Re: dumb move - brief start w/o oil
Years ago while working for a small repair gararge, I learned something about this situation you almost got yourself into. First off, your engine and it's bearings will be fine! 3-4 seconds is nothing. However, my boss at the time who was a factory GM trained mechanic with 40 years of experience told me some scary situations. Many people bring their cars & trucks to him. He works on them all. He told me that some of the newer cars like Lexus and BMW's will run without oil and make ZERO bearing noise. Bearing noise will be a rattling/banging noise when you start the engine without oil. The bearings have an oil clearance in them to allow the oil to suspend inbetween the crank and the bearing. Thus, running without oil the crank will bang against the clearance inside the bearing. Now, a new engine may not make any bearing noise when started without oil. But most likely it will. So running the engine for 3 to 5 seconds, then hearing the noise realizing there is no oil happens more than you think in a repair garage. The difference is, on better quality engines, you will not hear the bearing wrap at all! Mechanics have driven the cars out of the gararge, parked them, only to realize there is no oil in the car!. I know what some dreamers on here will say. "Not my mechanic!" Yeah, it happens more than you think. Just like your money. You care more about it than any stock broker ever will. So, you should be in control of your money. Cars, boats whatever, it's the same thing. No mechanic will care and do as good a job as someone who loves and cares for their vehicle.
So don't feel bad. Even the so-called Pro's do this.
CCJ
