Went to get a cup of coffee this morning just down the street. As I was leaving the neighborhood my low level oil light went on. I was like WTF I just checked it this morning. Idle started surging like the TPS was crapped out. (I know I should've immediately turned around but no, I'm a dumbass) Anyway, on my way back sme thing then a couple blocks before my house the engine stalled. I was going down hill so I popped it into gear and started it up again. Then 1 block before my house the engine died and wouldn't crank. I managed to coast it right into my driveway. Had my crappy garage door opener worked I would've gotten it in the damn garage and it kinda goes uphill so I can't push it. So I look underneath the car and holy f%$#!!! oil all over the place. It looked like it was dripping off the oil cooler lines where that foam thing is. Bad leak somewhere! Poured some oil in it and tried to crank- won't even turn over. So my question is this: Do I need a rebuild or is there someway to lube things up again? Are the seals toast?

Motor has 140k on it and was running premix 100:1 in the gas.

 

I would leave it for awhile and let it cool down. Once it cools parts will have contracted and you might be able to start it. If not I guess do a compression check on it and youll know right away.

 

That light is on the dash for a reason. Big oops.

Sorry man.

 

It sounds like your oil cooler line broke.
Replace that and then try the ATF treatment to get it started again.

 

Thanks all. I'll probably give it the old ATF treatment and keep my fingers crossed but I fear the worst. Not the sort of thing you want to happen when you're unemployed - job market is crap right now. I can't afford new oil cooler lines let alone a rebuild and all I got to work with is spackle and crazy glue.

 

Yeah, I agree. That's exactly what just happend to me last Thursday. My oil light came on so I stopped at a gas station. There was a trail of oil to the car and a puddle of oil underneath the oil cooler lines where that foam thing is. I had it towed to my house and I found out the short oil cooler hose busted.

I don't know about the "won't crank up anymore" part. That sounds really bad.

 

Worst, you have a locked and/or blown motor.
Easiest way to unlock it and see, if it won't crank, is to jack it up and pull the little black plug from the bottom of the transmission, now using a small prybar (big,long standard screwdriver works well here; if the cars high enough off the ground) pry on the ringgear, against the transmission housing. If you can't budge it there try taking the starter out. Work it back and forth, let it soak in some ATF, and fix those oil lines before you try to start it again!
Joe

 

I'm not quite sure how the ringear your talking about is supposed to move. Is it supposed to move freely front to back or should it rotate somehow? I am able to handcrank the motor via the fan pulley but if the motor is seized would it still turn?

 

If you can turn the motor over by hand, then your starter or other assorted electrical device is messed up. Perhaps some oil got all over the starter? This is certainly a mystery.

 

If you can turn the motor over by hand then its not locked up.
Using a prybar at the flywheel is what I had to do when my motor locked up and I couldn't even pop it loose by towing it.

 

This is wisdom... If the motor won't turn with the starter, but you can turn it by hand, there is a problem with the starter. HOWEVER... are you sure the motor is turning, or just the water pump? (Does the lower pulley turn?)

Brad

 

uhhh yeah. The water pump pully was turning not the main. Guess the phucker's locked up.I'll tackle it tomorrow and see what happens. If I can't free it I'll probably be forced to sell it cause I'm all out of resources.

here she is....

 

Nice looking car... are those HONDA wheels?? Either way, they look good on there!

I think you probably toasted some bearings from the sounds of things- not good. Normally you don't even replace those in a rebuild of a rotary- it isn't usually needed.

Possibly messed up the eccentric shaft too. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I am pretty sure you are gonna need a rebuild. WITH some major parts.

Brad

 

helllllllllls no they're not honDUH wheels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

those are the stock 1991 non-turbo wheels!

come on brad! lol...just kidding man

 

Brad, you're joking right? You've never seen the stock 1991 non turbo wheels?

But speaking of wheels, you know what stock wheels I think look really good on new cars? The wheels on the MP3, those things are sweet!!

 

hopefully itll still run but if you dropped an oil cooler line you werent paying attention to the oil pressure i did that had oil everywhere but i keep a constant look at my pressure saved the motor but i had to knock on a buddies door at 12 midnight to get him to tow me home so i could replace the oil line no damage except to my pride

 

Nope... never seen an 89+ NA with stock wheels, that I can recall. Only the TII and GTUs, which look a LOT different.

Brad