1990 Mazda Miata

I would say the oil went out the tail pipe too over time . Just a little oil on a floor will look like a lot . Yep I still get caught on the hot radiator now and again ,sometimes you don't think it is as hot as it is I check the oil, in the wifes car at least ever thousand miles and while I got the hood up look for obvious other things like worn belt . I also check the transmission fluid regularly as her car has about a 150 thousand on it . It being a 2001 Mustang if it starts to get hot the computer puts it in limp mode . I have never let it get low on oil but I think it may also go into limp mode .

In limp mode it is near as bad as it sounds it runs just good enough to pull over till the problem is corrected ,this summer I will need a new radiator ,but I do most all our own work .

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White smoke from the exhaust is usually an indication of a blown head gasket.

Or cracked head Or both

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Oy Vey
It's going to the shop monday.
Thank you so much for all of your help!! You guys are awesome!

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I wish you luck Me I wouldn't put a thousand or so in repairs knowing it had been run low on oil .

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Your Coolant tank

RE: Photo below....See those two small tanks with the black caps in the upper right. The larger one is for the brakes and the small is the clutch. Make sure those are full of fluid. It should tell you what type on the caps.

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Does the car have an oil pressure gauge or just an idiot(red) light? Does the light come on when you turn the key, before you start it? The water overflow bottle has a cold and hot level. Fill while cold and then check when cold to see if the car is using water. No need to check radiator level this way. Cold weather just add all antifreeze or 50-50 water/antifreeze. Keep checking oil. My guess is the engine got hot with low oil and blew the head gasket or cracked head.

With the low oil problem I would pull engine and check low end bearings (main and cam) before just doing head/gasket. May be much better to find a used motor with warrantee than fixing this one. Expensive learning experience. I would suggest reading and understanding owners manual....James

Also, have the shop drain the oil into clean drain pan and change filter. Cut open filter to check for metal fillings. Also check bottom of drain pan. Will give some idea of how bad low oil level damaged motor....James

A1990 Otter won't be worth putting too much money in. Your mechanic may have a bead on a used, low-mileage replacement engine for it. They are cheap. For a few hundred dollars you could have the engine replaced if it's blown.
Reworking the heads would also not be a lot.

Don't bother putting a NEW (brand new) engine in it.

Not filling the radiator if it has a cap and using the jug fill method has made a lot of shops many dollars . If the system has a radiator with cap it needs to be back in working order and full first before that overflow jug will work properly . Lot of newer cars the air must be bled out as the motor fills with coolant some have radiator fill caps some don't .

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This appears to be a $2000 car in excellent condition I wouldn't spend alot over a thousand or it will be to difficult to drive it out.

If the rest of the car hasn't been maintained any better than the engine (the comment of it" has been knocking a week" says it isn't being maintained no snark intended) and I had teens once myself . I would almost sell this one and buy her another beater.

I was only talking about the OP now, this car and what she had said. She doesn't need to take the cap off anymore, IF she does as I said.....James

I must of slept through that part

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Yes, the valve cover gasket looks like it's leaking.
Oil can leak into the air filter or intake from there and burn white smoke out the exhaust that way too.



You did good. You checked the oil and radiator for exactly the right signs.
Metal in the oil, bearings and piston wear.
Milky fluid in the oil or in the radiator is a sign of blown head gasket.
Negative on the above. So far, so good.



Yes, you can blow it by running out of oil, but the signs aren't there.
There's a few more things to check before deciding what's next.........

While white smoke from the exhaust is never good, because it means oil is burning instead of just gasoline, it doesn't always mean a blown head.

When the mechanic takes a look, have a compression check done on each cylinder. It's simple and quick and an inexpensive way to tell you what shape the engine is in without tearing it all down.
Along with that, he can check the plugs for signs of different problems since the plugs have to come out to do the compression check.

That particular year and model car has a unique problem that can cause or mimic other more serious problems.
The computer, or ECU is in the passenger kickpanel I think. When it gets wet ( and apparently thats easy to occur) the computer messes up the timing, fuel/air mixture and can actually cause it to burn rich and white smoke out the exhaust. You may have had a lot of rain lately, maybe a window left down or she drove it through some puddles.
That's just another thing to keep in mind before shopping for new cars or engines.

My point was you check the oil with those dip sticks so it never is dry like your first post said EMPTY.

Had to tell my wife she was going to become a walker or bike rider if she didn't check her oil and learn to read the oil pressure gauge cause I would not spend money the kind it takes to replace a engine ruined because she didn't want to pull that dip stick. Not throwing money into some thing so she could ruin it again. I had my own ride and was working 12 hour days 7 days a week.


Al

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Tip for ya: while the engine is running hold your hand in the stream of the exhaust for about 5 or 6 seconds and then bring it up to your nose and smell. If it smells sweetish. you have coolant being burned in the engine. If it smells oily or sooty, most likely burning oil. If it smells gas-like. it is probably too rich.

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dad drives a 1991 miata with 320,000 miles doesnt burn or leak a drop of oil.. they run forever

It's running on 3 cylindars, the rings are shot...etc.
Said the head gasket's fine, but the engine is SHOT.

*deep sigh*

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