Help Reviving Dead Camry

[brjeep]

So, my wife says, the light came on just ouside Lagrange. I thought about stopping, but kept going. Later the engine starting making this awful banging noise and stopped. The tow truck driver thinks a lot of oil came out.

I'm trying to diagnose the damage, and I need help!

I've got it back home. It's only a quart or so low on oil, but there is oil around the top of the bell housing. The engine spins 'round when I try to start it. It doesn't make any horrible sounds. Yet, I have zero compression on any of the cylinders.

I pulled the valve cover and the timing chain looks OK - I can't see the crank sprocket, but the chain goes round and round when I hit the starter. The cam is pushing the valve lifters (err pushers, whatever they are called on these overhead cams) - none seem obviously stuck.n The oil in this area looks (and smells) a little cooked, to me, but I've never looked (or sniffed) in there before.

I'm not dripping oil on the ground and I don't see a connecting rod sticking out the block. Then again, it's hard to see a whole lot.

But, like I said, I have zero compression on any cylinders.

All help appreciated

[workerant]

V6? Might be the spitting oil feature. It is a recall too so the dealer will pickup the bill.

[brjeep]

I should have said: it's a 2002, 4 cylinder - 2az-fe.

I've spent the last couple hours reading the internet (all of it , kidding). I'm now thinking head bolts. Apparently, this 2az-fe is notorious for head bolts pulling out of the block.

But I've yet to confirm this diagnosis.

Tomorrow I'll enough gadgets off to know - or I'll at least get started.

To those who have had this problem: what did you do?

[gdanaher]

Let your trusted mechanic take a look and diagnose the problem. Since you are posting a note of this nature here I assume you have no idea what to do yourself. Understandable for most people. If you lost compression due to the head separating from the block, yes oil will run out, but so will the coolant, and you should be able to feel around and find fluid everywhere along the seam. This should take no time at all to 'diagnose.' Fixing it is another matter entirely. They might suggest pulling the engine and replacing it with a junk yard pull. Might be cheaper in the long run, and there might now be other issues with your existing engine.