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Running without Oil During Dealer Oil Change

10K views 34 replies 29 participants last post by  knightrider092 
#1 ·
So I got a new Ridgeline in July. I'm so crazy about keeping it perfect that I called everyone at the Honda Care center, as well as many service techs, to ask if I could change the oil at 500 miles, rather than the 5000-ish that the maintenance minder probably will tell me to wait for. I used my free oil change card from the dealer (big mistake) for this first oil change. I saw him remove the filter and plug, and, after waiting for the drain, install a new filter and replace the plug. Then he lowered the car, and, as I watched, he walked around in front of the car, got in, and started it. I immediately noticed the oil cap was off and said, "Hey, you didn't put the oil in yet." He turned it off and said my questions had distracted him. He had run the engine with no oil in it for 3-5 seconds. I'm wondering if this did any damage. My plan was to change the oil at 500, 1500, 2500, and then every 2000 after that. I'm crushed, as I'm afraid the bearings and engine in general are ruined.

What do you think?

bertwh@hotmail.com
 
#2 ·
WHOA! I am no mechanic, but for 3-5 seconds, I think you are in the clear if the time after drain was quick.

Your plan to change the oil so often is WAY overkill. Honda provides a maintenance minder which gives you, what I call, a ballpark time frame as to when to change the oil, which I have read here, ranges from 5,000-8,000 miles.
 
#3 ·
I'm no mechanic, but my first guess is that it would not have done any damage in 3-5 seconds. Besides the fact that there would have been oil still up in the engine from driving it into the service bay to protect it, remember that the oil in a stone cold engine still has to get pumped out of the oil pan and into the engine. That would tend to take longer than 3-5 seconds.

I think you should be OK. If you are that concerned, have the Service Manager acknowledge the mistake and put it in writing so you will be covered later should something oil related happen to the motor.

Good luck and ENJOY that Ridge!!!
 
#4 ·
I would ask for a extended warranty (at no cost to you) for the internal engine components. I agree with Keith, much overkill with you oil change schedule. Let the truck tell you when it needs to be changed, I do.
 
#5 ·
That reminds me of a time in when I was waiting at Dusty Rhodes Ford in Kilgore, Texas for my first free oil change on my 1995 Probe. While I was standing in the outside waiting area, I saw a blue Aerostar minivan being pulled back up front to the customer. The minivan looked new, but it had a slight engine knock. When the tech got out to turn it back over to the customer, I overheard the owner ask about a red light on the dash. The tech quickly turned off the engine and went to grab another employee. The three of them had a very brief discussion, then a couple of other guys came over to help push the minivan into a service bay where one of them grabbed the bulk oil hose and filled it up. I immediately asked for my car back before they had a change to "change" my oil and left to go home and do it myself. I wanted to see then result of the incident, but I couldn't get out of there fast enough.
 
#6 ·
So I got a new Ridgeline in July. I'm so crazy about keeping it perfect that I called everyone at the Honda Care center, as well as many service techs, to ask if I could change the oil at 500 miles, rather than the 5000-ish that the maintenance minder probably will tell me to wait for.
What do you think?
That was your first mistake.:eek: MM knows best and factory fill needs to stay in for a reason.:rolleyes:
 
#8 ·
You will be fine even if the Engine idled for 1 minute. I use to drag race and had a oil pump fail just as I went full throttle, I made the 8 sec pass and when I dropped the oil pan to replace pump, I removed 1 of the main caps and you couldnt even tell the engine starved of oil. We are all human and everybody makes mistakes.
 
#9 ·
So I got a new Ridgeline in July. I'm so crazy about keeping it perfect that I called everyone at the Honda Care center, as well as many service techs, to ask if I could change the oil at 500 miles, rather than the 5000-ish that the maintenance minder probably will tell me to wait for. I used my free oil change card from the dealer (big mistake) for this first oil change. I saw him remove the filter and plug, and, after waiting for the drain, install a new filter and replace the plug. Then he lowered the car, and, as I watched, he walked around in front of the car, got in, and started it. I immediately noticed the oil cap was off and said, "Hey, you didn't put the oil in yet." He turned it off and said my questions had distracted him. He had run the engine with no oil in it for 3-5 seconds. I'm wondering if this did any damage. My plan was to change the oil at 500, 1500, 2500, and then every 2000 after that. I'm crushed, as I'm afraid the bearings and engine in general are ruined.

