Engine Clicks - Forgot oil., im an idiot. :( Options

[LimitedST]

Okay. heres the Downlow. I was driving on the freeway, and my oil light came on, i figured i would still be able to make it home to put some oil in. i was wrong. A few seconds later, the car started making a weird noise as i was traveling down the I-17 at 80 MPH. i decided to pull off at the next exit and at the red light the car shut off, Almost like if i stalled it when i was learning to drive stick. I pulled into the gas station there, and put some oil in it. but the damage was done.

So my question to all of you, since i know absolutely NOTHING about cars. Does this mean i need a whole new engine? The car runs fine without clicking untill i get over 2,000 RPMS. Then the clicking starts. Ive heard from people that the enginge is completely done and i need to start saving for a very pricey replacement.

Is there a way i can fix this? with limited knowledge? or no?
thanks for your help.

Luckilly i have my 5GC, but it is also having a problem. Its power steering. Its not working, i have to force it into turning, and only weighing 130 at 5"11. u can bet its pretty damn hard for me to do. It just started happening today. And the power steering fluid is almost full, but i topped it off to make sure. Do i need a new pump? if so , how much is that going to be to buy? and could i replace it myself?

Thanks in advance;
Jake
Black Limited ST

[NgoFcukinWay]

So you ran it without oil for a while? you probably spun a bearing, got rod knock, etc hence the ticking above 2K RPM. Time to find a new block or new motor.

[gt_driFFter]

Jake, that "oil light" might as well be a "turn your car off NOW" light. Unfortuneately you have probably spun a bearing or broken a rod and done some internal damage. Take it to a mechanic you know and trust! BTW, don't be too hard on yourself, we all make mistakes every now and then!

This post has been edited by gt_driFFter: Oct 18, 2008 - 5:54 PM

[samir0189]

I agree with gt_driffter. The oil light can not only mean that you are low on oil, but it can also indicate that your oil pump has stopped working. In this case i'd guess that its the latter. I realize its unhelpful to know this now, but good to know nonetheless. It may be repairable because the engine did not seize.

I don't know alot about power steering systems, but i've driven a few 70's cars without power steering and i learned the easiest way to turn them is when the vehicle is rolling. I don't know if that's helpful to you at all. Best of luck to you.

[Euphoria]

so if the oil light comes on and you turn off imediately will that save it? I've had leaking oil recently and been monitoring it well but I asked my dad if the lights comes on, how long will I have but he says as soon as its on its too late basically.

[kylekonvicka]

i had this same problem, and it ended up being my crankshaft. It's actually in the shop as we speak, with an $880 repair fee including parts. Just a thought, hope it helps.

[gt_driFFter]

so if the oil light comes on and you turn off imediately will that save it? I've had leaking oil recently and been monitoring it well but I asked my dad if the lights comes on, how long will I have but he says as soon as its on its too late basically.

No, it's not a "get out of jail free" card. Your dad is right in the sense that you might have already scorched and/or warped the internals, but why run it until it seizes/breaks something? If the oil light comes on,

IMMEDIATELY turn car off, and if at all possible have it towed to the shop. If there is absolutely no way you can do that, then you can add oil and try driving home or to the shop (very conservatively). But do everything you can to prevent driving it any further w/o oil.

[Euphoria]

so if the oil light comes on and you turn off imediately will that save it? I've had leaking oil recently and been monitoring it well but I asked my dad if the lights comes on, how long will I have but he says as soon as its on its too late basically.

No, it's not a "get out of jail free" card. Your dad is right in the sense that you might have already scorched and/or warped the internals, but why run it until it seizes/breaks something? If the oil light comes on,

IMMEDIATELY turn car off, and if at all possible have it towed to the shop. If there is absolutely no way you can do that, then you can add oil and try driving home or to the shop (very conservatively). But do everything you can to prevent driving it any further w/o oil.

