I have a problem. In my everyday driver I think I threw a rod. How can I tell if I did? When it starts (which is a good sign I think) it sounds like something is flipping around inside the engine and hitting the sides. It is a 4-banger. It is in a 1989 S-10. No one is willing to buy it and junk metal places will only give me $50 for it. Let me explain how it happened and maybe someone will be able to help me out. I was driving home from Kroger (grocery store) and as I turned into my apartment complex my truck died. I coast to my apartment and just cuss up a storm. I ran out of oil. My oil pressure was too high and it was blowing oil up into the air filter. I guess my real question is can this be fixed by a novice mechanic and a couple of Chilton's and Haynes repair manuals? Thanks for your help. I need to get this running because my baby does not like the cold and snow.

Sorry wrong place. I am adding a link somewhere else. Answer here or in the other spot.

 

i cant tell you for sure but it doesnt sound like a thrown rod. i dont think your engine would even start. does it fire on all 4? dont worry about using oil. my daily driver is a 1957 MGA convertable (little british sports car). it goes through a quart every 2 weeks. as long as its not gushing out the bottom your engine will run, but its still not good to be leaking.

 

I don't know if it fires on all four or not. I do know that it will start and it will run for like a minute or so and then it will die. I have no idea what it is or how to fix it. I am a newbie as some refer to them as in fixing/repairing vehicles. I have done a little bit of work on some cars but they were easily diagnosed problems (i.e water pumps, flat tires, oil changes) simple stuff like that. Thanks for your help. Hopefully I have explained it a little more.

 

Doesn't sound good for ya. I personally think you did. Since it had no oil. It might have also been a piece of metal got in your engine and grenaded the cylinder. Thats what happened to my friend's Z28.

The engine will start. I have seen it many times. It will just run on 3 cylinders.

Take a screwdriver and place it to the block. Take the handle of the screwdriver and put it to your ear and see if you can hear something very loud slapping the block.

 

I don't need to do that. I can hear something hitting from inside of the cab of the truck. I think I am just going to junk it. I found a couple other trucks that are newer and nicer than the one I have. I would like to keep it because there is no payment on it but I got to do what I got to do. Thanks for all your help.

 

Sorry to hear that, I know where your coming from.

 

Pull the spark plugs and look at them. If any are damaged then the piston is coming up and smaking the head for some reason or a valve broke.

High oil pressure doesn't blow oil into the air cleaner. Oil in the air cleaner comes from inside the crankcase. It's part of the PCV system. If there's lots of oil in the air cleaner then the crankcase pressure is high. This can be from excess blow-by (bad rings) or a hole in the piston.

If the engine is making a lot of noise, I'd guess on the hole in the piston. Check the plugs for damage.

Is there any oil in the rad? Is there any coolent in the crankcase?

Sounds like it needs a new engine. It can be a lot cheaper than rebuilding that one if it has damaged parts.

 

If you threw a rod..its over bro..and it aint gonna start. check your oil if there is large metal objects its lights out.

 

If its a 2.5 they are bad about chunking the number 3 rod towards the drivers side. Its hard to see since the engine is black and the hole won't be that big. Happened to me when I was in Vo-tech for auto mechanics. Usually the crank rod and piston are trash and the block can be patched. I've seen a few do the exact same thing. I have a good engine if you are anywhere close to Oklahoma, it came out of above mentioned 89 S-10 and is ready to go.

 

I wish I was close out that way. Driving that truck sure beats the hell out of driving my Camaro in the snow. I am calling today to have it towed away and destroyed. It will be sad seeing as it was the first car I had bought. Oh well life goes on. Atleast it wasn't my Camaro (knock on wood). Thanks for all of your help.