Where did the oil go?

[BuilderBob]

I have a Fabia Elegance 16v 100bhp registered 2000 with 45,000 on the clock.

Never used any oil between services. Last week did 500 miles on motorways no problems. Checked oil before drive and was ok. Did a couple of short trips round town and then next day on starting lots of alarms. EPC and Electronic Engine management stay on but engine runs. Shut down and restart, same. Raise bonnet and see water is fine, check dipstick and see oil VERY LOW. Panic. No sign of oil dripping under car. No smoke from exhaust or excessive soot. Topped up engine with 10/40 Semi Synth total of 2 litres to get correct reading on stick. Mate with me checking. Took car for a short drive and EPC alarm off but Engine alarm still on. Left car parked overnight. Next day no alarms! Check oil, TOO MUCH. Drain off excess oil and all seems OK. No alarms. Car running fine. Oil level steady. Where did the oil go? And should I be worried?

[ScoobyChris]

Did you take off the plastic engine undertray to check under the car? And when you drained off the excess, did you get the same amount that went in?

Chris

[BuilderBob]

Did you take off the plastic engine undertray to check under the car? And when you drained off the excess' date=' did you get the same amount that went in?

Chris[/quote']

Felt around the undertray and checked where car is normally parked. No oil.

Drained into plastic catcher. Would have to tip it out to see. Certainly more than a litre came out. :confused:

[fordfan]

Haven't they got problems with the piston rings on this engine?

Or are Skoda trying to keep this one quiet?

[BuilderBob]

I don't think the rings are the problem. No smoke from exhaust, even when cold.

[Sandra Walding]

I have a Fabia Elegance 16v 100bhp registered 2000 with 45' date='000 on the clock.

Never used any oil between services. Last week did 500 miles on motorways no problems. Checked oil before drive and was ok. Did a couple of short trips round town and then next day on starting lots of alarms. EPC and Electronic Engine management stay on but engine runs. Shut down and restart, same. Raise bonnet and see water is fine, check dipstick and see oil VERY LOW. Panic. No sign of oil dripping under car. No smoke from exhaust or excessive soot. Topped up engine with 10/40 Semi Synth total of 2 litres to get correct reading on stick. Mate with me checking. Took car for a short drive and EPC alarm off but Engine alarm still on. Left car parked overnight. Next day no alarms! Check oil, TOO MUCH. Drain off excess oil and all seems OK. No alarms. Car running fine. Oil level steady. Where did the oil go? And should I be worried?[/quote']

I too have a similar problem. Engine Management light stays on even though the car has been in garage twice. Garage have told me that it is ok for engine to use 1 litre/1000 km, but have been told piston rings need replacing at a cost of

[fordfan]

You could look around for a garage with a lower labour rate, but I doubt that it will be an Authorised Skoda repairer, which means that they will also have to charge you for the parts as Skoda will not let them have them for free. This will end up costing you more.

10 hours to change the piston rings that seems quite short to me considering the vast amount of work involved. Skoda would probably pay for the replacement of any oil contaminated parts/sensors which are causing the engine light to come on.

My only suggestion is to try and get Skoda to contribute to the labour, or failing that if it is the (Skoda) garage which you purchased the car for them and you have been a loyal customer of theirs you could try to negotiate a good will discount with them.

[BuilderBob]

Hi Sandra, not quite the same! I didn't lose the oil. It temporarily vanished!!! That's what worries me. It could do it again. I have no good news for you. Engine management light usually caused by emissions failure, catalitic converter may need replacing, especialy if you are using oil at that rate. I have NEVER had a car use oil like that. Your exhaust must be very smokey. Is the end of the exhaust pipe very sooty inside? Since my problem no noticeable oil consumption but then only doing short 20/30 miles locally. Will pay close attention to oil on next motorway run.

No advice on garage costs. Fordfan says it all above. My local Skoda agent charges about the same. Is anybody else out there with high oil consumption on Skoda 1.4 engines? I want a Skoda Manual, or equivalent, anyone ever heard of one?

[johnjohnhealy]

Just stating the obvious, but - were you parked on flat level ground every time you checked the oil?

[BuilderBob]

Just stating the obvious, but - were you parked on flat level ground every time you checked the oil?

Absolutely. Can anyone calculate how steep a slope would hide nearly 2 (two) litres of oil from the dipstick? More likely to be a dipstick reading error. But then I would have made that same error about ten times in sequence. The Skoda dipstick is long and bendy. If you don't snap it home you could get a half litre error.

[jinxy72]

I have a Fabia Elegance 16v 100bhp registered 2000 with 45' date='000 on the clock.

Never used any oil between services. Last week did 500 miles on motorways no problems. Checked oil before drive and was ok. Did a couple of short trips round town and then next day on starting lots of alarms. EPC and Electronic Engine management stay on but engine runs. Shut down and restart, same. Raise bonnet and see water is fine, check dipstick and see oil VERY LOW. Panic. No sign of oil dripping under car. No smoke from exhaust or excessive soot. Topped up engine with 10/40 Semi Synth total of 2 litres to get correct reading on stick. Mate with me checking. Took car for a short drive and EPC alarm off but Engine alarm still on. Left car parked overnight. Next day no alarms! Check oil, TOO MUCH. Drain off excess oil and all seems OK. No alarms. Car running fine. Oil level steady. Where did the oil go? And should I be worried?[/quote']

after alarms went off did u leave 10 mins or so for oil to settle ? seems oil getting held in upper part of engine somewhere ( as just cant vanish ) before draining back . . or blockage in sump only causing resi for short while .

[BuilderBob]

after alarms went off did u leave 10 mins or so for oil to settle ? seems oil getting held in upper part of engine somewhere ( as just cant vanish ) before draining back . . or blockage in sump only causing resi for short while .

Sure thing. Left the car standing for over half an hour before attempting top up. Remember egine was not run for more than a few moments, enough to drive about 50 yards. so never warmed up. I agree oil hung up in the engine somewhere. My guess is in rocker cover. Anyone know how big and how many drain holes from rocker cover. I am worried there is a bit of clag up there and could repeat on me. :thumbdwn: