No codes, oil light, stalls

[oopssorryy]

The other day my check engine light went off, not sure shy but it did a day or two after I changed my oil. I did this 2 weeks ago and everything has been fine. Until today. I was going up a hill and was trying to maintain speed, so I put my foot in it. No odd sounds but I hit 4.5k and then the revs started going down. Now it idles at 500, and the oil light is on, but when I rev her up, even just to 700, the light goes off. Anything past 5k the revs start going backwards (slowly) and if I let up off the gas and try to return idle it dies. If I let the car struggle it will die. This is a real problem as it's my only car and I can't miss any work.

[toovira]

Have you checked oil pressure? I wouldn't run it anymore unless you know you have good oil pressure. Observe any oil leak and check the oil pump. If you got no oil pressure, check oil pick up in the oil pan, check oil pump, check all oil lines to see if there's no oil leak.

My guess is something happen (low oil pressure) and the engine is not getting enough oil to lubricate (oil light on, will not rev). Stop revving it as now until you know the oil pressure, you are risking seizing of the engine (main crank bearings) and scoring of the cylinder walls.

[asphalt victory]

yea your engine stalling sounds like lack of oil- pistons getting to hot and seizeing do what toovira said

[oopssorryy]

Well she's dead. Not sure why. We had good oil pressure, gas, spark, and the timing was good. At first we couldn't figure anything out, and then we pulled the distributor and found that one of the pickup coils had spilled its guts. So new one of those, plus a cap, rotor button, and set the ignition timing. Started her up and she did fine until I tried to leave and she started doing the same thing again. Now there's a horrible knock, and that's only if she starts. Will not go into drive (stalls out) and idles at 500 when she idles. Going to drop the pan and look, and if nothing turns up I'll pull the head.

[BamZipPow]

I'm gonna guess it's sludged up. Pull the valve cover gasket, shoot some piccies, and post them up.

[oopssorryy]

Didn't pull the valve cover again yet, but did pull the pan. My oil that I had just put in it maybe two weeks ago, looked like it had done 2k. And in the bottom of the pan there was a tiny pile of metal shavings.

[toovira]

While you have to bottom crankcase off, check to see if you have any con rod play in any direction. Any con rods look black and burned?

Do you have timing light? If you do, use it and see if the knock is twice the speed or same speed as the timing light. This will tell whether it's crank knock or valve knock.

My guess is since you find metal shavings at the bottom, it's con rod/crankshaft. Check for any plays in conrods and inspect any bearings you have access to.

[carsrus]

The oil light should never be taken for granted. Its no joke. Maybe youll be lucky and get away from a new set of bearings, but if the cylinder walls scuffed just drop in a used engine.

Did it have enough oil the whole time?

[oopssorryy]

Unless my oil passage ways were blocked up the whole time, then yes it should of had enough oil. The pump works fine, so that's the only thing I can think of. I don't thing the previous owner did any oil changes, so things might be clogged with slugged oil.

[toovira]

Have you dropped the oil pan and check the oil pickup?

I don't think there's a point to discuss anymore unless you check the oil pickup, remove valve cover, or at the least take a picture with valve cover removed.

[oopssorryy]

I've got to remove the valve cover to pull the head. Thats going to happen within the next week to see what caused the shavings. They were the size of finger nail clippings.

[oopssorryy]

Oh yeah, Con rods don't look burnt. I didn't have a chance to really attack it today as I'm trying to find a different ride to work, so I didn't have time to really pull on them at all. I just remember what they looked like from yesterday. When we did have the valve cover off it did look a bit dry and my brother in law commented on it, but it was dark so.... Like I said we're about to pull it again and I'll snap some pics.

[toovira]

Test it with magnet...see if shavings are magnetic or non-magnetic. Will give you clues which part it comes from....if it's magnetic, then it's con-rod or crank or piston rings. Camrys has alum block and piston.