This morning the temp gauge said my car was hot so she checked the water and there was none. so after work she drove to the nearest water supply and filled it. She started to drive and it started to buck and jerk and would not go when she pressed on the gas.
The temp had gone down. but the oil pressure dropped. it ran smooth for a few minutes. Â She made it home turned it off and it will not start. I looked in the radiator and there was some greyish oily gunk and when I took the oil filler cap off water dripped out the water was brown.
What would this be? I checked the oil on the dip stick and it was dirty brown not quite black. we just had the fuel pump and filter and plugs changed the other day for a no start symptom. it ran fine for a few days then the above happened.
Jeff
Hi there Jeff,Â
Hummm, sounds weird alright. My first concern is that the engine overheated severely and there is internal damage. This is going to be a little hard for you to determine yourself, unless you can rent a cooling system pressure tester from your local auto parts. If you can, you can pressurize the cooling system and help you determine if there is an internal or external coolant leak.
If the engine got hot enough, it can do some extensive damage internally and not allow the engine to start or run properly again.You should really have the towed to a mechanic and let them determine what is going on…or not going on.
Since the engine is not starting it is missing at least one key ingredient, spark, fuel pressure, and compression/ignition timing
Lack of compression can happen due to overheating and internal damage being done, lack of spark can be due to a bad crankshaft position sensor or ignition coil, or ignition module and lack of fuel pressure from a bad fuel pump or lack of power to the fuel pump.
Unfortunately this is not going to be an easy diagnosis without proper test equipment and knowledge of their use. Â Sorry, but you need to have it towed to the mechanic. Feel free to email me back once you get a diagnosis and we can see if you have alternatives or options to save money.
In case there is an internal coolant leak like from a blown headgasket you might want to try the headgasket sealer that I talk about here in this video. You are going to have to get the engine to start and run first, but if you can do that…it would be worth a try IF there is an internal coolant leak.
Blessings,
Austin Davis