How To Tell If Engine Is Damaged From No Oil?

Motor oil is essential for the function of a car engine. When it runs out, it can seriously damage the engine.

But, how to tell if the engine is damaged from no oil?

If the engine is damaged from no oil, the check engine light warning is on; your car will not run or run roughly, unusual noises, blue or white smoke from the exhaust, rotten egg smell, and losing engine power.

I will go in details below.

Stay tuned!

Signs Your Car Is Out Of Oil

1. No lubrication

Lubricating the engine parts is the primary role of the engine oil. So, engine parts tend to be in friction if there is no oil. And you will feel weaker engine performance.

2. Strange Noise and Knocking

No lubrication from no oil will make moving parts grind against metal surfaces, so you will hear strange noises if you don’t have oil in your car. It can lead the engine to size up soon.

3. Car Shakes While It Idles

Weak engine performance from no oil in the car can cause idle vibration.

How To Tell If Engine Is Damaged From No Oil?

1. Check Engine Light Is On

The check engine light is the first sign on the dashboard. Please don’t ignore it when you see it. It’s a message to tell you there’s something wrong with your engine.

2. Your Car Will Not Run or Run Roughly

Losing engine power from no oil can cause your car a rough or inconsistent engine. So it won’t start or run roughly; this is a sign of a damaged engine.

3. Knocking and Grinding Noise

The metal-to-metal contact from no oil will cause the knocking and grinding sound. If you continue to drive the no-oil engine, your engine tends to break or be damaged.

3. White or Blue Smoke

No oil in a car, no lubrication cause metal contact, so it causes white or blue smoke. Stop your vehicle right away for safety.

4. A rotten egg smell

A rotten egg smell or burning oil smell is a dangerous sign of a damaged engine.

Read more: Car Smells Like Rotten Eggs: Why and The Best Ways To Solve.

The below video will show you exactly what will happen with an engine without oil.

If Your Car Has No Oil, Will It Start?

The car will grind, stall and not start if the engine has no oil. It will cause serious problems.

How Long Can You Drive Your Car With Low Oil?

If you drive your car without oil, it will cause engine damage in 10 minutes. Your engine will seize up and stop running in lesser 30 minutes.

What To Do To Diagnose The Damaged Engine From No Oi?

If you’re a DIY, you can diagnose the damages with an OBD2 Scanner and then decide to fix yourself or not.

If you’re not a DIY, ask a professional mechanic to check it out as soon as possible.

Buy a OBD2 scanner to diagnose problems yourself below:

For DIYers and car owners, this OBDII scanner can help you detect the problems by reading the codes, giving you the code numbers, a summary of the code, and erasing codes. It’s really easy to use.

See also: Can I use 5w30 instead of 5w20?