engine locked

[MysteriousMind]

I want to start by saying that I kow nothing about cars. My question is I bought a 93 toyota corolla in January of this year. I always bring my car to Meineke, which I've recently heard was a bad idea, but just so everyone knows, this is the only place my car has been. My car was running fine but I had scheduled an oil change since my car was now almost 3,500 miles past the last one. Typically I would do it on time but I was in RI for a week and wanted to wait until my mecanic could do it. I was on the highway when all of a sudden my oil light comes on. I tried to pull over as quickly as possible but my car had squeeled and then I heard a pop. My mecanic says that there was no oil in the car. Now I admit I didn't check the oil but I always kept up on my oil changes and there was no oil in my drive way. Is it possible that Meineke didn't put enough oil in my car during the prior oil change?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It's very possible and even likely that meineke underfilled it.

But, you really can't blame meineke for this. As the guy said, it's possible it burned it due to some unrelated engine issue, or leaked on the highway, or any number of things. If this happened 4-500 miles after the oil change then it would be one thing - but it happened over 3500 miles later.

For what it's worth, NEVER trust ANY oil place period. I have had my german cars over and underfilled by the dealers, performance shops, etc etc etc.

Also you really should check the oil every 1000 miles or so. Every fillup is best (but overkill), but to go 3500 miles and never check the oil is negligent in my opinion.

That being said, most toyota/honda engines seem to tolerate low oil fairly well. You may be able to let it cool off, fill it with oil, maybe squirt a bit in each cylinder and let it sit and be ok.



The irony of the timing of this thread is absolutely beautiful to me.

 

[LTC8K6]

Since you don't have a habit of checking the oil, it's going to be difficult to say what the oil level might have been at any given time.

My guess is that the car is using oil due to it's age, and it just used it up over time.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's very possible and even likely that meineke underfilled it.

But, you really can't blame meineke for this. As the guy said, it's possible it burned it due to some unrelated engine issue, or leaked on the highway, or any number of things. If this happened 4-500 miles after the oil change then it would be one thing - but it happened over 3500 miles later.

For what it's worth, NEVER trust ANY oil place period. I have had my german cars over and underfilled by the dealers, performance shops, etc etc etc.

Also you really should check the oil every 1000 miles or so. Every fillup is best (but overkill), but to go 3500 miles and never check the oil is negligent in my opinion.

That being said, most toyota/honda engines seem to tolerate low oil fairly well. You may be able to let it cool off, fill it with oil, maybe squirt a bit in each cylinder and let it sit and be ok.



The irony of the timing of this thread is absolutely beautiful to me.

It does illustrate it nicely.

Also highlights the difference between a level light and a pressure light.

The squeal is bugging me. Did something else lock up, making a belt squeal, and slowing the engine down, making the low oil pressure light come on?

Is the engine actually okay, even though it was very low on oil?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It does illustrate it nicely.

Also highlights the difference between a level light and a pressure light.

The squeal is bugging me. Did something else lock up, making a belt squeal, and slowing the engine down, making the low oil pressure light come on?

Is the engine actually okay, even though it was very low on oil?

Ooo good point. I'm curious of the outcome. OP you said you took it the mechanic, what was the ultimate result of all this?

Oil light first, then a squeal, then a pop. In my (limited one time) experience of seeing an engine run dry with no oil, it just seized. There was no noise or anything like that.

 

[Ferzerp]

It's very possible and even likely that meineke underfilled it.

But, you really can't blame meineke for this. As the guy said, it's possible it burned it due to some unrelated engine issue, or leaked on the highway, or any number of things. If this happened 4-500 miles after the oil change then it would be one thing - but it happened over 3500 miles later.

For what it's worth, NEVER trust ANY oil place period. I have had my german cars over and underfilled by the dealers, performance shops, etc etc etc.

Also you really should check the oil every 1000 miles or so. Every fillup is best (but overkill), but to go 3500 miles and never check the oil is negligent in my opinion.

