honda is NOT going to install a new engine based on the facts thus-far revealed…
Fact: The oil change place will do everything they can to avoid responsibility for the missing oil.