What do you think?

bertwh@hotmail.com
No damage would have been done to the engine, but based on your strategy, I assume that you don't know that the oil supplied in the engine from the factory has a very high moly content and that Honda recommend you keep in there for as long as possible? (5000 miles + regardless of what the dealer will tell you)
 
#11 ·
No damage would have been done to the engine, but based on your strategy, I assume that you don't know that the oil supplied in the engine from the factory has a very high moly content and that Honda recommend you keep in there for as long as possible? (5000 miles + regardless of what the dealer will tell you)
My words exactly...to the Tee!
 
#10 ·
Straight from the owners manual for brake in period:

Help assure your vehicle’s future reliability and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration. Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time. Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km). Do not tow a trailer.You should also follow these
recommendations with an overhauled or exchanged engine, or when the brakes are replaced.
 
#12 ·
#13 ·
The general consensus seems accurate. There would be no damage done when the engine idles without oil for a few seconds. In addition to the fact that there is some oil left in the pan, and in the passages, there is no load on the engine.

I also agree that changing it so often is overkill, it also creates more hazardous waste to be dumped somewhere, or recycled. Do the oil changes by the Maint. minder, and be confident about your vehicle getting just the right service.


Also, i might not be so crazy about keeping it perfect.... it's going to get scratched and dinged and will not look brand new and perfect forever. It'd be a shame to have a breakdown over a little scratch or something.


HT
 
#17 ·
No damage. At every engine startup it takes a few seconds for the oil pressure to build up.

Once I was behind a 914 waiting at a light and noticed oil "flowing" onto the street(mid-engine). I got out and went and told the driver. He seemed to know what it was, maybe he just had/did an oil change and forgot to tighten the drain plug.
 
#18 ·
Changing out the oil every 2K seems to be VERY excessive to me. Like many others, I simply let the MM tell me when to change. I have done this with my 01 MDX which now has 185K on the clock and still running strong with no engine repairs/problems. Whenever the light comes on I change out the Mobil 1 and press on. I highly recommend that you use the MM.
 
#19 ·
BUY THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, BUT STAY AWAY FROM THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT!!!!!!

Vinnie:D
 
#28 ·
I agree with HondaTech my service department must be the best there is:cool: I've never had any problems with them. They treat me great and actually love to work on my RL;) They love to see what we've added and hear where we've taken her. And they listen when we tell them about things we've heard on the ROC:D
 
#20 ·
I once bought a used Datsun that the owner said had a rebuilt engine. She said that the oil light had been on since the rebuild, so she had only driven it a couple hundred miles when I bought it. I confirmed that there seemed to be no oil pressure, took the filter off and started it, no oil came out. So I put the filter back on and drove it home (about 25 miles). I pulled the engine and took it apart. The crank was lightly scored, the bearings a bit toasted. Who ever had rebuilt the engine had misaigned the oil pickup tube gasket, allowing it to suck air. It had never had pressure. 15 seconds running time without pressure isn't going to hurt it.

In fact, in modern engines (with very rare and specific exceptions) oil related failures are virtually unheard of.
 
#23 ·
I recycle it at the transfer station.
 
#25 ·
I have left the Dealer after an Oil Change and driven about a mile when the Oil Warning Light came on... I returned immediately... Seems that they neglected to replace the correct amount of Oil...
I hate doing it - but - before I leave, I raise the Hood and check the oil levels, etc. Some of the employees may be just "off-the-street" people who have not been Factory Trained and only have one skill - drain your oil and replace it.
I prefer to be safe rather than sorry!
 
#26 ·
Personally, if I were a normal customer, I would have no issue letting the dealer or another shop for that matter change the oil. Look at it this way, if they screw up, they have to fix it. If you do it yourself, and forget to fill the oil or double gasket the filter or strip the drain plug threads or something, it's your fault, you have to pay for it to be fixed.


Just my opinion.


HT
 
#29 ·
Personally, if I were a normal customer, I would have no issue letting the dealer or another shop for that matter change the oil. Look at it this way, if they screw up, they have to fix it. If you do it yourself, and forget to fill the oil or double gasket the filter or strip the drain plug threads or something, it's your fault, you have to pay for it to be fixed.
That's a risk I'm more than willing to take. Not every Honda tech is as good as you, HT. Plus I get to use my choice of oil and filter, and get the satisfaction of doing it myself. I don't feel working on my truck is a chore. I enjoy it as much as I enjoy saving money.
 
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#27 ·
Kind of funny the habits you get into, but I’ve been changing the oil since i was old enough to help Dad do it. Wouldn’t be a stretch to say I was helping (at least in my own mind) at 4 or 5. You can get quite nostalgic about this stuff.

My thought is for about the same cost that you pay for a standard change and total time spent pretty close either way I prefer to use synthetic oil and do it myself. We have curbside pickup so that makes it pretty easy… with the exception of one incident where some kids decided to pour it all out one time.
 
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