This is referring to my 97 Nissan Altima. I know its not a third gen but I've been part of this forum for a while and I'm not sure where else to turn. Earlier today as I was driving home my car overheated real bad. I turned on the heat and no heat came out, but the engine did cool a little. Soon after I heard a clicking noise in the engine which told me my oil was running low. I pulled over and realized the radiator was cracked and the heat burn a lot of oil. I put in 4 more quarts of oil and let the engine cool down just so I could go the few more miles home. Once I got home I heard a little clicking again. So my question is do you think it's just the radiator? Is it normal for the oil to burn away quickly when it overheats? If anyone has any helpful tips it would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU! O and the car has a 2.4 fuel injected 4 cylinder with duel cams.

 

if you put 4 qts of oil in, something is horrubly wrong. Overheating can crack blocks and heads. this may be the case. Check for steam from the exhaust, and mily oil.

 

It has been my experience that when a car is over heating it can cause all sorts of wierd things. I would say get a radiator and see if it runs alright then. But NEVER drive a car when it's in the red. Because like 86 TA said you can crack a block or head, but you could also warp a head, or numerous other things.

I never follow my own advice and I have drivin several cars way too hot and I have been extremely lucky and haven't had any damage because of it. But like I said LUCKY, I have heard of people barely overheating and warping a head.

Good Luck

 

What do you mean by "mily oil"?

 

He meant "milky" meaning oil and water mixed and looks like milk chocolate......

 

Ok well the oil is oil color. Its a little thin but I did just put it in yesterday. I ran the engine today and it started up without any weird noises so I'm going to cross my fingers and put in the new radiator tomorrow and hopefully I'll be fine.

 

Two years is a 'long time'?

While you're at it flush the system before hand and swap out the stat as well. I'd also pressure test the system after the new radiator is on.

 

Actually I said "a while"

I just installed the new radiator but I'm not getting heat inside the car. A little smoke is coming out of my exhaust but I checked the oil and theres no trace of coolent in it so I'm pretty sure the head gasket is intacted but not sure if I burned a gasket somewhere else.

 

'a while' in the context you used it in typically signified 'a long time'.

Pressure test the system, my bet is, IF it's not condensation burning off and you still are losing coolant and it's still puffing out the tail, AND you aren't losing it somewhere on the path to the heater core, you lost a head gasket.