Major and minor !

MootsMan · Post by **MootsMan** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:20 pm

Hey, guys, I need some advice here....

I had my Terc parked on the carport yesterday and noticed that there was oil coming out through the exhaust. Am I right that this is an indication of oil coming by the rings in the engine ?? If so, what are my possible alternatives, if any ?? Is the only solution tearing into the engine ?? or are there possible solutions that wouldn't involve going into the motor ??

My other question isn't about quite as serious a matter.....I'm finally getting my center-mounted stop light installed and working. I got it centered and mounted and it looks great, except for the fact that it doesnt' work. All the wiring appears intact, cleaned a little corrosion out of the socket and put a new bulb in. The back-up light, rear wiper and rear window defogger all work, but the license plate lights do not work (they are all wired through the same harness). Any ideas on where I need to look for the problem ?? I've consulted the wiring diagram in the FSM ( I have a lot to learn about reading those things), and I've checked all the fuses. All my other lights work, turn signals, brake lights, etc.

Thanks,
MJ

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:27 am

You could try oil thickeners. We used some Bardahl No-Smoke in our Geo Metro and it helped with its oil consumption.
You sure it wasn't just gooey rusty water?

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:39 am

It's more likely water mixed with soot/carbon. Oil usually comes out as smoke.

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:17 am

With wiring problems...the only thing I know is to use a meter or test light and find the nearest part of the wiring that has current...test it until it doesn't...somewhere between those 2 places is a fault.....bad connx...bad bulb.

I once had a car that burned oil so bad that after putting STP in it...I could smell the burning polymers (plastic) at the exhaust.

hornett22 · Post by **hornett22** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:12 am

check the wires where the come from the car to the back gate.after alot of bending and time.they have been known to break right in that area.

AbusedJalopy · Post by **AbusedJalopy** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:48 am

How much oil do you burn up between changes? One quick way to tell if there is a leak is to do a compression test. If the numbers are low, add some oil into each cylinder, and do another test. If the numbers went up, the rings are bad since the oil you put in the cylinder helped to temporarily seal them. If not, then the valve seals could be shot, and so oil is getting sucked from the head into the cylinder. If it's neither of these and your compression is fine, then oil is either getting sucked from a passage in the block (bad head gasket) but would usually result in oil being found in the water. Otherwise, like mentioned before, maybe it's just soot and water, which is nothing to worry about.

As for the light, just trace back everything to the fuse box and switches and make sure there is continuity in all the wires. I always hated electrical problems.