That being said, most toyota/honda engines seem to tolerate low oil fairly well. You may be able to let it cool off, fill it with oil, maybe squirt a bit in each cylinder and let it sit and be ok.



The irony of the timing of this thread is absolutely beautiful to me.

It's more fun when they leave the old gasket in place (so that you have 2), and you blow it out under high pressure, or when they just don't tighten it enough. and eventually you start dumping oil.....

 

[JCH13]

Seems you lost oil pressure (obvious) and couldn't stop the engine before the critical components used what oil was left in the galleys/passages.

You could try to refill and see what happens, but I'd put money on needing to tear down the engine.

It's possible Meineke slightly underfilled you on the last change, but OTOH I've driven a Corolla that burned 2qts of oil on a 1200 mile interstate trip. I would not be the least bit surprised if you simply burned away a couple quarts of oil to get a pressure warning light, and then sloshed the remaining oil away from the oil pickup by braking hard. Tough break.

 

[jupiter57]

The squeal is bugging me. Did something else lock up, making a belt squeal, and slowing the engine down, making the low oil pressure light come on?

Is the engine actually okay, even though it was very low on oil?

Hmmm, on another Auto forum I frequent, one guy had his A/C compressor lock up on him, he thought his engine was locked up (although it would start for a few seconds, until the compressor clutch energized)
It took some time before anyone could figure out exactly what was wrong!

May want to remove your belt(s) & see if it will turn over at all.

 

[phucheneh]

Random thoughts:

The 'squeal then pop' sounds a bit strange.

3500 miles is not a bad oil change interval.

Chain shops can be okay, but it's pretty much down to the local management, and who they hire. Even a fairly well-managed shop is unlikely to have a great set of lube guys, though, so checking the oil after a change is definitely a good idea. Also, your car is twenty years old...it's going to use some oil. Checking it at LEAST every thousand miles is a good idea.

Underfilling is somewhat unlikely. Most people are going to at least know enough to throw four quarts in most Japanese 4 cyls. You might even have the one that only takes like 3.5. Forgetting to put ANYTHING in it (or double-filling) is a lot more common that leaving the oil level low.

This may not be your fault at all, unfortunately, never having checked the oil, you kind of have to leg to stand on as far as accusing the shop of any wrongdoing.

 

[Ferzerp]

Hmmm, on another Auto forum I frequent, one guy had his A/C compressor lock up on him, he thought his engine was locked up (although it would start for a few seconds, until the compressor clutch energized)
It took some time before anyone could figure out exactly what was wrong!

May want to remove your belt(s) & see if it will turn over at all.

If your compressor is locked, your belt will just slip by it (and heat up the pulley such that once you stop the car, the belt will cook, and break). It's not going to hold back an engine of reasonable power.

Ask me how I know what happens... :/

 

[JCH13]

Hmmm, on another Auto forum I frequent, one guy had his A/C compressor lock up on him, he thought his engine was locked up (although it would start for a few seconds, until the compressor clutch energized)
It took some time before anyone could figure out exactly what was wrong!

May want to remove your belt(s) & see if it will turn over at all.

Without seeing an oil warning light, that might be more likely. Having an accessory seize up coincidentally to, yet immediately after, seeing a low oil pressure light? That's just wishful thinking.

 

[phucheneh]

If your compressor is locked, your belt will just slip by it (and heat up the pulley such that once you stop the car, the belt will cook, and break). It's not going to hold back an engine of reasonable power.

Ask me how I know what happens... :/

What sucks is when the belt shreds and wraps itself around every accessory.

I actually had a Corolla with a belt that went and wrapped its fibers all around the the gap between the AC pulley and the compressor. I did the right repair- new belt, new compressor; but I actually had just assumed the belt committed the murder and not vice versa...durp, random hindsight is 20/20.

I forgot to say, OP, how did you/they deem that the engine was locked, again? You need to put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and see if it moves at all, in either direction (you may break the bolt loose when going CCW, but if that happens, the engine's toast, anyhow).

