can you help me figure out where my oil went????

I can't make sense of your timeline. Are you saying you changed the oil on saturday, and the next day it was empty? Did you add the oil, or have a 5 minute lube outfit do it?

sounds like a leaking drain plug to me.

What exactly did you do when you rebuilt the engine (over bore, rings, valve guides, seals, etc)?

Smoke at startup usually indicates worn valve guides.

I assume you have put more oil in since you are starting the car, let it sit for a while, if its leaking it should be noticable. If it consumes oil while running it is probly valve guides, maybe piston rings. Check the whole engine just to make sure oil is not finding a way out, it would be obvious, Like 5 quarts obvious. Good Luck

Tyler

check the oil filter and make sure it is on tight enough. go start it up and while it is running see if there is any oil squirting out. if the motor isnt running chances are oil wont come out of the filter. sometimes the seal from an old filter will get stuck against the block and when new one is installed it wont seat and seal right.

on a side note, never let Wal-Mart change your oil. If you own a classic mustang and can't change your own oil, either learn to change the oil properly yourself or sell the car. Owners of classic vehicles need to have a certain level of mechanical aptitude.

Why did you 'have to' change the oil out in the middle of nowhere? It reminds me of my father-in-law... if my sister-in-laws car is over due for an oil change when she plans a trip up to visit, he makes her stop at a Jiffy Lube on the way up... as if it really makes much difference.

I personally think 302 coupe's comment was a little harsh. While I do all my own wrench turning (aside from machine work, etc), I realize that it's not for everyone. The important thing is to do what you want with your car. If you don't want to wrench on it, then don't. Just find someone who you trust and also appreciates your car for what it is and stick with them.

If you have a good mechanic near your home, you may consider consulting with them if you can't figure this out.

Definitely put a big piece of cardboard under the car and start it up. Let it run for awhile and look for leaks. I would think that if the oil had blown out the filter seal that there would be splatter all over the engine. Was there any smoke from under the hood or a burning smell? If the filter was leaking some oil would end up on the exhaust.

If you feel like getting a little dirty eek: ), you can check for excessive 'blow by' by starting the car, removing the oil filler cap (NOT the one with a hose attached), and placing a piece of paper over the hole. There should be suction present (pulling the paper over the hole). Rev up the engine a little and see if the paper is still being sucked into the hole. If it is, you're rings are probably sealing properly. If not, that may be part of the problem. If you are burning oil (from bad rings), the spark plugs will be oil fouled (black and shiny w/ deposits on them).

Also, make sure that you have a working PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system. You should see a hose going from one of the valve covers to either the air filter housing or more likely, the carburator. You need this hose. If you don't have it, the engine will push oil out through the seals (since there will be pressure in the engine instead of suction).

Post a digital picture of the engine from front/overhead. It will be pretty easy to see if your PCV is set up right.

The one thing about changing your oil at home is you always wind up with soap buckets or ice cream pails of oil cluttering up your garage waiting to be taken to the recycler. If you ever drop a wrench (or worse, your multimeter or timing light), it will be sucked right into that vortex of doom. Although I still do it myself, changing oil is one thing an owner has to be cut some slack for if they get it done at a shop.

I tend to think, if you wrench on your car, you keep the underside and underhood cleaner and more gunk free than those that don't. I absolutely hate working on a dirty vehicle (underside/underhood) Getting crap in your face and ears sucks.

Pulling plugs is easy enough for the uninitiated, there are usually color charts in a Chilton's manual that will help you 'read' the plugs, or there are sources online that show the same.

adding to what 1320stang said, if the engine is a mess, take it to the do-it-yourself car wash and wash the engine. If you have a leak, it will be easy to see on a clean engine but nearly impossible to find on a filthy one.

If you do this, be sure to take a trash or plastic grocery bag and cover your distributor with it when spraying the engine. Do the same if you have an 'open element' air filter housing (where you can see the folds in the filter material without removing the metal filter cap). Don't want to suck any water into the engine...

I still change my own oil, I have a 5 gallon square peanut oil jug that I pour it into from my plastic oil change pan. My pan used to be one of those that was "sealed" as it had a cap that went on the spout and another screw in plug that went into the center of the drain tray. The plug busted and I couldn't get it out or something. so I cut the whole top out of the pan. When I fill up my 5 gallon jug, I take it to O'Reilly Auto Parts and they have a recycle drum. I have to do that about twice a year, although, at one point I had about 55 gallons of oil in 5 gallon paint buckets, anti freeze jugs, liquid laundry detergent jugs, 2 liter soda bottles, put back into the 1 quart oil bottles, etc.

My township has a 'household hazzardous waste' dropoff day once a year where they take oil. I store my old oil in 5 gallon drywall mud buckets. I made it easier to pour in by cutting a hole in one lid with a hole saw and then added a quart Gatoraid bottle with the bottom cut off as a funnel. When the bucket is full I put the lid with the funnel on the next bucket and place the empty bucket on top of the one I just filled and capped.
My dropoff is this saturday and I have ~11 gallons to take this year. I always ask for the buckets back so I can do it all again next year.
:OT: Sorry...