Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 02:42:52 -0500 From: Maybe <-nopsamm> Subject: Re: low oil
Sounds like an unfortunate circumstance; there really is not enough information to go on here. Monitor the following: A. Check to see if there is any visable oil leaks under the car. There must be a reason for "low oil" --- Get an oil & filter change at a reputable SAAB repair shop. And please use a genuine SAAB oil filter made for you model; the SAAB oil filter contains a retention valve that actually keeps oil in the upper parts of the engine (valve train area). Start-ups and running on low oil makes the engine wear quicker. B. In your friends case, HE/SHE should Check the oil everytime s/he fills up with gasoline.---- This is to find out the rate of decline in your oil reserves. Losing a litre/quart every 5000 km/3000miles is not good, you got problems, but you can live with it I guess. Any more crystal ball and I guess the following: If the car tends to run hot in cold weather and has lost anti-freeze & oil - you have a head gasket problem........the oil leak is internal you will see blue grey smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. get it fixed or risk loosing the engine. If you see oil leaks under the car, have a mechanic check the oil plug in the oil pan ....could have been over tightened and the threads are "stripped"......recommend a new oil pan, oil pan gasket. reworking the oil plug with a "zip thread insert' is a temporary fix at best and usually doesn't hold up well. A little known fact about SAABs is the valve cam shaft does not have bearings, but instead floats on high pressure oil, feed in under the main "bearing positions" ; so you and your friend be the judges, did we hurt the engine? Maybe.......