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Hi,

I figured I would post something on here to see if someone can offer me help/information on it before towing it to a mechanic. So, I was driving from Kennewick, Washington back to Portland, Oregon which I have done several times. When I got to Hood River, I was going up a slight incline when I noticed I was slowing down.. Almost losing power. I put my foot on the gas a bit more but it was barely holding it's speed. And it wasn't a major incline. I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed a bit of smoke coming from my car so I quickly pulled off the highway. When I stopped, I killed the engine and noticed more smoke comming from under my hood and a litle bit through my air vents. I quickly popped the hood and got out to open it and saw a white smoke comming out of my cold air intake and from underneath my engine. When I let it cool down a little bit, I decided to check and see if I could get it started and turn around to stop in Hood River instead of the side of the highway. As I started it, it took it a second. The engine started running but the whole car was shaking and really jittery. I drove it about a quarter mile like that and was barely getting any speed when it started to smoke like crazy again. I checked the Tranny fluid and it was fine. The radiator and resevoir was all as it was supposed to do be. Oil was way low but that was normal. I was keeping the oil up as it already had a small leak so Im sure this issue didnt come from me running out of oil. When I examined the engine a bit more, I noticed that along the left side of it and all underneath was coated in sludge/oil. That explained the white smoke issue as the engine would heat up the oil on the surfaces around it. However I don't know what had happened to the engine and why it was jittering like crazzy and losing all its oil. I put in 3 quarts and tried again for a second but oil was just leaking everywhere inside after it was running. My friend said it might be the tranny or the head gasket but when I called to ask a friend who knew about engines he said it didnt sound like just a blown head gasket.

Would anybody be able to help me analyze what the problem MIGHT be before I pay all this money to have it towed to a garage only to be told its nothing major or something really serious and not have enough cash on hand?

I can provide more information if need be but I don't know a whole lot about cars. It's a '96 Hond Civic EX and has 219,000 miles on it. I know thats a lot but it's a Honda and should go another 100,00 easy. I've had the car for 6 months and don't know anything about the previous owner so I'm pretty sure he/she didn't take care of the car very well, which it's a shame.

Thank you in advance for any POSITIVE input on this issue.

 
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I can also take pictures of the engine tomorrow and will post them on here to help show what it looks like and where all this oil is seeping from. I'm not at home today as I'm taking care of other things but know pictures can help. Thanks again.

 
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Also, sorry to reply to myself so many times (just trying to provide as much info as I can) I recently passed DEQ 2 weeks before this happened. When I take the pictures of the engine, I'll also hook up my OBDII reader and see if it tells me anything other than "Your engine has gone to $&#%"

 
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That's not normal.
Was there a loud clatter, sort of like someone shaking a coffee can with marbles in it? Maybe immediately before it died?

LOL. I like that, and wish there was really a code with a definition like that. I think I will use it.
I really think "Your engine has gone to $&#%". Either chucked a rod and ventilated the engine block, or overheated it enough to lose compression.

I vote "chucked a rod" from lack of lubrication.

Either way, "Your engine has gone to $&#%"

3 quarts? Damn.

Once you find the HOLE where the oil is exiting the engine, you should agree with "Your engine has gone to $&#%"


Lesson #1: Oil is the lifeblood of any engine.
Lesson #2: There is a tax on not knowing about cars. The tax on this one will be replacing the engine.
Not without a LOT of care they don't.

HTH

 
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I've maintained my oil. The oil level was low because there was a hole in the pan. It has never been below half in terms of low. I know to keep it lubed so I'm not that ignorant. However, yes, there was a loud clang and it sounds similar to marbles rolling around in a can. It's hard to explain but I believe it's more than a blown head gasket.

 
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Um, that's lower end bearings, and probably chucked a rod out the side of the block. "Your engine has gone to $&#%"

A lot like these:









Really, I wasn't trying to be smartass about it.
But you probably need an engine no matter what.

 
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yeah, without taking the engine out, the oil markings and build-up on that image look like mine. I didnt get a good look at it to see if there was a hole knocked through it but I'm pretty sure that might be the case. And I know you werent, trust me lol. Thanks for the input on this situation. Im actually selling the car with my sound system and HID Projector headlights for 1800. Got someone interested in it and knows the car needs to be towed so with luck, I'll put it towards something better.

 
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Go donate a pint of blood and then run a mile afterwards, let me know how you feel. And thats only being 12% low on blood, as opposed to you running your car @ say 25% low on oil all the time.

lol at this thread...engine gone to **** cel code...love it.