[ded548]

So yesterday I had an oil light show up so i checked the oil and it was low three quarts. I tossed in three quarts and it was a little low in the dipstick (normal for a running motor) so I went on my way and it was quiet and operating normally for maybe 30 miles. The car was off for a couple hours then I had to return home and the engine starting making a clattering valve noise, but very loudly. It quieted down then came back as a rod knock this morning. Thast stopped, and now I'm hearing the clattering very loudly now....


Is there some valve that could be stuck closed or something? I'm good with cars, but new to these motors.
Thanks guys!

 

[trailangel]

You ran out of oil, was probably 4 qts low.

 

[Guest]

^^^What he said. Time for a new engine. Check your oil regularly, folks!

 

[ded548]

It was only three quarts down when I put in the three quarts. I'm at perfect oil level. I just checked it after it had been sitting a few hours. Regardless, I'm trying to figure out what I'm listening to. It doesn't sound like piston slap, and it only had occasionally sounded loud enough to make me think a rod. Are these engines prone to uneven circulation to the orientation of the cylinders?

I guess what I'm wondering is if I've blown a piston ring or rod bearing due to poor lubrication, or if I bent something in the valve train. What is most likely to have happened?

 

[Shakeman]

Pull the engine and report back. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

The oil light only comes on when you're nearly out of oil. Even if there was a quart or two in the system, there'd be so little in the pan that it would oil starve on turns, and the little volume of oil in the system would be acquiring a lot of contaminants.

Oil starvation hurts all parts of the engine. Depending on how bad the rod bearings look, you could be in for a rebuild.