Hey guys, my oil pump died yesterday. I wasn't sure whether or not it was the oil pump or a bad oil pressure switch/sensor. So, I drove it with the oil pressure light on, I got close to the garage and heard knocking. It turns out that it was the oil pump but I may have also damaged the engine. It did turn off by itself while it was on the lift, and the mechanic thought the engine seized, but he was able to restart it. Do you think the engine is ruined at this point? I'm just trying to get some feedback/suggestions. I have 190k on it, so I know I've gotten the most out of her.

 

these engines can go for much much longer than 190k, but if you heard knocking chances are you ruined the motor, probably the bearings. Good luck

 

probably some damage to the engine. the manual says to immediately turn off and get a tow whenever you see the oil light come on outside of starting the car.

 

If it was the oil pump that failed, which would certainly explain the light and knocking, the engine is trash.

You can't really hurt anything by driving it at this point, but it's probably going to consume lots of oil, have low oil pressure, or run very poorly. I would imagine you would need to put some money into it to fix the initial issue anyways, so it might be worthwhile to just find a junkyard engine and swap.

 

Wait... the mechanic left it running with an oil light on? He left it running while he lifted it up? He re-started it?

Find another mechanic!

 

Knocking usually means a spun bearing is in the works. Especially if you drove it with a bad oil pump!

 

^ this.

 

Don't think I've ever heard of a 3G oil pump failure before...

 

I don't think so either.. oil light yes, but not pump failure.


There have been low oil issues (plug / pan leak) and punctured filter threads but not actual pump failure that I can recall.

 

Im sitting in a gas station out of town on a business trip and this very same thing happened to me couple hours ago. I'm glad my run with the 04 is over with lol. I had 220k miles loads of small issues here and there, most worrisome was prob my tranny.

Heard clicking/oil light flashing. Decided to get off next exit, clicking got louder and louder and eventually knocking. I coast to a stop where the car turns off by itself. A very nice highway patrol gave me a lift to the gas station to buy some oil. Come back to car, she fills it for me(haha?). Has trouble starting but eventually started very roughly. Decided to crawl to the exit until I lost all power and now the engine wont turn over. I'm assuming the engine locked up. From point of clicking to oil light to knocking was under 2 min, im dumbfounded over that. It was fine all day today until the clicking started.

Highway patrol gave me a lift to the gas station again and just waiting here for my brother to pick me up.

 

you should have gotten her #.

 

Gixxerdk, Did your oil pump fail, or did you run out of oil?

Running with zero oil pressure will trash a perfectly healthy engine very quickly. More than a few seconds is too long.

If you're just driving around and you notice the oil light come on, the engine should be killed immediately. Driving without oil pressure to get oil isn't the best idea.

 

I was very low on oil. I didnt drive my car to get oil, I was in the back seat of troopers car. I heard this ticking sound that would change its rhythm with the way I press on the gas and thought to myself that this could not be good. Then oil light then knocking. This all happened all under 2 min. Once I heard knocking I pulled over immediately.

I have lights that come and go on my car and did not think much of it until the knocking sound. My transmission light comes on and off whenever it wants.

 

When I first pulled over I opened the oil cap and smoke was coming out.

 

She was a cougar!

 

Tell me more.

 

Lol. I clicked on this thread because I've never heard of this problem. All of the femals CHPs I've encountered and I know a lot of them, are um, not interested in men. I went to their softball tournament in Vegas last year and I would say over 50% of them were that way.

But yeah, don't drive with the oil light on. It's not a low level light, it's a low pressure light. One you could get away with driving until you can get oil. One is immediate damage.

 

Ok, please let me know what you find out.

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. Yeah, I don't really trust these idiot mechanics at Merchants, I did say the longer you have the car running the more damage you could be doing. I went out later on that day and got a new TL 2013, love it, same color Silver Moon, but I want to fix my '05 and get some more miles out of her. I may have the oil pump replaced first and then see if it will be ok, if not I will have to replace the engine. I don't want to get rid of her, I believe she has more miles in her. What can I do about making sure before I attempt to replace the oil pump if the engine is good or bad? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you live in northern VA and you are looking for a new TL go to Pohanka Acura in Chantilly, this hot ass finance director hooked me up, and when I say hot, I'm talking 38 Fs and really cute! I got one hell of a deal and put nothing down.

 

I've never run into a female CHP officer, strangely, but all the female city cops I've tangled with have been less than friendly. I'm surprised that she gave him a ride.