I didn't drive it with the oil light on, I always check before I drive to see if it is full, i was just wondering.

[presure2]

what the oil light does exactly is this.
when the oil pressure in your engine is BELOW ~5psi, the oil light comes on.
it is not a low oil level light, however, that is the cause of low pressure most of the time.
by the time the light stays lit like that, damage has already been done most of the time, and your gonna need a rebuild or replacement.
back in the day i had the oil light flicker a couple times under hard cornering, and heard a couple "knocks"...but was lucky enough to have arts motor ready to go in, which was the reason for letting the old motor get so low on oil.

[bslik]

same thing just happened to me last night. my oil light wasnt on but it had flashed ealier in the day so i picked up 4 quarts n figured i would change it later. but coming off the highway, my car started knocking hard so i pulled into a random parking lot n my boy with a 7th gen came to help me. so when we checked the oil plug, it was completely bare. AS IN NO OIL IN MY MOTOR??? so i put in the oil i had baught ealier and it stopped knocking so bad so i could get home. but now it just ticks around 2-3k rpm

so u think i need a new block or internals? is that wat runnning on no oil does?

[stephen_lee]

same thing just happened to me last night. my oil light wasnt on but it had flashed ealier in the day so i picked up 4 quarts n figured i would change it later. but coming off the highway, my car started knocking hard so i pulled into a random parking lot n my boy with a 7th gen came to help me. so when we checked the oil plug, it was completely bare. AS IN NO OIL IN MY MOTOR??? so i put in the oil i had baught ealier and it stopped knocking so bad so i could get home. but now it just ticks around 2-3k rpm

so u think i need a new block or internals? is that wat runnning on no oil does?

you probably need just a rebuild

[PHLCELICA]

same thing just happened to me last night. my oil light wasnt on but it had flashed ealier in the day so i picked up 4 quarts n figured i would change it later. but coming off the highway, my car started knocking hard so i pulled into a random parking lot n my boy with a 7th gen came to help me. so when we checked the oil plug, it was completely bare. AS IN NO OIL IN MY MOTOR??? so i put in the oil i had baught ealier and it stopped knocking so bad so i could get home. but now it just ticks around 2-3k rpm

so u think i need a new block or internals? is that wat runnning on no oil does?

I've had that happen. Had no oil engine started to knock. Drove it home with a knocking engine. Waited to the next day and as I was driving it to the garage it stopped knocking. Changed the oil pump and a few other things since I was there and the engine still lives LoL.

[bslik]

so it stopped knocking befor u changed anything?

[hockeyplyr24]

same thing happened to me, if only i woulda changed my oil the day b4!

ended up throwing a rod

i replaced the entire engine.

[bslik]

how would i know if i threw a rod or a bearing? or anything else? i know the knocking stops when i take out the second spark plug wire if that helps at all

[Bitter]

probably spun the #2 rod bearing, and scuffed the others.

[bslik]

just wondering, but i cant fix that myself right? with just basic knowledge of the engine and 2 year couse in automotive service technology. is it a long job?

[Euphoria]

your engines are telling you all you need beams lol

[Bitter]

just wondering, but i cant fix that myself right? with just basic knowledge of the engine and 2 year couse in automotive service technology. is it a long job?

do the words 'take engine out and turn upside down' scare you? if so then yes, let someone else do it. you'll pretty much have to tear the engine down to the block, mic the crank, possibly get it machined, figure out what size bearings to use, hone the cylinders, re-ring the pistons with the correct size rings, measure the bores to determine the rings you need, etc etc.


your easiest fix if you're going to DIY is to swap in a used engine or a professionally rebuilt engine.

[blu94gt]

When the oil light comes you need to turn the car off right that minute. And don't just blindly add oil, check the dipstick to make sure the level is correct. You can have the correct amount of oil and no pressure. Basically determine at the side of the road whether or not there is a silly error causing the lack of oil pressure or tow it to a shop.