Is It Toast?

[randym456]

OK, I'm driving into work, last red light before my turn in, look down, almost no oil pressure. Already left the light, blinker on, coast into the lot engine running. I work for a Mazda dealership, so we put it on the lift. Front crank seal leaking like a sieve. No knocks, though. Still oil in the pan, just not alot.
Problem I'm confused about is after sitting a few days, when I filled oil to move it, exhaust smokes like a fog machine. Definately oil. Turbo seals? Still runs fine. Hasn't been driven other than to move it around lot or to the lifts a couple of times after filling the oil. It needs to be rebuilt anyway, 170,000 miles, but I'm in the middle of my Miata right now. Don't have the bucks right now. Where is the oil entering the exhaust system. Did not overheat. Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated. Thanks for all the tips and tech!

Randy

 

[ATL88Supra]

OK, I'm driving into work, last red light before my turn in, look down, almost no oil pressure. Already left the light, blinker on, coast into the lot engine running. I work for a Mazda dealership, so we put it on the lift. Front crank seal leaking like a sieve. No knocks, though. Still oil in the pan, just not alot.
Problem I'm confused about is after sitting a few days, when I filled oil to move it, exhaust smokes like a fog machine. Definately oil. Turbo seals? Still runs fine. Hasn't been driven other than to move it around lot or to the lifts a couple of times after filling the oil. It needs to be rebuilt anyway, 170,000 miles, but I'm in the middle of my Miata right now. Don't have the bucks right now. Where is the oil entering the exhaust system. Did not overheat. Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated. Thanks for all the tips and tech!

Randy

blown turbo seal, or the rings are shot

 

[randym456]

blown turbo seal, or the rings are shot

Possibly, but no smoke what so ever before crank seal leaking. Oil pressure could have been low for a few miles. The million dollar question? How long.

 

[Poodles]

Do you have the funds and time to pull the engine out?

It might be fine and you might be able to just throw bearings in it (if you're in there, you might as well do it), but if it starts to knock, things get worse FAST.

It's really up to you. How is the oil pressure now after you put oil in it?

 

[IwantMKIII]

i ran my car no oil pressure by accident. Popped my front main and didn't know it. I drove from West virginia to Phila., PA area, didn't notice the low to no oil pressure until about a week after i had gotten home. At times I thought it was my oil pressure gauge not working as it is very tempermental in cold weather. I added oil, fixed the seal and no issues since.

keep in mind however, this happened when the engine only had about 6K miles on it, not 170K