1993 Mercury Topaz need advice on whether my car is fixable

IAMRENEE

MEMBER
1993 MERCURY TOPAZ

Engine Mechanical problem
1993 Mercury Topaz 4 cyl Automatic 38930 miles

car had 1 previous owner-she had no prob's til after a minor fender bender (no damage was done by accident to engine- just bent back door a little)
tow truck guy was rough and careless and she heard
bad sound as he hooked up like he broke something.
few weeks later- noticed small oil leak.
it grew until oil had to be put in each time it was started.
other than that it rean great-engine purred.
then I had to pArk it until I got my lisence.
turned into 10 months.
moved it twice only -2 blocks each time- using just 1 q of oil.
recentlly turned it on - and immediatly heard an awful
banging noise and my friend said to turn it off
we then saw oil all over ground AND engine -
last time I turned it on we put in 3 quarts which immediatly began squirting out everywhere when engine started.
noise was louder and worse.
i got new tires-lifetime guaranteed brakes- and
will be sooo sad if its hopeless!
what should I do?

4 Replies

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
3,112 POSTS

Hello -

To better assist you - you need to be more specific on where the oil is coming from. Have you given it a really good visual to see exactly where it is leaking from?

When you turn it on and it was "squirting out everywhere "where was it squirting from?

It may be an easy fix but first need to have more specifics

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Thursday, January 1st, 2009 AT 9:23 AM

IAMRENEE

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thanks for your response-
as for where the oil was coming from- thats the weird part- it seemed to maybe be missing some connection as if the oil was being pumped out into air instead of where it was supossed to be going.
The only part of the car that was getting splashed was deep inside the engine where you could look underneath and see it dripping from in there in 4 or 5 different places
but could see nothing from the top.
I was hoping maybe all I might need was a few hoses? Replaced?
But the loud knocking has really got me scared.
Thank yoiu for your help
renee

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Thursday, January 1st, 2009 AT 6:40 PM

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
3,112 POSTS

Hi Renee

Okay... Let's try to go over this and narrow it down.

Just a couple of things to keep in mind.

Oil...A little looks like a ton..... With the engine running the fan, pulleys etc will also throw it..... It's worse than a food fight.

It will run down..... So..... That may give you a general idea of where it is coming from but if it like you said, then it may be going everywhere on the bottom because it is coming out of one spot on top and being thrown all over the top thus... Running down all over the bottom.

As I suggest things, do the best you can to do them and let me know any questions.

BIG thing... We don't want the engine to run out of oil..... That will be expensive. So, buy a couple of cases and keep it full while we troubleshoot.

Is your oil cap on? Is the dip stick in... Can you send me various pics of the top, sides, front of the engine?

With the amount of oil you are adding you should be able to see where it is running out of.

Is the oil filter on or split?

Does it leak out when it just sits - you know... When you add the oil it runs out somewhere....... Or does it have to be started?

The knocking is probably your lifters starving for oil..... Good to shut it down.

Do you know what the valve cover is? Is it loose?

Okay, please answer the above and lets take it more from there.

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Friday, January 2nd, 2009 AT 12:27 AM

IAMRENEE

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I will have to awit til 2morrow after work to do anything, but I appreciate this and will be back afterwards.
However
the oil does not leak until it is started
( and when its turned off- it seems to drip alot-) but nothing at all until you start engine.
The last time I had it on was last month-and I never have put any oil in it unless I was planning on starting her up.
I sure hope I should not have kept oil in it regularly as it sat. If sooo-then that is definatly ther problem.
It has went a straight 7 months with nothing.
I will dump major oil in- check it out & talk 2 you tomorrow.
Thank you sooo much!
Renee

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Friday, January 2nd, 2009 AT 2:26 AM