Engine with replaced head using a lot of oil

ANSWER : Hello. One of the biggest problems that happens during overheating is that additional damage to internal engine components caused by the head gasket being damaged. Although a professional mechanic is trained to inspect all components that could be impacted, more often than not, repairs are missed. It’s quite possible that your excessive oil consumption is caused by valve guides or piston rings that have been damaged due to the overheating problem. The only way to determine this however, is through a detailed engine inspection, which might end up costing more money than the 2000 Kia Sportage is worth.

ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.

ANSWER : You say the only thing you hear is the knocking in the lower end, but this knock is a major problem. When you drove the car with no oil pressure, it damaged the crankshaft main bearings, and most likely the crankshaft and other engine bearings as well. I suggest having a remanufactured engine that has a warranty installed as opposed to a used motor. The problem with a used engine is you cannot tell how it was taken care of, and as you said how many miles it really has. When buying the remanufactured engine, make sure you get one with a warranty that covers parts and labor to replace it, in case the new motor fails at some point. Only buy remanufactured engines from reputable sources that have known good warranties. You also have the option to have your engine rebuilt, though this may cost the most depending on parts involved. The upside here would be that the car would still have the original motor. If you would like a second opinion on the matter, you could contact a qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, to diagnose the noise you’re hearing.

ANSWER : If you swapped the engine from a vehicle that is 4 years newer than the car is then you are going to have electrical and sensor incompatibilities that may not be able to be fixed by just a few sensor replacements. There were many changes in computer and emission related items between 2010 and 2014 engines. I would recommend having a mechanic like one from YourMechanic come to you and compare the two engines to isolate the possible differences and see if the problem can be fixed.

ANSWER : This light will usually come on when one of two things are happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil or the oil pressure sending unit is not working properly and may be producing a faulty reading. I would recommend first, to check the actual oil level in the motor by using the dipstick. Be sure the oil level reaches the "full" mark. If this registers as "full" then you likely have a faulty oil pressure sending unit. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your low oil pressure light to come on.

ANSWER : Hi there. The oil pan gasket is either a gasket of cork or rubber (silicone molded) or a spread of RTV Silicone. The oil pan gasket can be removed at home, you will just have to jack up the vehicle and set it on jack stands. It is best to have the whole vehicle on jack stands, however, if you only have two jack stands, be sure to set the parking brake and put wheel chocks behind the rear wheels. If you need further assistance with replacing the oil pan gasket, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : Hello there, you have a long series of issues going on with your 2013 Hyundai Sonata. If you keep getting a repeating oil light on than there is likely a fault in that system.

Since this fault has lasted after the engine was replaced it could be a oil pressure sensor, wiring harness fault, ECU fault, oil pump, oil strainer clogged, or low oil pressure.

To diagnose this issue properly you need a complete vehicle inspection to start from square one and identify the root cause of all this.

ANSWER : Oil additives are not recommended by any vehicle manufacturer for any reason. Additives that purport to resolve oil leaks are useless, a waste of your money, and may result in engine damage. Every vehicle manufacturer strongly recommends against use of these materials. There is only one recommended and approved repair strategy when it comes to oil leaks: fix the leak.

You can only add the manufacturer specified amount of oil to an engine. If you add too much oil, or too little oil, that will cause engine damage. You should check the engine oil dipstick to determine if there is presently too much oil in the engine. If there is too much, the excess will have to be removed to prevent engine damage.

The leak that you are referring to can be repaired if you request an oil leak diagnostic. If you have further questions or concerns as you decide what to do, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic because we want you to make the most of your repair dollars and help you get the best possible results.