Q: losing all oil fast

asked by on January 12, 2018

driving my engine and oil light came up. When checked there was no oil, the stick was clean. Put 4 quarts of oil, drove back home (45mins) and when checked it was empty again. Took the car to the place I did was last oil change like 2 weeks prior , they checked and stated the the oil was coming from the axle. Giving the age and mileage it is worth it to fix and how much it will cost (worst scenario)

My car has 156000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi Lori. Thanks for contacting us today. It really depends on the source of the oil leak, but typically, when you lose oil that quickly, it will cause internal damage just as quick. This will likely require an engine rebuild or replacement at the least, which would likely cost more than the vehicle is worth. It might be best to search for a different car.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

2003 Honda Accord completely dead
Hi there. This can be a couple of somewhat easy issues to fix. Your vehicle sounds as if it is experiencing a common side effect of a dead battery. Secondly, your vehicle alternator possibly is not outputting enough power to...
passing gear not working
The transmissions in these vehicles have a long list of possible causes for the concern that you are having. They include the valve body not controlling the down shift and the valve body needing to be removed and cleaned out...
Car won't start, sat for months
Hello. You are on the right track with testing the starter (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/starter-replacement) to see if it works. It is also possible that the battery has a bad cell in it and is not strong enough to start the car. I...
How to increase power without adding turbo?
Hi there. There are many ways to increase power to your vehicle without adding a turbo or supercharger. You could change the exhaust manifold to a exhaust header and gain more power (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-maximize-the-horsepower-of-your-car). You could change the intake to have...
Where is the instrument panel to find the trip reset button to press and hold in order to reset the trip mileage?
Hi there. When resetting the trip mileage on your vehicle, look at the steering wheel and just behind it is the instrument panel (the part that has all of the gauges). Look on the instrument panel for a black small...
My car won't start 2001 Dodge Stratus
Hi there - your problem may be a weak fuel pump, and a bad starter solenoid (relay) (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-starter-relay). The whine you now hear while the key is turned on is probably the fuel pump - a good sign. The fact...
found a patch of transmission fluid on the ground burning smell below my radiator
Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle is likely experiencing a leak or other malfunction with the cooling system. It is difficult to say without performing an inspection, but you can perform a basic one just by visually looking...
What would make timing chain fail after replaced
The chain can fail due to lack of proper lubrication to the chain or camshaft on that side of the motor. I would recommend having the engine oil passages cleaned and engine oil flush used to try and dissolve any...
just replaced the timing chain and guides on 86 nissan z24 and now it smokes bad and now power
If these symptoms did not exist prior to replacing the timing chain, a possibility is the valve timing is off because the new chain is mispositioned. You can get an indirect indication of incorrect valve timing by measuring engine vacuum....

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Honda CR-V
The The fourth generation Honda CR-V was unveiled in 2012 with a total redesign. One of America’s favorite compact SUVs got a new look and a lot of great new features, including an all-wheel drive (AWD) option, as well as...
The Top 5 Selling Cars in Georgia in 2012
Georgia Georgia offers drivers a mild climate with very little snow, but rain is a major factor. Previous best-selling cars in the area, such as the Escape, Fusion and Camry, have shown that residents prefer a mix of both SUV...
Top Automotive News & Stories: September 24-September 30
Angry Civic Type R, 350 special edition Ferraris, Infiniti variable compression tech, Mercedes' electric future, and more.