I went for an inspection and oil change a week ago. I got the car back with the brake fluid cap off, which didn’t make me feel very good about attention to detail. I checked the dip stick and it had new oil in there at the proper level.
Car started to feel a little rough and I figure it was because it was getting cold. I also hear a little bit of a valve tap kind of noise (I am not mechanical). I thought nothing of it because of the cold weather.
Today, a week or so later, the check engine like came on, yellow (I am told it goes red if catastrophic?). I was only 5 minutes from home, so I thought I’d look up the problem when I got home, thinking it was probably a sensor or something.
On the way home, I saw it was overheating. I can’t say 100% if it was overheating the whole time. So, I pulled over a few minutes from my house. I took the water reservoir cap off and saw a little dark liquid at the very bottom, but it was definitely empty. The oil was also a little steamy. There were no big clouds of steam though, just the slightest bit.
I called some friends and asked what to do. Was advised that since I was walking distance from my house, to let it cool off for 30 minutes, start it, see if temp is under 3/4th and make it to home. I did that and temp was halfway all the way home.
Once home, I opened the hood and noticed there was white crust all along the battery and on the big thick hose going from radiator to engine. I also checked the oil and it was halfway up the dipstick. Me not being mechanical thought that might be because it was really hot.
Now I am not thinking so…because I put 10 quarts of water into the plastic water reservoir and see nothing more than a few drips under the car on the ground. That water has to be going somewhere. I think the water is in the engine, which would explain why the oil level is so high and why there is white froth on the oil cap…
When I open the oil fill cap, I can see bare metal and the oil drops in there are milk chocolate colored. It no longer looks like new oil. There is white froth on the top and on the cap.
Does this mean the block is cracked and the car needs a new engine?
The blue book of this car is only around 6-7k dollars. I also have no job right now, so I am looking to get a rough idea if its even worth towing it to a mechanic or if it’s just garbage at this point. I think a busted head gasket or cracked block is gonna be 2-5k and am not sure if there would be engine damage from driving it like it is on top. I need to make informed decisions, because my $savings buffer is all I have and who knows when I’ll get a job with the economy the way it is.
Any advice appreciated.
Your radiator cap could have failed. It has a spring so if the pressure in the system gets too high it relieves it. That could have failed cause it to release early and your coolant boiled out the top. Alternatively could have an internal leak which will usually present with coolant in your oil or white smoke out your exhaust. There are a lot of options so probably best to have it diagnosed.
Sounds like your thoughts make sense. Fill it up with water. Turn the car on to idle, And run some head gasket failure tests. Check the tailpipe for white smoke. Look for external leaks when’s it’s idling. See if the coolant is actively going down, or bubbling in the overflow tank from exhaust pressure. If the overheat caused the head gasket to blow. Your only option other than a rebuild or new engine, is to try a head gasket sealer, and do an oil change as well to get the coolant out of the oil… And see if it stops the leak.
If head gasket was blown, what are the odds that further damage was done to the engine driving it that way for this short while? I hope it was only 15 minutes, but who knows, maybe it was broken for longer. How easy is it for a mechanic to tell? If I roll the dice and have it towed, pay 3-5k to have it fixed, will I just end up needing a new car anyway if fate decides to poop on me some more? What are my chances doc?