PT Died going around corner

[stiltz]

Yesterday I was coming home from work and my oil light came on when I stopped at a stop light. I was planning on changing the oil anyway today so I wasn't too concerned. However as I turned in to my development and the engine just shut off.

I pulled the oil dipstick and it was extermely low - not quite empty but too close. I have always had oil consumption and change my oil at 4000 miles normally and I am at 4200 since last change. I added 2 qts of oil and tried to start it again with no luck. So I pushed it the 3 blocks home and here it sits in my driveway.

Coolant looks fine, a little brown but I think that is from the red/orange coolant that is used in the PTs. Oil level was extermely low. I have never had any overheating or other problems with my PT since I bought it 2 and a half years ago.

2001 PT Cruiser non-turbo w/5spd. 116,000 miles.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. My initial thought is a blown head gasket because I can't think of where all the oil went to otherwise :/

-=StIlTz=-

[CREWZIN]

Welcome to the forum.

My thoughts? Does it turn over OK when trying to restart it? If it does, at least you didn't seize up the engine. At 116K the most likely culprit is a blown timing belt.

Along with the timing belt, change the water pump, serpentine and alternator belts and a new tensioner that came out in 2003. All about $1000.00

...and once you get it back together, check the oil more often.

[crusierdad76]

well at 116000 if you have not had the timing belt replaced then that is what i would say it was
, as far as the oil usage if you run 4000 miles between a oil change and are not using any oil in them 4000 miles that is great I change mine at 3000 and it is never low,

I don't think a head gasket would do what you explained I am guessing there is no check engine light???

[CREWZIN]

Originally Posted by crusierdad76

well at 116000 if you have not had the timing belt replaced then that is what i would say it was.

as far as the oil usage if you run 4000 miles between a oil change and are not using any oil in them 4000 miles that is great I change mine at 3000 and it is never low.

He changes it at 4K but he was over 2 quarts low! He knew he had "oil consumption" but still went 4200K before checking it.

I don't think a head gasket would do what you explained, I am guessing there is no check engine light???

Good question.

[crusierdad76]

guess we posted at the same time

I reread it and see that it was really low just before the oil change sorry my bad however being low (not totally empty) usually wont cause a cat to stall will it??????

I do know that is a head gasket goes and the cylinders fill with anti freeze and or oil the engine will not crank or it will crank really hard as the cylinder is trying to push all the liquid out that small exhaust port

[stiltz]

There was no CEL... I just scanned the car and got error code P0340

[CREWZIN]

Originally Posted by crusierdad76

guess we posted at the same time

I reread it and see that it was really low just before the oil change sorry my bad however being low (not totally empty) usually wont cause a cat to stall will it??????

Not unless it's really low, enough to seize the engine for lack of lubrication.

I do know that is a head gasket goes and the cylinders fill with anti freeze and or oil the engine will not crank or it will crank really hard as the cylinder is trying to push all the liquid out that small exhaust port

It can do a lot more damage than that. Water doesn't compress and other things have to "give" if the piston can't reach TDC (Top Dean Center) like a rod bending.

I was oversea at a friends shop and saw a piston laying on it's top with the rod attached at the bottom. The rod with in a semi-circle and I asked about it. It came from a small delivery truck that ran thru a large puddle and water ws sucked up into the intake. The piston couldn't go anywhere so the (steel) ron had to go somewhere so it bent to give the piston room to move inside the cylinder.

[CREWZIN]

P0340 = Camshaft position sensor.

Easy fix if that's the problem. The timing belt breaking will also send various fault codes like that and Crankshaft position sensor because everything stops turning and the sensors aren't able to send a signal to the computer.

The Camshaft position sensor is on the top right side of the engine. Easy to change out and costs somewhere around $40 (I think).

[crusierdad76]

Cruzin I was running down I44 in my 1989 Chevy 1 ton puling a 3 horse horse trailer running around 70--the big 454 kinda backfired and then started making a really not good sound.

long story short the head gasket blew filled the #8 cyliner with antifreeze(that was out best guess since it actually blew out a big chunk of the gasket in that area) and exact ally what you said happened the water could not compress fast enough so the pressure actually snapped the steel crank it still had #6-#7-#8 attached and it would actually turn over just would not start

[CREWZIN]

We're probably scaring the heck out of Stiltz. Sorry about that. Hope it is the sensor and you can fix it yourself, but probably the timing belt.

If you get under the car or actually through the inner fender of the passenger side wheel well, you'll be able to tell if the timing belt broke.