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2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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johnnya1
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Nov 15, 2011, 11:26 PM
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2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Oil light comes on and stays on but not all the time. Do not know if leaking oil but it manages to go somewhere. Leaks coolant from head or intake gasket and used seal up to block leak about 2 weeks. Makes weird noise that sounds like belt problems. Today all the sudden while driving engine just turned off while driving but was able to restart it and drive it home. Found I was low on oil and refilled but still making weird noise and smoking out the back. Any ideas?
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Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2011, 4:22 AM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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With everything you have put that car through it sounds like it's time to take it out of it's misery and bury it.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:01 AM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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I dont understand what the problem is. It seemed to be fine except for the occasional overheating and for that I would make sure it had fluid. I also want to add that I had oil light on but it started coming on after I got a oil change which was about 3 months ago. So I was sure my oil didn't need to be service I took it to the mechanic and they said since it was a rebuilt car that they had done a sealant to cover up and sell but even then the leak was very slow he recommended Seal-up. I followed instructions flushed water through then left sealant the recommended time. This was about 2 weeks ago. I had not had problems since then seemed like that did the trick. My check engine light comes on and I got it checked and they came up with the codes gas cap and emissions. My car sounds like a air plane while driving but other than that drives fine and had not been overheating anymore so I thought the problem had been fixed. But since the oil change the light had been on and even then it was not constantly on it would be on sometimes and fine other times. Today the oil pressure light came on along with it. So this bombarded me. I was driving just fine when the engine stopped but I was able to turn it back on, luckily we were right down the street from the house so we didnt have to drive it far. I had someone take me to get oil and filled it up and its driving again but made a weird noise I guess until the oil ran through the system and there is smoke coming out the back. I just wanted some opinions on what it could be. I think its very weird and never had this experience before. I would like to think that my engine is not screwed I haven't been bad to it running it without the necessary fluids. Im just alittle worried about what the problem is until I am able to get to the mechanic this weekend. I wish I could just get rid of the car but I have a baby coming in 3 weeks. What problems can this be and how much would I be looking at paying
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:53 AM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Quote">> What problems can this be and how much?"<<"
HT was right on target - bury it, trade towards a car without these problems (many problems now) with a warranty. Seems like you are running out of time with a baby coming so get going. Running without oil pressure for any reason can destroy a good engine in no time.
You already have hands on techs saying to get rid of it and temporarily patch with who knows what junk to band-aid one of the problems which rarely is any cure.
"Rebuilt car?" Whatever that means it means trouble to me. Dump it for another,
T
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Sidom
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Nov 16, 2011, 10:45 AM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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You know I really have to agree here, I didn't notice the mileage but with all the signs, it really sounds like this one is on it's last legs.....
Between the overheating, smoking, dying, sounding like an air plane, tech recommending stop leak (are you kidding me?????) you may want to be looking at different cars....
If you really want to chase this one down, I would probably start with the oil light. This would have to be traced down to either an electrical problem OR in fact it is losing pressure, it that's the case.......seriously, this one is done.....
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 3:46 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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I was not running it low on oil. I have made sure there was oil like I said after getting oil change done the light has been on and has stayed on I checked my oil and there was enough up until this time.
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Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2011, 4:05 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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That's not what that light is for. It is an oil pressure light, not an oil level light. When it comes on it means EMERGENCY! shut the car off right away.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:10 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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But what does it mean when it says that and you check your dipstick and there is oil in there? I have not ran without oil to my knowledge
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Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:23 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Did you read what I just typed?
I told you, that is a pressure light, not an oil level light. It doesn't necessarily mean you need oil. Compare the oil pump with your own heart. When the oil light comes on it means that the pump {heart) has lost pressure for some reason and your car is having a heart attack and you need to shut it off immediately until you find out what happened because the engine will suffer total failure without oil pressure. It's always possible the light is faulty and there is no major problem but you can't take that chance. I mentioned running it low on oil because you stated the oil was disappearing.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:35 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Im sorry im a female I dont know much about cars :S not that being a female is an excuse. We bought this car in march and it was sold to us with a rebuilt title. We never really had any problems but the ocassional overheating so I dont know how we can go from that to the engine totally f'd. We never ran the car without oil. The oil pressure light is the one that looks like a lamp correct? Why would that not pop up any other time except just then when its already f'd I thought the point of the lights was to warn us ahead of time not warn when already f'd. I just dont understand how it can go from fine to f'd. Could it be any other problems? Could it be the transmission thing that was done?
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Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:37 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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OK, I give up
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:41 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Sorry I am taking to a mechanic this weekend just wanted some ideas since I dont really understand my husband is stressing me out.This whole time he had been saying something was wrong with the car and I didnt see what was wrong to me it ran and ran fine. Never before did it lock up or not start or stall. So I think its weird to not get any warning and just be f'd. Guess im just hoping it something else. My main concern was for my husband traveling back and fourth to work until this weekend.
