OMG NOOOO Broke Down!!!!

[Board3r]

Im driving down the road on my way home from work late last night as my car starts to make this hammering sound coming from the engine compartment.

@ first it would only do it when i put my foot on the gas, but as i progressed it started to get louder and happen when i wasnt pushing the gas as well.

Eventually i started to pull off the road, and as i did it got so loud and then the car shut off. I put it it park, shut it off fully then tried restarting, it turned sputtered and shut off again.

So as a generally pissed off person i tried to start it again but now all i get is clicks, wont even turn over just a click, and its not my battery because all my interior / exterior lights work with it off.

So my question is wtf is this? the only suggestion i got off a friend is the alternator went, but would it make that loud hammering noise?

or another thing is my oil lights been coming on, and it looks like i have enuff oil tho.

P L E A S E H E L P !!! thanks guys.

[tashirosgt]

The oil light shows insufficient oil pressure, not necessarily the amount of oil in your oil pan. If your oil pump goes bad you may still see lots of oil on your dipstick. What year Corolla is this? Is you timing belt broken?

[SR5_4WD]

I dont like that word "hammering" Could it be that your running on 1 less cylinder?

[freakinbox]

when you first heard it did you notice a loss in power?

[ToyotaMan1281]

could be a bad starter

[SR5_4WD]

I never knew a bad starter could screw you over while you were going down the road

[punter]

Sorry to say but I'm pretty sure you have seized your motor, due to low oil pressure. What caused this (ie. blocked oil galleries, low oil level, faulty oil pump etc.) we can't tell.

I would say its most likley you've seized a main bearing.

What's the milage on your car?
How long since the last oil change?

[Froggmann]

I'm with him ^ your motor is toast. and this is 16 years of being a mechanic talking. Start hitting up Ebay for a replacement.

[REN69]

Why does everything have to be Egay? Look for a decent motor shop where you can actually SEE the motor in person and you don't get charged up the a-hole for shipping.

[freakinbox]

yea local places can sometimes be as cheap as ebay, and like ren says it's in person/ If they try to rip you off you have someone to go back on

[Froggmann]

Originally Posted by freakinbox

yea local places can sometimes be as cheap as ebay, and like ren says it's in person/ If they try to rip you off you have someone to go back on

Or a window to catapult it through.

[Chris Corolla S]

Originally Posted by Board3r

this hammering sound coming from the engine compartment.

Oh man, that sucks! We hope it turns out to be something else but sounds like a siezed engine as the above people mentioned

[ToyotaMan1281]

Originally Posted by SR5_4WD

I never knew a bad starter could screw you over while you were going down the road

just saying when he tried to start it back up

[94_Rolla_Guy]

Also try the local wrecker usually they can dig an engine up, and will usually give you at least a 30 day startup warranty on it..

It may be pointless trying to rebuild it as if it went without oil pressure, then the cylinder walls will be scoured up and the bearing journals will be scoured too.. you will need to have it overbored and underground and all new bearings, and pistons.

[punter]

Originally Posted by 94_Rolla_Guy

the cylinder walls will be scoured up

I'd say that would be unlikley.

Originally Posted by 94_Rolla_Guy

and the bearing journals will be scoured too..

Perhaps, although thats only if the bearing shell has turned. Which from his description I would be supprised.

Although unless you can rebuild the motor yourself, as said above a replacement motor is going to be far cheaper and easier.