If you can move it a certain amount, and then it stops at the same point every time, that's usually a bent connecting rod. If it's just absolutely jammed in place, that's usually a spun main or rod bearing. Rod bearings usually go first, which basically welds the rod to the crank journal.

Oh, and remember that 'no oil on the dipstick' is not the same as 'no oil.' Popping the drain plug and seeing what comes out (oil, sludge, metal, coolant, Jimmy Hoffa...) may tell a story.

As little as 1 qt below the 'low' mark on the stick (which would technically be 2 quarts low) can cause it to not read at all. The stick tyically won't touch the bottom of the pan, whereas the pickup for the oil pump should be very close to it. So it may just be a coincidence that you had low oil (but not none) and the engine 'sploded.

If you have access to the car (if it's not on a rack at the shop) and some basic tools, I can give you a few pointers for trying to figure out exactly what happened, should you like.

edit: and if you're in TN, let me give you my card.

 

[LTC8K6]

If your compressor is locked, your belt will just slip by it (and heat up the pulley such that once you stop the car, the belt will cook, and break). It's not going to hold back an engine of reasonable power.

Ask me how I know what happens... :/

It can drop the idle low enough to trigger an oil pressure switch, I believe. It doesn't stop the engine.

Again, not saying that's what actually happened, just hoping for the OP's engine.

 

[BUTCH1]

Sorry OP, when your driving a car that old, (even one running fine) it's very common to need to add oil between changes, seals can get worn, ect. You might have had a minor usage that got bigger without you knowing it..

 

[nerp]

Where in RI? I live there.

 

[Twista]

Wait, why would the oil light come on when its empty? On my car the light comes on when its 1-2 quarts low which gives you a warning you need to check your oil level. Same for gas lights on cars. It would come on when your near low.. not when your about to run out 1 second later.

Does the light come on when your low on or oil or when you loose pressure?

 

[Greenman]

Wait, why would the oil light come on when its empty? On my car the light comes on when its 1-2 quarts low which gives you a warning you need to check your oil level. Same for gas lights on cars. It would come on when your near low.. not when your about to run out 1 second later.

Does the light come on when your low on or oil or when you loose pressure?

You're confusing an oil pressure light with a oil low light. Older cars don't have oil level lights, just oil pressure lights. Generally speaking, when the oil pressure light comes on, your engine is on the verge of catastrophic failure.

 

[Twista]

You're confusing an oil pressure light with a oil low light. Older cars don't have oil level lights, just oil pressure lights. Generally speaking, when the oil pressure light comes on, your engine is on the verge of catastrophic failure.

Ah alright. My 1995 mustang has a low oil light. Well, that sucks. :'(

 

[phucheneh]

Ah alright. My 1995 mustang has a low oil light. Well, that sucks. :'(

You sure? I can't recall Ford doing that.

Is there anything on the side of the oilpan with a little pigtail connecting it to the engine harness?

 

[Zenmervolt]

You sure? I can't recall Ford doing that.

Ford definitely had an oil level sensor in the '95 GTs. The V6 models did not have an oil level sensor (at least, not in the 4th gen models).

ZV

 

[deadken]

... Older cars don't have oil level lights, just oil pressure lights....

My 1993 Pontiac Bonneville has a low oil level light. FWIW: It also has a check gauges light that comes on when the oil pressure gauge drops...

 

[leper84]

The chances of any place under or not filling your car with oil and it lasting 3500 miles until something bad happens are slim to none.

The chances of a 20 year old car burning/leaking 4 quarts of oil in 3500 miles are very, very high.

OP you have to check your oil level, with a car that age at least weekly. If you're driving any substantial distance on the highway you should be checking it every hour or two or every time you fill up on gas. A car that age isn't one you can just get in and drive. Even if there is no oil leaking on your driveway it doesn't mean you aren't leaking at all, or you don't have a small leak thats about to get really big; nor would it stop toyota's oil hungry valve stem seals from that era....