I was driving my car (99 Saturn) and then all of a sudden I heard a clicking noise, the car started to slow down, all the lights on the dash lite up (oil, check engine etc) then I heard a loud noise like something broke and then there was white smoke ... I coasted to the side of the road and popped the hood - not too much smoke coming out - I checked the obvious things - water, oil and realized my oil was empty - I attempted to put oil in it and when I tried to start the car there was a loud screeching noise for a few tries - the screeching noise went away and the car sounds like it wants to start but it's not turning over - what could this be?
2007-09-08 04:45:54 · 6 answers · asked by Lisa M 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Sounds like you might have seized the engine. Never operate an engine without oil!!!!
I was driving my car (99 Saturn) and then all of a sudden I heard a clicking noise, the car started to slow down, all the lights on the dash lite up (oil, check engine etc)
This was the engine dying and turning off the car...
then I heard a loud noise like something broke and then there was white smoke ...
Loud noise was probably something breaking due to lack of lubrication. (oil) White smoke is normally steam from radiator. Are you sure the smoke wasn't blue. Blue smoke comes from burning oil.
I coasted to the side of the road and popped the hood - not too much smoke coming out - I checked the obvious things - water, oil and realized my oil was empty - I attempted to put oil in it and when I tried to start the car there was a loud screeching noise for a few tries -
Loud screeching may have been the starter motor attempting to turn an engine that no longer wanted to turn. It may even have been the sound of the starter stripping the teeth off it's start gears.
the screeching noise went away and the car sounds like it wants to start but it's not turning over - what could this be?
If the teeth stripped off the starter gear, that would explain why it still wants to start, but without teeth on the gear you can't turn it over.
The possible solution is to first see if the engine can be turned over by hand with a wrench or something like that. If you can rotate the engine by hand a few times with oil back in the crankcase the engine might still be salvageable even if it did seize up. Was the oil pressure light on before this happened. I guess on your car it would have been the oil and the check engine lights.
2007-09-08 04:56:22 · answer #1 · answered by CB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Repeat after me ' no oil no travel ' oil is an essential for an internal combustion engine, when you allow the oil to become empty within your engine you will seize the engine. If I was you I would start looking at the new car dealers for those programs they run where all you need is a vehicle that you can push, pull, tow, or drag in and get your trade in allowance.
You say it is a 1999 Saturn that makes it nine years old, the cost of changing engines will be more than the vehicle is worth. Best advise is to do what I have suggested you do, get as much as possible on a trade and next time REMEMBER to check your oil level as well as ALL fliud levels...
Good luck
2007-09-08 12:01:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The engine has seized and must be rebuilt or replaced. What happened is you let the engine run dry, allowing the moving parts to create an extrodinary amount of heat and friction. Heat and friction kills engines, as well as machines in general. Oil is there to signifigantly reduce heat and friction.
2007-09-08 12:10:18 · answer #3 · answered by kontrolfreak66 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First have your battery replaced with a new one if your battery is over 4 years old. Then take your car to a Saturn dealer and ask them for an estimate of repairs. Then only repair the most important things or trade in the car.
2007-09-08 11:55:48 · answer #4 · answered by bobweb 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
whatever it is, Its going to cost big bucks to fix, Sounds like a piston ring broke, or a rod broke maybe. maybe even going through your oil pan, (thus, no oil) white smoke (not steam) usualy means oil. Could be a cracked block,or blown head gasquet, though that usualy doesnt make a sound like that. Hopefully, you had drivetrain coverage. Maybe its not bad, hopefully.
2007-09-08 12:02:49 · answer #5 · answered by Big hands Big feet 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oops....Your engine is "TOAST".
2007-09-08 11:58:15 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