hardknox

Yesterday I did an oil change..same oil I've been using for the past few changes and a new filter ofc and today while driving my car just went LOCO! Was doin bout 70 on the turnpike and noticed the car wouldn't really accelerate..would put my foot down harder on pedal and still nothing. Eventually put it to the floor and still..nothing,it actually decelerated down to about 60. Engine started sputtering a little bit and CEL was blinking so pulled over and popped the hood. The only thing I noticed was that the oil cap was on a little crooked so I took it off and put it back on properly. Checked dip stick, was fine..seemed a little though but I did have oil. Checked oil filter was on tight enough. Didn't see any leaks anywhere but noticed it smelled like something was burning. Started up car again and revved engine, thick white smoke came out exhaust. Repeated this a few times and it seemed to stop so decided to just take it easy rest of the way to my destination... Car seemed heavy and still was sputtering on the way, but eventually made it.Had someone check behind my car while I revved engine and smoke was gone, thought was ok. Was searching on my phone while getting bodywork done and it said stuff about antifreeze burning or overfilling oil tank. So decided to check all my levels and this time i had NO oil. I see no leaks and it smells like somethings burning...and then have someone rev engine and this time again alot of white smoke. So was planning to take it to my personal mechanic tmw but hes not answering... and I need this fixed asap.

So please any input you guys have is appreciated.

1. Been told to check spark plugs.
2. Been told if its not the spark plugs its the gasket.
3. Been told to check if the rubber gasket from old oil filter was still on and didn't come off when changing filters.
4.??


Sorry for the life story just really anxious, done some searching and need to get this resolved asap...hopefully without spending a chitload of money.

Thx and flaming is welcome..I know I'm a noob. I know how to put gas in and change my oil..other then that, under the hood is not my department.

speedy000

iTrader: (2)

Sorry about your problems but drivig it around and flooring it when it's acting funny probly wasn't a good idea. Last thing u want to do is push your car when it's not in proper operating condition.
Couple of questions.
U said u had checked your oil once then the second time it had no oil?
On the second check was the engine shut off?
And what color was the smoke coming out?
Did u spill the oil or is there some In it now?

hardknox

Yeah I know I shouldn't of pushed it..didn't do it for long just pushed pedal down to see it really wasn't accelerating.

Checked oil while pulled over..engine was off and had oil. 2nd time again engine was off but car had been off for about 35 mins sitting in a garage, that time it had no oil. Smoke was white, put another quart of oil in so I could make it home(checked again and atm there is some oil in there).

Only spill was when I took off the old filter, some splattered a few places but nothing serious.Could that really be the problem?

Dads saying its the spark plugs,don't know the last time they've been changed I've owned the car for about 6-7 months.

Assuming it's the plugs will it be ok to drive about 30 miles or should I just have it towed..my wallet already hurts from fixing up other stuff on this money pit last week

Other then the plugs anything else it could be?

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

how much oil did you put in, you may have overfilled it and grenaded your piston rings, maybe not all of them and youve got blowby dumping the oil out your exhaust, pull as spark plug and see if theyre are coated in oil

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

spark plugs wouldnt have happened suddenly, they wear out not go out

hardknox

4 quarts yesterday, and after checking dipstick and seeing none, added a quart so I could make it home

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

what weight did you use, did you fully drain it before adding new oil? does th oil in it smell burned?

hardknox

valvoline 5w 30 regular...fully drained, let it drain into catch for about 10-15 mins, and it does smell like its burnt

also something i left out..while driving i could hear a constant clicking sound,dunno if that says anything?

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

generally thats cooked rings, have it scanned and see what comes up. not good man, burned oil is never good. hate to be the bearer of bad news

DJ08tC

yea it seems like you might have fried something. Spark plugs would have nothing to do with the oil being low.

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

at the cost of a shop rebuild you can probably grab up a short block, depends on if you killed the upper or bottom end, prob the rings though

hardknox

You guys scaring me lmao...I just don't understand where the hell everything went wrong. I understand me putting pedal to the floor once wasn't good, but what caused it in the first place:S? I drive hella conservative so its just really confusing.

I really hope its something simple and something to laugh at but if its anything costly, I'll be posting pics of my old high school beating this p.o.s. to death with sledgehammers.

DJ08tC

well did you get it used? If you did it is possible the previous owner beat on it causing some damage.

hardknox

yeah its a rebuilt title, got hit on the rear driver side. only had 27k miles on it.

i just drove 700 miles over the weekend on a little trip with no engine probs...this all just happened after the oil change unless I just didn't really recognize it

06sciontcnda704

iTrader: (1)

how often do you change your oil??

06sciontcnda704

iTrader: (1)

mobil 1 full syn FTW!!

hardknox

every 3-3.5k miles..just dont always have time to go to store to do the change so go over 3k a bit

oil level was fine this morning, still white smoke from exhaust and was able to make it to work but the car feels heavy...doesn't wanna accelerate(no im not gunning it i did 40 on the highway lmao)

should have it checked within the next few hours:S

sciontc_mich

It doesnt sound like you did anything wrong in changing the oil, you checked the level when filling it back up, made sure the drain plug was snug (but not overtightened), that you made sure to turn the oil filter 3/4 of a turn by hand when tightening it and that you made sure no oil filter gasket was left behind by the old filter. By doing all that, you did the oil change correctly. And of course, you used a new oil drain plug gasket washer too.

Since all the above was done fine, then I'm saying it's probably an engine that was damaged before you got to it, and then doing normal maintenance it started going bad. I know that sounds crazy but it reminds me of an older car and then someone sells that owner on doing an "internal engine cleaning" sold at those quick oil change places. Car would be running fine on the varnish and gunk built up over years, then they clean it and after it's blowing white smoke and loss of compression in the cylinders. And the engine is gone after that. Reminds me of that, doing a regular oil change and maintenance and whatever was in there, couldn't take being clean. I know that sounds crazy but that could be it. You should get the engine compression tested to see what went wrong.

Sounds like there was more wrong with this car than they let you know about.

hardknox

so went to my mechanic...he said the same thing i did "where the hells the oil?" he checked some pipes..found no leaks and everything seemed else fine to him(I trust him..he worked in a shop for 15-16 years and now does everything out of his backyard,hes also fixed my old handmedown civic and changed dads fan belts)

the trip over to his house the car drove fine..no sputtering or anything though I was still driving very cautiously.

so after checking oil lvl and all the pipes at his house..we changed the spark plugs. the old ones were white and one of the little nipples was shorter then it was posed to be(not sure how to explain.. hope u get it lol) had SOME oil on them but not really much...

he told me the white tips on the spark plugs meant it was running lean...crap gas. I fill up with 87 octane at bp 90% of the time, so idk:S

@scion mich- yeah ur right..lol I've found out alot of things they never told me but one thing I do know is the douchebag before me filled up with diesel one time. If that has any relevance to the situation idk...we dont know. no one knows!

Drove it home perfect...accelerating fine and no sputtering or CEL turning on. So....wtf???? I'm really lost..wtf happened to that oil?(Had to put 2 quarts in before leaving his house as well)

sciontc_mich

wow filled up with diesel, that would definitely foul out the spark plugs! and where the other oil went, I"m going to ponder that one see what my mind can figure out. Oh and after these plugs being replaced, see if the oil level stays the same.
so they had white deposits on them, yeah not good, here's a chart i'm going to post up, see which one they looked like from these pictures

http://www.aa1car.com/library/reading_spark_plugs.jpg

yeah post back which one yours were closest to.