Failed Waterpump - Burning Oil - Did I destroy my engine?

[96RedSE5Sp]

I bought a new waterpump over a year ago and had been trying to have it installed on my '96, but for many reasons, it just never happened.

A couple weeks ago, I loaned my car out and the waterpump went. The car overheated and started blowing cold air. He drove it maybe 5 minutes before he had a chance to pull over.

I had the waterpump and thermostat replaced and had a complete coolant flush (total cost- over $300.00).

The car runs fine now - no knocking or other noises. I just noticed, however, that I am getting smoke from my tailpipe and my tailpipe has some black oil on it.

Could a failed waterpump have anything to do with my car burning oil? Could I have blown a head gasket or something? What other damage could have been done when the waterpump failed.

 

[Aussie Ford]

It all depends on how fast it was going and how hot it got. First the coolant starts goin out, then it boils and the rest evaporates, then the oil starts burning on the cylindar walls, and they start scoring due to the lack of lubricant, and in about 1 minute you add 80k +/- miles of ware to the engine. So with out any knocking (that will come later) you have too much oil clearence in the pistons and even perhaps the lifter guides. There's your oil burning. Or maybe it just looks like that and it is coming from your valve cover. Heat destroys engines it's just that simple.

If the head gasket was blown, which is also possibile, you'd be pushing steam out the back not oil.
my 2 cents worth

 

[Tony2005]

How many miles and what engine? Try the El cheapo headgasket leak test.

1) Fill coolant to the brim on recovery tank (leave cap off).

2) Remove all spark plug wires.

3) Remove all but one spark plug and have someone crank the engine.

4) If the coolant bubbles over, there is a leak from that portion of the engine
(or cylinder). If not, go to the next cylinder, and then the next.... (removing spark plug from previous cylinder and install spark plug for this cylinder....)

5) Note, it could be more than one area or more than one cylinder.

 

[FavoriteMystaque]

It's normal to have a carbon residue and a little "steam" and black water drops out of the tailpipe on colder damp days like recent NY weather. If you have blue smoke that smells burned, it is oil. Black smoke is rich mixture. White smoke is coolant, thicker than normal cold start "steam". I repaired an overheated Mystique same as you did, oil burn has been average, coolant loss normal. I think my car was driven much more than yours in an overheated state, because the temperature gauge got stuck (now fixed).

 

[96RedSE5Sp]

It's normal to have a carbon residue and a little "steam" and black water drops out of the tailpipe on colder damp days like recent NY weather.

Thanks. That sounds exactly like what I had. I guess I just wasn;t used to seeking it and I wa a litle paranoid after my waterpump mishap.

 

[fornetti14]

I'd still keep an eye on the coolant and oil level to see if they're constantly going down. In case you don't know - white smoke is coolant and blue smoke is oil. Black smoke is unburned fuel from a rich condition.