Oil light, and coolant issues

[sho1993green]

Well the other day I pulled into my driveway and right before I went to turn the car off the red oil light started flickering at idle (1000 rpm) and I turned off the car. Jumped into the car the next day and drove it for a bit with out any issues, same again for the next day. Today I drive the car to work with out any problems. On the way home my red oil light starts flickering again at a red light, it goes away when I take off from the green light. Again another red light and it flickers again. I look at my temp gauge and its floating between the "N" and "O" on Normal. Normally it never moves past the "R". Next stop light, the oil light is no longer flickering but at full brightness. I get it in the driveway and go change into different clothes. I come out and I look under the car and it had just dumped a massive amount of something. It believe its coolant because I can see yellow/green (I'm sort of color blind) something dripping pretty good from the hose that dips down near the guard under the alternator. I check the oil level and its probably about a quart short, but I didn't have the yellow oil light come on... which I've had come on a couple times before and it needed oil. I don't have a jack to get under the car, I see it dripped from the passenger side of the front guard under the alternator/coolant reservoir (reservoir is partially full still) and all the way over near the driver side. What the heck happened?

 

[sho1993green]

Looked under it again, theirs a metal line that turns into a rubber coated line, I don't see a clamp on the transition at all, but the rubber hose must of wore against the metal guard that runs across the front of the engine below the radiator. I see feel a line worn into the line and fluid dripping out of it. Could the engine getting hot thinned out the oil enough to throw the red oil light with it being a little low on oil?

 

[JRA2000TL]

Sounds like you may have 2 different issues here....did I overlook, or did you not mention if you had an MTX (manual) or ATX (auto)? Low oil can cause low pressure; but also rod bearings are prone to more wear on a MTX car due to lugging of the motor. That may be an issue.

As for the other; looks like you've found the problem and have a burst hose. Where does this line run to/from? I know at the top of the engine there's a heater hose that's both rubber and metal; but I'm not familiar off-hand with one underneath. There's the lower (big) radiator hose that runs underneath the alternator area that you describe. It connects to a tube that runs vertically up to the water pump.

 

[sho1993green]

It's a 1993 MTX... I was hoping you didn't say bearings.. I've put more than $2,000 in the car in the past 6 months.

 

[sho1993green]

Oh and looking at the car facing the front, with the alternator to left, the metal hose runs down from around the alternator and then as it turns to the right it goes from metal to rubber and runs behind that metal protector thing that runs along the front.

 

[whiteguy3]

I've put more than $2,000 in the car in the past 6 months.

Whoa. Have you been taking it to a shop for repairs?

Without a doubt I would not drive the car unless the rod bearings are done. I don't care if that is not your initial problem; they need to be done.

 

[sho1993green]

Some a shop has done some my friend has done, but he lives 3 hours away.

 

[sperold]

The line that is both metal and flex can be repaired by removing it (if necessary) and cutting off the bad flex, and gear clamping a new flex line onto it.
Get a jack and do it yourself. You may get lucky and find a contoured hose, but it will probably be bulk hose off a roll.
When your thin oil gets super hot, your oil light will come on....every time.
Fix the hose, get it cooled off.
Consider 10 W 30 instead of 5 W 30 in the deep summer months, and use regular oil as apposed to synthetic if you are consuming it.

 

[93rev2sev]

STOOOOOOPPPPP!!!!

LOL sperold. Try to comprehend. The line he's referring to is by the ALTERNATOR. The only thing up there that's metal and rubber is an A/C line. You DON'T want to cut one of those.

 

[sho1993green]

It's directly below, near the bottom of the engine.

 

[whiteguy3]

STOOOOOOPPPPP!!!!

Correct lol...Those lines are on the driver side above the tranny and the lower heater core to block line. The line in question is not that type and should not be cut.

 

[JRA2000TL]

STOOOOOOPPPPP!!!!

LOL sperold. Try to comprehend. The line he's referring to is by the ALTERNATOR. The only thing up there that's metal and rubber is an A/C line. You DON'T want to cut one of those.

That's what I was thinking.....only tranny cooler and a/c lines run down there. The only coolant related that I recall is the large lower radiator hose that I described earlier. He's puking coolant from somewhere but not that line he describes. .

 

[sho1993green]

I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow or monday.

 

[dohcsable]

rod bearings are not difficult if you have the parts and tools(torque wrench) and can be done with the tranny in the car. All you have to do is drain fluids, remove spark plugs, drop pan(mind you 2 bellhousing bolts go through the pan), do the bearings one at a time(with assembly ****) and turn crank via crank pully, follow the stepped torque increments, then reseal the oil pan, reinstall plugs, and fill with fluid.

I did it in 4-5hrs the first time with just the how to guide found on this site. I also recommend 10w30 for summer.



IDK on the coolant hose, but possibly the radiator hose or possibly a pump issue? I'm guessing here, as I've never had to deal with it.

 

[pitaSHO]

Check the crimping on the end of the radiator. When those crips leak it can get all over the AC lines, especially if you're driving. The radiator isn't difficult to change out if that's the issue. This is a common issue with this radiator design.

Chris K.

 

[sho1993green]

The rusted as F*** line is the one in question, you can see in the second picture were it rubs against the support.

 

[walsh82]

That's an AC line and a rusted accumulator. I'd make sure there's is no R134 in the system before cracking the line.

 

[sho1993green]

Cracking the line? A few inches after the metal tube where it turns to rubber is the rip, and where it spewed all the fluid. How do I replace this? My car doesn't have functional AC, hasn't had it in years.

 

[walsh82]

By cracking the line i mean seperating the fitting and opening the system up. My guess is the radiator tanks are leaking running down those lines. The best way to check would be to pressure test the cooling system to pinpoint the leak. If it is the radiator that comes out from the top so theres no need to open up the ac system.

 

[dohcsable]

it appears you've got a bent core support so its possible its tweaked the radiator in there. I concur with leaking from the radiator though and dropping onto those lines