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Discretesignals
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Nov 16, 2011, 5:43 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Just for clarification that Malibu has a oil level sensor in the oil pan that will illuminate the check oil indicator in the instrument cluster. Look in your owner's manual to see if the low oil pressure lamp or check oil indicator lamp is illuminated.
The low oil pressure light is red and indicates what HT is stating.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Sidom
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:12 PM
Post #15 of 28
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Until someone can drive this car & get their hands on it, we don't know if it's a serious problem or minor one. Since you or your husband aren't doing the diag work, the best advise is try not to stress about.....
At this point there is nothing you can do about so try not to let it drive you crazy.....
Take it to your tech, find out what's up & if you have the time let us know what you found out.....
The biggest thing for me here is the mileage.
How many miles does this car have on it???????????
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:15 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Thanks for being patient and understanding with me I simply dont understand much car stuff and thought a place like this where you guys are very knowledgable would be helpful maybe for piece of mind till getting it looked at this weekend. The car was bought with 80k mileage just this march we bought it its probably at the most 90k
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Discretesignals
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:19 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Well, there is one thing that I do know about those engines when the intake gaskets leak. The coolant will get down in the cam bearings and lock the cam up. If it broke the camshaft, it will run like crap and you'll have no oil pressure.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Nov 16, 2011, 6:21 PM)
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:28 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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That sounds like exactly what the problem is. I dont know much about cars but when we got it looked at a couple weeks ago that is what the mechanic said the problem was he said it is leaking at the intake gasket and we used that sealant and since then the car has not overheated or given problem except for this. But since he did the sealant he got that check engine light and it was for something with the cams. So can you explain what the cams is and how this effects it?
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Discretesignals
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:43 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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There is a stick with bumps on it in the middle of the engine called the camshaft. The bumps on the shaft tell the valves in the cylinder heads when, how long, and how far they need to be open. The front of the camshaft is turned by the crankshaft using a bicycle style chain.
The camshaft sits in several circle shaped bearings which keep it in place. The bearings have holes where oil comes though to lubricate the camshaft as it spins. On the other end of the camshaft is a gear that drives the oil pump.
All this stuff sits underneath the intake manifold. When the intake manifold gaskets leak coolant, the coolant can get onto the camshaft and bearings. As you know water and oil don't mix, so the camshaft or bearing(s) don't get lubricated and the camshaft tries to seize to the bearing(s). The camshaft is hollow, so it snaps in two. One half of the camshaft will turn and the other half which drives the oil pump doesn't.
Since the camshaft controls the valves for the cylinders and drives the oil pump, a broken camshaft will cause the engine to misfire and have no oil pressure.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Nov 16, 2011, 6:52 PM)
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 6:50 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Very informative! That actually sounds like what the problem may be. One problem is did have that leak but we did that Seal-Up about 2 weeks ago so the leak should have been stopped. If that was the problem would we have been getting problems with the camshaft while it was leaking or is it possible it may have affected the camshaft?
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Discretesignals
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Nov 16, 2011, 7:01 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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It depends on how long it was leaking and where is was leaking. The problems with trying to seal an intake gasket with sealer is that the metal between the intake and the heads moves as the engine heats up and cools. The sealer doesn't do a very good job sealing components that move.
It doesn't take that long for a cam to seize once coolant starts leaking on the bearings.
You best bet is to have your mechanic diagnose the problem. If it were to be a broken camshaft, your mechanic should be able to tell by running a compression check or taking a valve cover off and watching for the valves moving up and down.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Nov 16, 2011, 7:02 PM)
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Sidom
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Nov 16, 2011, 7:18 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Just one quick note, those will also store a P0305 & P0306 trouble code when that happens...
How is it running right now? Is it shaking real bad?? I'm sure it's in there & I probably missed, my heads so plugged up right now....
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johnnya1
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Nov 16, 2011, 9:12 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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No not shaking infact driving like before like normal. I dont even know if he needed oil. He said all he had to put in was 2 quarts just after that we were scared to drive it again so I am not even sure if oil was the problem. Could something that is lose also be making this problems? Maybe something was not put back on fully while doing the sealant since the guy that did diagnostics made it sound like one of the parts may be just loose.
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johnnya1
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Nov 17, 2011, 7:38 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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Well guys last night he came home and the oil was leaking like crazy. I thought it was so weird going from nothing to not being able to keep oil in. We got the car looked at and worked on today and came to find out that yes something was lose or broken I think they called it the oil sending cap a little tiny part that was like 5 bucks and easily replaced. This explains why we had the oil lights and engine light now all are off and it is running like a normal car.
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Sidom
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Nov 17, 2011, 10:17 PM
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Re: 2001 Chevy Malibu Oil light stays on and locked up
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A defective oil pressure sending unit, that'll do it...... I'm guessing the oil was leaking on the exhaust & smoking?????
It's always nice when it's a cheap easy fix... Thx 4 taking the time to let us know what was up.....
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