84 caprice engine knock and death

[Solomon Cloud]

so my caprice has been acting real rough as of late. a few days ago my radiator blew on the freeway at 60 mph.

technical information on the car 50,000 miles (maybe), 305 with 4bbl carb, mostly bone stock. New water pump and hoses

I replaced the radiator and everything was all good until last night. The overheat dummy lamp turned on and I proceeded to a gas station a block away, needless to say the car died before making it there. I restarted it and started to drive to the station and the engine started clattering and knocking violently I parked it and popped the hood and the engine was smoking real badly and it smelt like oil. I checked the oil and the car was absent of it. opened the oil filler cap and smoke poured out of it rapdily.

I abandoned the car and went home came back the next day and threw 3 quarts into the engine. Got a jump start and it started just fine with no engine knock whatsoever. Started to drive it back home (about 4 miles) and halfway the knock was present again, stopped and got more oil and the knock went away. The overheat lamp came back on and I coasted the rest of the way home because the knock came back and I dont want to seize the engine.

Parked it in the driveway and I noticed a substantial leak from the oil pan and also a small leak of coolant from the new radiator near the drain plug. I've left it alone and am wondering would the leak from the oil pan cause this knock and would it affect oil pressure enough to allow the engine to get as hot as it is getting.

this car is my baby and I really need it running for school and work. I'm just hoping it was not damaged too badly from the lack of oil. I also checked the oil 6 hours after parking it today and it was full, but when I checked it shortly after I got it home it had no oil (so I'm real confused).

[bobss396]

The oil has to be going somewhere especially the amount you're going through. Not having the car in front of me this is hard to diagnose, but check these things first. Make sure the oil filter is on, the oil plug is in and there is no hole in the oil pan. Wipe everything down on the pan and lower block and you should find the source of the leak.

The behavior that you describe goes with a severe lack of oil. If the engine does quit due to a no-oil condition, damage might be permanent.

Bob

[Solomon Cloud]

weird revelation I was tooling around with the car and noticed the oil leak was not oil but the seal on the transmission pan was bad. I also decided to check the upper radiator hose and it was bone dry. I replaced the thermostat and its running great now. I am assuming that the oil that was all burned up by the thermostat staying closed and the engine getting excessivly hot.

it is still overheating but I may be low on coolant and I am also noticing that the a/c compressor is engaging and back tracking when I turn the heater on. this may be causing the car to die when I make turns every so often because it is acting like the bearing on the clutch are bad.

still the car is drivable and it no longer smokes or knocks but its just somewhat infuriating at the same time. I may just be low on coolant or oil and that may be causing it to get a little too hot but I'll just have to keep on digging.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by Solomon Cloud

weird revelation I was tooling around with the car and noticed the oil leak was not oil but the seal on the transmission pan was bad. I also decided to check the upper radiator hose and it was bone dry. I replaced the thermostat and its running great now. I am assuming that the oil that was all burned up by the thermostat staying closed and the engine getting excessivly hot.

it is still overheating but I may be low on coolant and I am also noticing that the a/c compressor is engaging and back tracking when I turn the heater on. this may be causing the car to die when I make turns every so often because it is acting like the bearing on the clutch are bad.

still the car is drivable and it no longer smokes or knocks but its just somewhat infuriating at the same time. I may just be low on coolant or oil and that may be causing it to get a little too hot but I'll just have to keep on digging.

I hate to be the bringer of bad news here, but knocking from no oil is never a good thing. You have most likely spun a bearing and if it's not making noise now, that's a temporary thing. Engine rebuild time.

[Solomon Cloud]

its already been planned for a rebuild, but I might aswell go ahead and swap to a 350 because I have a friend who just rebuilt one and I am thinking this may be the time to upgrade....