Saturn Repair: 97 SL2 - No oil reading on dip stick, three thousand miles, 4 quarts

Question
No oil registers on the dipstick, but there is oil visible when the cap is removed to add oil.  Looks like it is full.

Any ideas what causes this?  Any repair options or estimated costs?

Answer
John,
 If there is no oil registering on your dipstick, it is probably low.  The dipstick in your vehicle only measures the last 1 of the 4 quarts that goes into your oil pan.  If you are more than 1 quart low you will not see a reading on the stick.  You can see oil (when you remove the cap) because there are three quarts still circulating through your engine.  Make sure your start your engine, let it warm up, shut the engine off for three or four minutes then check the oil again.  If you get a low reading, add 5W-30 until you have a good reading on the dipstick.  
 At higher mileages that Saturn engine will burn oil.  It's not a big problem unless you're burning a quart every two to three thousand miles.  You can't fix what is going on without some hefty repair bills, however, you can prevent the problem from getting worse.  Change your oil every 3,000 miles with a quality 5W-30 and a good filter.  Doing this all the time, every time will keep your engine running in tip-top shape.  Hope this helps.

Chris