I have a 96 Geo Tracker with a possible oil pump problem. I’m guessing this by the way it acted recently. Checked the oil dip stick and plenty,however smelled burnt. This after driving several mile and having the engine die and a plum of bluish smoke from under the hood. How do I tell for sure and is it worth it? 173,000 miles on it
What do you mean by What oil!!! You go on to say there was plenty. You need to determine the true oil pressure with an aftermarket gauge that will screw into the block in place of the regular sending unit. Is it back to running at this point? Then it’s probably not extremely low on oil pressure.
Blue smoke from under the hood could just be a leaking valve cover gasket. Oil hitting the exhaust manifold will give off blue smoke.
I have driven this auto once more and at about the same distance the same thing happens. When I got it home again I parked it where it where it remains. Can I get this gauge at a parts store and it can be put on the engine to check oil pressure?
Have you noticed alot of blue smoke coming out your tailpipe after going highway speed then stopping? Is your transmission shifting diffrent? Are you having to add transmission fluid and not finding a leak? I had a 94 Tracker that I had to change out the vacuum modulator valve on the transmission ever 2 years or so due to the diaphram leaking and allowing trany fluid being sucked into the engine through the vacuum hose.
You can check this by finding the vacuum hose that goes from the intake to the vacuum modulator valve and disconnecting it at the intake and see if there is any oil inside the vacuum line.
I’ve never had it kill the engine tho. Could you tell where the blue smoke came from under the hood? Are you hearing any lifter noise? Did the engine die as you were slowing down or at a maintained speed? Are you getting a CEL?
It sounds like that dirty fuel filter will only let you get so far. Change it, even if it’s “almost new”. If oil is burning on the hot exhaust, it can start blazing, and burn the car to the ground. Fix the oil leak.