Engine rattle noise

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Allen - 27 Mar 2005 07:14 GMT

I have a celica 2001 GT. Yesterday the oil light flashed a couple of
times. Shortly after a rattle noise began in the engine. I checked the
oil and it was almost empty, so i filled it. The noise however did not
go away and the engine is now stalling shortly after starting the car.
The last oil change was performed in January.

I will tow the car to the dealer on monday if they are open, but for
now i'd like to know if anyone had the same scenario and what could be
the problem?

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Ted Mittelstaedt - 27 Mar 2005 08:07 GMT

> I have a celica 2001 GT. Yesterday the oil light flashed a couple of
> times. Shortly after a rattle noise began in the engine. I checked the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> now i'd like to know if anyone had the same scenario and what could be
> the problem?

You better be prepared to buy a new or rebuilt engine.

I am guessing that you have had an engine that has been leaking oil for
months if not longer, and you have been blissfully unaware of it. Or worse,
you have got into the habit of just adding a quart
whenever you remember to do so.

You need to understand that anytime you run an engine with so little oil
that the oil light flashes, such as if you come to a stop hard and the oil
sloshes
forward, or you go around a corner and the oil sloshes over, that what is
happening is that your oil pickup is sucking air, and your putting air
bubbles
into the oil feeds on the main bearings. It is not so much an issue with
ring lubrication, but your rod and main bearings must remain lubed, and
if your running 40Mph down the road and you feed air to these bearing
surfaces for 10-15 seconds, it is like idling the engine with no oil for
2-3 minutes - your going to ruin your bearings. You probably blew out a
rod end bearing and if you run the engine much longer your going to end
up with the rod coming off the crankshaft and being driven through the
side of the block, in which case it won't even be possible to rebuild the
engine. And the rest of the bearings in the engine are about ready to
go also.

I am sorry, it's a nasty lesson to learn, but you really need to get into
the
habit of checking oil level every time you buy gasoline. And if your one
of those who is adding oil all the time, any time you have an oil leak
that is more than a quart every 2000 miles, you really need to repair
whatever
seals are leaking ASAP. Don't screw around with it!

Ted

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Al Bundy - 27 Mar 2005 14:17 GMT

" And if your one of those who is adding oil all the time, any time you
have an oil leak
that is more than a quart every 2000 miles, you really need to repair
whatever seals are leaking ASAP."

Join the real world. Yes, check the oil all the time of course. But
even manufacturers allow much more oil usage than a quart in 2000
miles, some down to 600 miles. The key is to keep up with the oil
depletion. My neighbor has a Taurus with a bad main seal leak. I top it
off every day for her and she's been driving it this way for over a
year due to financial problems.

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Ted Mittelstaedt - 30 Mar 2005 07:20 GMT

> " And if your one of those who is adding oil all the time, any time you
> have an oil leak
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> even manufacturers allow much more oil usage than a quart in 2000
> miles, some down to 600 miles.

They are talking oil usage though the engine, not through a seal leak.
Oil usage where the oil is being burned in the combustion chamber is
NOT an oil leak. It is normal usage. Re-read my post.

An oil leak of a quart in 2000 miles down to a quart in 600 miles is
definitely a warranty item - that much oil the entire bottom of the
engine and the car is going to be a black disgusting mess.

> The key is to keep up with the oil
> depletion. My neighbor has a Taurus with a bad main seal leak. I top it
> off every day for her and she's been driving it this way for over a
> year due to financial problems.

That is your choice - I would find it pretty tiresome to go out every
morning espically in the rain to do this. I would think that a lot of
people
would start skipping days and end up with a wasted engine.

Ted

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Al Bundy - 31 Mar 2005 02:14 GMT

> > " And if your one of those who is adding oil all the time, any time you
> > have an oil leak
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> Ted

Well Ted, some of us are not pussies. We can go out in the rain and
check a neighbor's oil to save an engine. I keep it topped off so that
if a day were to get missed in an emergency, it would still live. Fact
is, the owner of the vehicle is a somewhat irresponsible alcoholic who
was supposed to get another vehicle long ago. My weakness is that I
can't stand to see an otherwise good engine melt down from low oil. So
I guess that makes me an enabler.

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« Paul » - 27 Mar 2005 17:42 GMT

Sounds like the bearings are wiped and it needs a new engine.

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