last week my car was starting funny after i got cams and meth installed by TT. The only thing i could think of that was causing a rough start once in a while was meth leaking into the engine after it was shut off (expansion and contraction of the meth in the line thats run across the engine bay). Then after about 4 days of the car acting funny on start up it finally just wouldnt start, it almost seemed like the engine siezed on me or somehting was stopping the starter from turning the engine over. (had a good battery and sounded like the starter was trying to turn but couldnt) It cranked once then just stopped and i heard a metal clank. After some investgating and checking things i think i found the problem. After TT installed my cams and tuned the car on the dyno i didnt check my oil level right away(stupid me, expecially after someone else touched your car). To my surprise there was no oil even registering on the dip stick! So i put in about 6oz of oil, let it sit for a min then try to start the car again. Cranks 3 times then a clank and stops again. Next i check the dip stick and still nothing is registering on it. I pour the whole quart in, let it sit for a few then the car cranks about 6-7 times and starts but runs like complete crap for about 10 seconds then everything seemed fine. After the quart i added it finally registered on the dip stick but was still below the minimum line so i was about a quart and a half low on oil, which has never happend to me before. Could it be when TT did the cams they lost some oil and never replaced or checked it? Maybe from the cams and meth i am burning more oil now? Either way i am going to be checking my oil quite often now. Now the question i have is, if the oil is low like that, no low oil or CEL lights on, would that cause what happened to me? Is there a starter cut if the oil is low to not allow you to start your car? Thats the only thing i can think of cause since i changed my oil right after that the car has been 100% fine. I also threw a CEL when the car finally started after i added the quart of oil, dont think it will tell me much but figured ide let you guys know. Thanks

 

Umm wow. I can't even begin to start.

Save for a new motor.

 

Did you contact TT?

 

why would they drain the oil for a cam install?! my theory is that the engine was slowly burning the oil until it finally ran out.

 

There is no way a shop ran your car out of oil on a cam install. NO WAY.

You don't even touch the oil to install cams except for the oil residue left on the old cams and caps.

Sounds like someone just forgot to keep checking the oil.

With meth leaking you may have some washout in the cylinders causing you to burn oil which leads to low oil which then , well yo get the point.

 

I'm more concerned about you trying to start the car over and over again with barely any oil in the block. You should have poured in at least 4qts of oil, taken of the spark plugs, and cranked it that way so that you could get some oil circulating before any combustion occured.

 

i dont know what happened but the car is running fine now, and i was about a quart and a half low....is that really low enough to mess up an engine over a short period of time? Also dont our cars have a low oil light? now sure why that didnt come on. i check my oil about every 1500 miles and last time i check it was fine, but short after i installed the meth and was doing more racing than normal and i guess thats what did it.

 

I almost ran out of oil one time, my oil pressure gauge was going all over the place and I pulled over and checked underneath the car and nothing was leaking. I had replaced my oil about a month before and put in the proper amount, but I have still yet to figure out why I lost so much oil. I basically was empty. Nothing was showing on the dipstick either.

 

something sounds funny

 

my oil never goes low, always stays at the correct spot on the dipstick. Back when I got into an accident and destroyed my oil cooler my oil light came on. Not sure what is going on with your guys' cars. You got to be driving the car pretty hard to be burning oil, our engines are fairly new, it shouldn't be doing that. My 94 galant burns oil, but that has 137K on the engine.

 

i would do a compression test............wright now..........

 

What oil specifically was in the motor before and after the cam install? Some have better viscocity protection than others. So where did the oil go? Time to check for leaks!

 

i always use Mobil 1 100% synthetic, either 10w 30 or 5w30. BTW i went to the track last night and ran a 12.044 at 114mph with a 1.67 60ft. I think the engine is fine, not loosing any power. So close to hitting 11's, my other runs were a 12.097 with a 1.72 60ft at 113.8mph and a 12.20 at 113.5 with a 1.69 60ft