1996 Dodge Neon
2.0L 4-cylinder
Automatic
Problem : The car overheated due to fan failure, and now it has oil in one cylinder (pulled spark plug and saw a lot of oil on the electrode end). The car has been running poorly after the overheating - specifically, it dies at intersections or when the wheel is turned sharply (power steering). There is no change in acceleration since the overheating or stalling. The car was (supposedly) overhauled 30,000 miles ago as stated by the previous owner.
I pulled the spark plug in the one cylinder that had oil in it and started the engine, and the cylinder has compression. The plugs were fouled, so I replaced them all. There is no white smoke or oil-burning smell in the exhaust, and when I wiped the inside of the exhaust pipe, there was soot but no oil. There is an oil leak somewhere because there is an oil spot on the ground, but it is not a fast leak.
I replaced the PCV valve hoping that the increase in crankcase pressure due to a faulty valve would cause oil to blow-by the rings. The old PCV valve would rattle when shaken, but it was full of oil and grime and appeared very old.
2.0L 4-cylinder
Automatic
Problem : The car overheated due to fan failure, and now it has oil in one cylinder (pulled spark plug and saw a lot of oil on the electrode end). The car has been running poorly after the overheating - specifically, it dies at intersections or when the wheel is turned sharply (power steering). There is no change in acceleration since the overheating or stalling. The car was (supposedly) overhauled 30,000 miles ago as stated by the previous owner.
I pulled the spark plug in the one cylinder that had oil in it and started the engine, and the cylinder has compression. The plugs were fouled, so I replaced them all. There is no white smoke or oil-burning smell in the exhaust, and when I wiped the inside of the exhaust pipe, there was soot but no oil. There is an oil leak somewhere because there is an oil spot on the ground, but it is not a fast leak.
I replaced the PCV valve hoping that the increase in crankcase pressure due to a faulty valve would cause oil to blow-by the rings. The old PCV valve would rattle when shaken, but it was full of oil and grime and appeared very old.