Can you list the symptoms for me...

Here is my guess:

1> car is loosing oil 1/2 quart every couple days
2> oil is everywhere on one side of engine bay
3> oil level is correct on stick, but the damn light comes on when you are driving really hard above 4500 rpm, then goes off when you let go.
4>loss of power at high speed
5> you can hear the engine is dry at 4500 rpm as if there was no oil in it at all kinda scary.

yes i will park it back in the garage tonight....
..............

most 914's don't have head gaskets, so my guess is - something else...

oil cooler seal?
big leak at the oil pressure sender?
bad distributor drive staft O-ring?

there's a cheesehead screw somewhere in the thermostat assembly that extends into the crankcase. if it's gone, you will get a big oil leak. Is your thermostat assembly complete and in order?

no oil pressure at high engine speed in a straight line is a symptom of bigger issues... Find and fix your oil leak first, then find out why it won't run over 4500 rpm. Any number of standard tune-up reasons for that...

If you really mean inside of engine bay as in engine compartment, then I'd check all of the hoses that connect to the 2 ports off each head. They connect to a "flashback" valve, which looks like a 3-way connector for the hoses. I'd also check the hose connection at the oil filler. The hoses have some "pressure" in them so maybe that is the source of your oil spray.

The biggest symptom of a blown head gasket is a combustion leak that sounds like a radical exhaust leak...

It sounds like you may be having a piston or some rings fail, or might be loosing a rod bearing too..

If you want to cost yourself a lot more money, keep running the engine.. Tear it down and see whats inside before you scatter parts all over 3 counties and have to open the wallet really wide.

Oil pump starvation?

yes yes ...tell me more

It could be starvation. BUT oil PRESSURE is dictated by the resistance of flow that the oil experiences from the bearings, etc.

If the bearings are wiped out the pressure they present to the oil is very little and thats what can turn the light on.

No matter what it is, at this level you'll be experiencing an internal exploration into the Type 4 Engine soon.. Make it fun and it won't be so bad.

Sorry to be a noob to engine terdown...
am i actually hearing the berings when i here this sound?

it has happend about dozen times for less than 2-4 secs each occurance, am i about to blow this engine.... it is still safe to drive right, it shown no symptoms if i drive like miss daisy.

...which bearings are we talking about.

i plan to fill past the full line to drive it home tonight...

...in the snow...

Mechanical sounds like these are the engine screaming just before it gives up...

The sound you are hearing is more than likely the excessive clearance between the rods/ bearings and the crankshaft because of a lack of oil film between the surfaces.

No, it should not be driven until properly diagnosed, if you choose to do this there is a possibility that whats on the inside could end up on the outside. When engines get to this point one second can cost you 2K

We can't hear it. Can't tell.
Could be the mains, more likely it's rod knock.
Catch it quick and you might not have to buy a new crank. They're expensive.
If the rods are really bad it can drive the piston right up into the head.
They'll break. They're expensive too.



probably...


you will not be injured. The engine is already hurt (sounds like...).
But there's replace-parts hurt, and there's big-money hurt.


I'd guess rods at minimum. It'd be foolish to get far enough into the engine to replace those and have a look at the oil pump and -not- finish the job by having the mains and crank looked at. With luck you may save the crank and case. But if you've lost enough bearing that you have oil pressure issues there is metal running through all the bearings.

Call a cab , a good friend , wife ?? , someone to give you a ride that you won't have to remember OR drive and have a memory of either getting home or not . You do have a choice !!! Pay now or really pay later , it's up to you , your car / engine . Good luck !!!

jaxdream