[Cali Prelude]

I was driving today, making a few runs against some Eclipse (burnt his butt!!) but then after awhile, I started hearing some noise from my engine. Above 3k RPM it would get loud! Like it would sound harsh. And when I let off the gas and let the engine slow the car down, it would sound loud and harsh also.

So, naturally, I pull over at a gas station and check the oil level. THERE WAS NONE! There was none on the dip stick what-so-ever! I was horrified! I had just gotten my oil changed maybe a month or so ago. Maybe 3 weeks or so.

Anyways, I put 1.5 quarts in and brought it back up to normal levels. But the engine is still making that noise.

Any ideas what kind of damage could have been done? Whats going on? Wore out a bearing??

I'm going to bring it into the shop tomorrow to make sure everything is OK but just wanted to find out more on my own first. Either to get the worst of news or maybe its just nothing and I don't have to worry about it.

Anyways, let me know guys. I'm kinda worried.
Thanks.....

 

[vabeach_lude]

was it knocking? if u didnt have oil then your pistons would have been knocking.

 

[Cali Prelude]

Maybe it was knocking, not sure.
I'll have to check again today because after this happened, I didn't want to drive it anymore.

But I know that even after putting oil in, it was still making this noise. =o(

 

[c.J.s]

I havent heard anything like that, but if it still runs you couldent of done that much dammage. Is oil staying in the engine? No oil is leaking?

 

[Cali Prelude]

Well, seems to be fine now. No leaks or anything.
Just lately I've been running it hard so maybe its just burning oil.
It IS a 93 so its not new, so maybe thats why.

But the noise is still bothering me. Too afraid to drive it but I need to get to work.

Anyone know what else might be wrong?

Thanks for the replys so far guys. =o)

 

[vabeach_lude]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by c.J.s:
I havent heard anything like that, but if it still runs you couldent of done that much dammage. Is oil staying in the engine? No oil is leaking?</font>

Not true, you can blow a piston and your car will still run. Unless you dont consider blowing a piston bad.

 

[71dsp]

Is it still making the noise? A friend of mine did the same thing in his 5Gen. Ran the car until oil light came on. There was almost no oil in the pan.

Anyway, he spun a bearing, and ruined a cylinder wall.

I suggest you check the oil pressure at idle. If the oil pressure is low, there are defininte bearing problems (either rod or crank bearings). Either way, the engine will probably need to be torn down to find out the extent of the damage, even if there is none. I would do it as a matter of preventative maintenance.

------------------
Billy
North Texas Prelude Owners Group
www.ntpog.org

 

[vabeach_lude]

I would also suggest (after you get your motor fixed) to check your oil atleast once or twice a week (as 71dsp, preventive maintenance). The 5th gens have bad piston rings (atleast mine are awful) and I get a lot of blowby.

Since it looks like you might be getting your bottom end looked at, may I suggest some new piston rings?

------------------
14.6 @ 93.6mph with I/E

 

[VPuppy]

hey, did you ever hear about the 4th gen recall? If your car is affect honda may have to repair your damaged engine. if you didn't get this done, take it to honda. just a thought.

 

[BRacing]

4th gen recall?
Please inform us...

------------------
BRacing
"Going faster since 1994"

"Drag racing is for those that can't steer"

 

[Joon525]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by VPuppy:
hey, did you ever hear about the 4th gen recall? If your car is affect honda may have to repair your damaged engine. if you didn't get this done, take it to honda. just a thought.</font>

???

 

[Merlin1xx1]

yeah, the 4th gens were having a problem with the oil seal on the crankshaft. in some cases the seal was leaking, and supposedly once it started leaking it would leak all the oil very fast. i got mine fixed.

 

[Cali Prelude]

I believe the service bulletin covers SOME 93 (not all) but all of 94-96 and some 97 models of Preludes.
I talked to my dealer around 2 months ago about this, and they said that my car wasn't covered in it.
Oh well, I'm going back tomorrow to talk to them about it and have them check out my car.
Hopefully its okay! And nothing is wrong...

 

[Cali Prelude]

I doubt it is this problem though, as my car still keeps oil in now after I put more in.

Anyways, anyone know more about this noise coming from my motor?? =o(
Its really tripping me out. Grr....

 

[SiLude]

I have a '92 Si and had the same problem as you. If i were you i would get it checked out. I was running my car hard one day when all of the sudden the Check Engine light came on. So i drove it back home and tried to figure out what was wrong with it. There was a faint sqweeking sound coming from under the hood and when i let the car idle it started normal but then let out a series of "puffs" from the exhaust and the idle droped. I checked my oil and found that there wasnt any! This suprised me because i had just changed the oil 1,000 miles before. I put some oil in and the sqweeking went away and it seemed to clear up my problems. However, when i drove it to school the next day the check engine light came on again.... i shut the car off and tried to restart it... but it would not turn over. I kept trying to start it but after a few tries the engine didnt make a sound except for the starter. I had to have my car towed to the honda dealer where they told me that my Timing belt had snapped and i needed a rebuild... instead i got a '93 H23A and replaced my old one. This still doesnt really make sense to me... where did my oil go and why did this cause my timing belt to snap? Anyways, I wouldnt drive it until you got it checked out.

 

[LudesLudesLudes]

Uh oh.... you better get that checked out. If you keep driving your car, you will seriously damage your motor. It might only be minor right. Don't keep driving it. Your probably right on the edge of complete motor failure. In any mechanical system, once one thing is slightly off, it usually causes progressively more and more damage until you have catastrophic failure.


SiLude My guess would be that your timing belt was getting worn, and your timing was off, so you started to burn oil. Pretty soon, you burned all of your oil, and then boom, no more h23. I'm just guessing, so don't hold me to that.

LLL

 

[Cali Prelude]

Yeah, I don't drive it much.
Just today to get to work and then to take it to the shop afterwards.

Theres no smoke coming out of my car or anything, it just makes that dam noise!

I seroiusly hope its nothing bad. Can't wait to get it to the mechanic.

 

[SiLude]

Yeah, that is what i was thinking too. I still dont have my car back... hopefully soon... I mean, the guy has had it for 7 weeks now!!!!

 

[Bones45]

To the guy who said that the 5th gens have bad rings...

Where are you getting that info from???

------------------
2000 Blue Lude--5spd (of course)..

I hate this forum more and more every day.

 

[Cali Prelude]

Well, went to have the car looked at by the dealership... They say its an exhaust leak. I kinda doubt it, because I know what an exhaust leak sounds like and I don't think this is it.
They spent all of 3 mins looking at it, but I'm going to bring it back and leave it for the day so they can do a more complete check on it.
I had another mechanic look at it (a friend of mine) and he believes its the lifters floating or something.

Anyways, I dunno, nothing has changed, and nothing is definate. No idea whats wrong (for sure) yet. =o(

This sucks.....