My Car Has a Major Engine Oil Leak

Reader Question

The most important thing is that I have NO money. No extra money to buy another car or to have a car payment. Now here is the problem and it seems like a big one. Son was driving car and started making noise and smoking so he pulled over and had it towed. Shop (people I trust) replaced the radiator and thermostat (?) and antifreeze and thought it looked ok. A day or so later the car started leaking major oil.

They said it would be about $700 to fix it or just keep oil in it. We were going to just keep oil in it but my son (who knows nothing about cars) says he is putting in at least two quarts a day. I went out to check it and check the oil and it wasn’t obvious where the oil was. It looked over filled to me but the oil was very light and thin and hard to see. I turned it on and white smoke came out the tailpipe.

It stopped smoking and I sat inside and watched the oil gauge and oil light and it was normal. The ac was on and seem cool but I wasn’t paying attention to that so much. As I drove around the block it acted sluggish and the smoke came back. It is still parked. I could try to scrape up the $700 to buy us more time. Is it too serious? More than the oil? Lots more than the $700 in your opinion?

I would have to have it towed back to the shop to have it checked out again. don’t want to drive it that far. thanks

Hi there, how are you today?

Well, this could be serious….but we need to get more information from your mechanic.  I would ask him these questions.

Where is the oil leak?  Internally inside the engine, or externally and leaking on the ground?

What color is the smoke out the tailpipe?  Blue is burning oil, Black is too much unburned fuel inside the engine, and White is steam from an internal engine coolant leak.  Blue is the worst, and most costly, white second, black third.

Why did the engine loose power?  Running out of engine oil will cause the engine to try and seize up…thus loose power, and overheating can also do the same.

What are you going to fix for $700, and is there another option?

What guarantee are you going to give me that the oil leak, overheating AND loss of power complaints are going to be repaired for this price?

If you can get those answered I can help you more.

Blessings,
Austin Davis