Engine seizure after service

Tinks74

When I first started driving I was regularly checking the oil level on the dipstick of my old Ford Escort.
Whilst driving one day it ground to a shuddering halt in the space of a minute or so. When the recovery guy arrived he said the engine had seized.
My Dad wasn't impressed as he initially thought I hadn't been checking the oil, it wasn't until the mechanic at the garage it had been taken to explained to my Dad that the dip stick was still showing there was oil in it, that I was forgiven.
Turns out there was a build up of emulsion or something creating a blockage in the pipe just beyond the dipstick, so the engine was dry but the dipstick was well oiled....:o

Retrogamer

Stoke wrote: »

Don't forget the idiot light isn't an oil level light, it's an oil pressure light.

Is this specific to this type of car?
On car's ive had when the oil is low the light comes on and if the oil pressure has issues the light flashes on and off.

Stoke

Retrogamer wrote: »

Is this specific to this type of car?
On car's ive had when the oil is low the light comes on and if the oil pressure has issues the light flashes on and off.

Actually that's a good question. It certainly doesn't measure the level on the cars I've owned, including the one I have now. On the vehicle I own, the light does not come on solid, it only ever flashes to indicate low pressure... at least as far as I'm aware.

Strider590 wrote: »

Just had a horrible thought.......

Did the service state an engine flush?
They might have left that stuff in and forgotten the oil.

Surely not? You'd have to be a right spanner to do that!!!!

Retrogamer

Stoke wrote: »

Actually that's a good question. It certainly doesn't measure the level on the cars I've owned, including the one I have now. On the vehicle I own, the light does not come on solid, it only ever flashes to indicate low pressure... at least as far as I'm aware.


Surely not? You'd have to be a right spanner to do that!!!!

I don't think i worded it very well either.
Rather than low oil, it should have been no oil.

If my car was on low oil and i took a corner quickly then the oil light would come up for a second because the oil pump had came out the oil and wasn't able to pump any.
But if the engine oil is quite low the engine will become damaged quickly but the light wouldn't be on. I think that might be what's happened here.

Westmead_Fan

you have to find out the real problem with the engine its needs to be stripped down, it might have nothing to do with the service.

if a customer came in saying we have destroyed their engine i would want proof even before thinking about going further.

it sounds like a 2 second diagnosis without going further.

money will need to spent one way or the other

bigjl

Retrogamer wrote: »

Is this specific to this type of car?
On car's ive had when the oil is low the light comes on and if the oil pressure has issues the light flashes on and off.

Some Renaults may have had an idiot light to indicate low oil level as well as low oil pressure.

But on most cars the oil light is simply an indication of low oil pressure.

You can have low oil pressure, have the light on but still have the correct amount of oil.

If you almost stall an engine you can see the oil light flicker but again the car will still have the correct amount of oil.

In the OPs case i would check the oil, if it has a dipstick as i have never owned a Smart.

And get it recovered to the garage that did the service if it turns out the engine has the incorrect oil level.

It is also possible that it has been overfilled.

An overfilled sump can cause engine seizure aswell.

Muscle750

Exactly has anyone actually seen how much oil if any is in it are you sure the timing chain or cambelt hasn't broke or it's dropped a valve etc I looked at a s type jag a v8 one that had no oil and the big end shells were welded to the crank!!! With a large inspection hole in the block

EdGasket

Probably they sucked out the oil and never put any in. Sucking out oil is never thorough; it always leaves some in. It is most likely the residual oil left in that kept it going for 300 miles. Claim from garage that did the service.

Westmead_Fan

EdGasket wrote: »

Probably they sucked out the oil and never put any in. Sucking out oil is never thorough; it always leaves some in. It is most likely the residual oil left in that kept it going for 300 miles. Claim from garage that did the service.

why are people so quick to blame the garage, no one has confirmed if theirs oil in it. it needs to be stripped down, simples.

any update from the op???

Stoke

Westmead_Fan wrote: »

why are people so quick to blame the garage, no one has confirmed if theirs oil in it. it needs to be stripped down, simples.

any update from the op???

Understandable 300 miles after a service wouldn't you agree?