Carnivorous18

So i was on a roadtrip to AZ and halfway there my car isnt accelerating like it should. Then theres a poof/knock/whatever the sound is and white smoke starts coming out of the muffler and engine bay. The oil light comes on the car finally stalls. At no time did the temp gauge show that it was overheating. I pull to the side and oil is leaking like crazy from oil drain plug. I open the hood and it looks like its oil that splurged around the engine bay. From what I could see, it looked like white smoke was coming from the exhaust manifold. I tried adding half a quart of oil but it just leaked out through the oil drain plug.

Can anyone make sense of this of what could have happened? I've heard things ranging from a piston through the block to a blown water pump. Please help me out, I need my car back :/

Also its a 1999 Civic EX, EJ8, D16Y8

MindBomber

Prepare for the worst, it sounds like the engine ran with no oil and that would lead to complete failure. I find the fact that you added a quart of oil and it leaked straight out very concerning.

How much oil is currently showing on the dipstick?

Carnivorous18

Im not sure as I haven't checked it, but I believe its leaked all of its oil. It was a constant leaking of oil and after it got home and I checked it there was a large pool of oil on the garage floor. I thought maybe the gasket on the oil drain plug is bad and needs replacing, but i'm not positive its the oil drain plug since I haven't crawled under. It took a while to drain all of that oil though.

Its needed an oil change since before the trip and I still have 4 quarts, a new oil filter, oil drain plug and gasket. I was thinking of trying and putting that all on and seeing if it holds the oil/will start the car. I am prepared though if it's a lost cause

MindBomber

The gasket on the drain plug is actually just a crush washer, I doubt that caused it to start dumping oil, but it's possible. I had the gasket on my trucks transmission oil pan go once though, just like with your engine it dumped all it's oil very quickly and anything i added poured right through, fortunately there was no transmission damage because I caught it quickly.

If your oil light came on it means you were below the minimum oil level and at that point there's no set guide to how long it will take for catastrophic damage to occur, the white smoke and stalling aren't good signs though.

Here's how I would proceed..
1. Find the source of the leak and fix it.
2. Add oil and see if it starts.
3. If it starts do a compression test on each cylinder, low oil causes extreme heat build up due to the increased friction, even if it starts the head and even the block may have been warped. Most parts stores rent compression testers for free.

I hope I'm totally wrong about all this!

lazlong

Sometimes it looks like the drain plug but is actually something above it (oil filter, etc).

Carnivorous18

So it appears there's a hole in the front of the oil pan. Odd cause when the accident occurred I didn't see that hole before. Weird thing is I tried pouring oil in and I waited for it to leak but nothing. There's still oil all over the undercarriage. But also it looks like the oil pan bent off at some point(s) where it connects the engine. I had a picture of it on my phone but of course my screen failed at just the right time.

What could cause that hole in the oil pan and for it to loosen off at one point like it did?

MelJ

Maybe you hit a large road obstruction and just don't remember?

Carnivorous18

Maybe, iduno. Im hoping the oil pan is all that went wrong, but I don't know if that explains the white smoke.
Besides putting in a new oil pan and (finally) doing an oil change, need I do anything else before I try and start this sunbeetch again?

MindBomber

The white smoke is caused by oil burning in the engine as a result of the increased friction.

If it's holding a decent quantity of oil now and not just pouring through anymore thats a good siign that there was always enough oil in the engine to keep it from eating itself. I would just cover the hole in jb weld, resecure the oil pan, top up the oil and give it a shot.. Why spend on a new oil pan and gasket if your not sure about the current state of the engine right.

Carnivorous18

I'm this close to trying it. (Never used J-B weld before) Only problem is that part where the oil pan isn't secure, it looks like its bent off from connecting. And that leads me to believe the gasket isn't making contact. So I feel like the only option is trying out a new oil pan w/a new gasket

MindBomber

Sounds like you'll need to pull the oil pan then.

lazlong

I've got a pan for a Y8. PM me if you want it.

JackedByJack

white smoke and coming from higher than the oil filter? sounds like it might be dripping onto the exhaust manifold and thats why your getting white smoke from both ends. car over heating=is a horrible thing, all you can do is hope and pray nothing warped. did u have any major engine work or oil work in the past few years for your pan to come loose or bend like your explaining. but like you said u will need another oil pan. try junk yards and pull on because no point and spending good money on a new one if the whole blocks warped. how bad was it due for a oil change and was there any signs of over heating before your car stalled. the fact that your car died should be your biggest concern. keep us posted

Carnivorous18

Well as far as I can tell, it never overheated. It read normal on the gauge the whole time. Only work ive had done is alt belt replaced and valve adjustment within the last month or two. My mechanic was gonna put on a new head gasket but he said it was fine when he took it off. But no work near the oil pan that I can recall. It had probably been a few months since i changed oil. Good news is i tried starting it and it started but it was coughing i believe cause it was super low on oil so i ONLY LET IT RUN for maybe 1 second.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Honestly you probably tossed a rod when you ran out of oil and need a new engine...

JackedByJack

doesnt sound like the symptoms of a rod bearing being spun, could be head gasket being blown or oil pump going bad.