Stupid Question

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Stupid Question

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billam

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I have a 'friend' who inadvertently ran a 2 year old 1.6 Bravo for an unknown length of time with little or no oil. OK, OK, wasn't a friend it was me!......how stupid am I?

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have absolutely know idea about the technical side of cars, I just get in them and drive (probably where the problem started!). I noticed a rattle coming from the engine compartment, which usually only lasted a few minutes after starting the engine. So while I was on Hols my I got my dad to take it into his mechanic to have a look….result: no oil.

Couple of questions; How much damage is that going to have done, bearing in mind I do about 85 miles a day travelling to work. He tells me that I could have completely wrecked the engine, and that it will now need some serious ‘nursing'. He also said that they can't tell how serious the damage is until something ‘goes'.

Is it better to wait until the ‘something' goes or should I get the work done to fix it now, thus avoiding additional damage that might happen at a big bang. I don't fancy breaking down in the middle of nowhere when it happens.

What's the likely cost of any work? Are we talking 000's and is this something that needs to be done at a fiat dealer.

Would I be better to cut my losses and get rid now. Oh and now it's 36k mile service is due.

Sorry for the long drawn out posting, but it's far less embarrassing asking these questions here than at the garage :)
 
damage

Did your low oil warning light not come on? I don't think any mechanic will able to fix something that hasn't actually broke or failed yet. You may well get away with it, just fill it up with oil and don't worry about it. I wouldn't bother taking it to Fiat, they'll be no more help than you average garage and a lot more expensive. And if you don't fancy beaking down in the middle of nowhere get some breakdown cover (sorry to sound patronising). You're probably worrying about nothing and if your car had been without oil for a long time the engine would have seized ages ago.
 
Confession time

I took my 1.6 Brava for its MOT about 5 months back. The first thing the tester did was do the emissions test, but first he dipped the oil, and guess what?.......NONE IN !!!

The warning light had NOT come on, but the dipstick was bone dry. He filled it up and everything else went smoothly.
I now check it every week, but no damage seems to have been done.

Like the previous post sugests, I would just get break down cover and keep checking the oil and cross your fingers.
 
Re: damage

Unless the low oil warning indicator has not lit up (no not in the engine bay but just underneath the speedo) then you have nothing to worry about. I have been running for ages without oil in my gearbox!! Fiat cars break when they are not supposed to, but dont break when they are supposed to!!!!
 
Re: Confession time

i would just keep driving it. i'm supprised the warning light didn't come on. we had a van at work that needed filling with oil every 500 - 1000 miles. You would regularly be 300 miles from home and the oil light would come on. we just kept going, no harm came of it. I don't know why i used to much, it didn't leak and it didn't spew out the exhaust. I think someone was draining it at night and selling it on. lol

My friend had an XR2I which for various reasons he hated and the garage had agreed to change, it ran out of oil, so he decided to see how fast it would go in each gear. It got a serious rattle, i think hge damaged the tappets etc, but it still ran :)


if you change it how do you know the next one is going to be any better?

Haha, you think you leave a long post, i'll leave a longer reply.
 
!

Billam, no need to worry about topping the oil up. If you can find the dipstick (the engine one.....put the mirror down) and take it out there are two marks on the bottom of it. If there is no trace of oil between these marks, drop me an email as I have a spare "SuperKing" dipstick that I will sell you for a reasonable price. That way you should easily reach your oil without concern.

Nige
 
Re: !

LMFAO@Nige!!!

D'you regularly find a dipstick while shaving? ;)

Shabash!
 
The oil light will only come on if the pressure is REALLY low, 10psi or so. Even if it hasn't come on you've probably toasted the engine.

Cars really need different levels of warning light. The oil light is basically 'oh sh*t, something is really f*cked, STOP NOW!' but it could do with a 'I think you sould do something soon' light.

If the engine goes its going to cause bigger problems. As is you could probably get away with a crank grind, a new set of bearings, and probably a recon head (cam followers have probably worn the head) At worst you will need a whole new engine cos something will break.

First of all I'd do a couple of simple tests:
1) flush the engine with new clean oil, check how much metal comes out with the oil.
2) fill with new oil and do a pressure test, see just how much oil pressure you have.
3) Compression test, see how worn the bores are
4) Take the cam covers off and have a peek, see how worn the lobes are.

Its probably a recon job though, £2kish.
 
Re: Re: Stupid Question

would it not be better to run it, and if it dies just change the engine? i've never looked one up but i'm sure an engine can't be far off that. i know the numbers wouldn't match but who ever checks?
 
Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Cos if it does die the repair bill will be bigger. Generally on a recon engine the exhange item has to be reconditionable otherwise it costs alot more.

Checking the oil pressure etc.. should reveal the state of the engine. If it runs 60psi hot at speed and 30ish hot idle and there is no visible wear on the cams then its probably ok.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Do what Tom says. Make the neccessary test and if it fails from the test then get rid of the car quickly before it gets rid of you. So what! Get yourself another second hand Bravo...just pray that the previous owner fed oil into that piece of noisy metal upfront more often than you did.

FAO Tom; Why is it that every time you give us bad news? I mean are you serious about the low level warning light? You got me worried mate! Shouldnt one call the indicator the RIP light?

Fiat Bravo....different day different sh!t.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Yup, thats about how useful that light is. I think they are utterly pointless! All it does it tell you when you've stalled or its too late. The technology is only 50-60 years out of date.

Some cars have oil level meters which is a FAR better idea.

My old rally car had an oil pressure sensor set to about 30psi and it would flicker at idle. The idea was it would come on before there was any major damage. Car manufacturers don't want the oil light coming on so its set stupidly low.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Just a confirmation, its not a low oil level light, its a low oil PRESSURE light.

A low oil level light would be a good idea. Anyone want to write to Fiat?
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

What rally car did you have Tom?

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Fiat Bravo....different day different sh!t.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Mini, only clubman road rally stuff, rolled it into a field and decided its a bit costly as a hobby.

I'm slowly building a hillclimb car, CBR1000 motorbike engine, probably big bore, race cam, maybe something a little more exotic like nitrous or a supercharger or both. :) Should be 180+BHP@10,500RPM with the big bore and the cam and thats from 1080cc.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

Dont you think that 180+bhp is a little too much power that you are imposing on that Honda?

In any case, I wish you luck with your new project but since you are it why dont you create a suitable lightweight chassis yourself? Or buy one of those Renault, Caterham style chassis? The mini, although small, is still heavy-ish!



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Fiat Bravo....different day different sh!t.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

An american race series uses the CBR1000 engine at about that power and they are very reliable. They are VERY short stroke so the forces are actually quite small.

I am making a chassis myself. :)
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stupid Question

We'd be happy if you could post us some pics when you are done! :)

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Fiat Bravo....different day different sh!t.
 

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