Oil was leaking, put in over 4 qts of oil and oil leak stopper. White smoke coming tailpipe,engine shakes, car dies. Oil leaking.

I put in some STP oil leak stopper and it said 4-5 qts of oil with it so I just kept filling it up with oil first then put in the oil leak stopper. When I tried to start the car it turned over and ran for a little bit but started shaking real bad and died. There's a lot of white smoke coming out of the back and the car shakes after I turn it on almost immediately then shakes violently and probably would die if I didn't turn it off. There's oil dripping from something attached to the engine on the left side and coming out pretty heavy.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
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.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Oil Spillage and Leakage – If oil spills on the engine, it can burn and send up smoke without there being any overheating. The smoke will be blue or gray. Leaking Coolant – If you see white smoke under the hood, it`s most likely burning coolant that has come into contact with the hot components beneath your hood.
White smoke usually means coolant is getting into the combustion chambers of your vehicle. This generally happens because of a cracked or leaking head gasket, which allows coolant to seep into your cylinders. In extreme cases, you will need to replace your head gasket.
White smoke from your exhaust means coolant is exposed to your engine`s combustion process. In most cases, this is the result of a blown head gasket, but a cracked engine block or cylinder head could also be the cause.
Too much oil in the engine can also cause the pressure on the crankshaft to increase, causing oil to enter the exhaust pipe from the crankshaft into the combustion chamber, blocking the combustion chamber hole with oil and eventually clogging the engine. Wet spark plug; excess oil will also flood the spark plug well.
White Exhaust Smoke

White smoke billowing out of your exhaust means that coolant is likely leaking into the cylinders. This usually happens when there has been a breach in the head gasket, which makes the coolant create this white steam.

If your car has a burnt oil smell, this could indicate an oil leak or low oil level. Check the level with a dipstick and look for leaks around the area. If your oil level is low, schedule an oil change as soon as possible. If you suspect a leak, head straight to a mechanic.
The symptoms of too much car oil

If it is overfilled, the following may occur: Dense white smoke – If you drive your car and see plenty of thick, white exhaust smoke, excess oil may be burning within the engine block, although fluids such as antifreeze may also be the culprit.

Coolant leak: Excessive white smoke coming out from your exhaust on startup suggests that coolant has leaked from the cooling system into the combustion chamber and mixed in with the engine oil. As the combination of coolant and engine oil burns, it consistently creates thick smoke.
One possible reason for white smoke coming from your car`s exhaust is that the engine is burning oil. This can happen if the oil level in the engine is low or if the oil seal is leaking.
When a gasket fails it can do serious damage to your car, so it is important to know the warning signs and what you need to do to get it fixed. Depending on how severe the leak or perforation is, a car usually does not last longer than a month with a blown head gasket.
Overfilling with oil can cause foaming, which turns a slippery lubricant into a sudsy fluid with air bubbles that diminish the lubricating and cooling properties.
Too much oil can damage your engine. If you notice an overfill of oil, the excess should be drained out of the engine. Therefore, we recommend checking your dipstick regularly.”
If your head gasket is damaged or blown, engine coolant can leak into the passages for the oil and mix with it, which results in a milky oil cap. If left untreated, a blown head gasket can damage the cylinder heads and bearings and crack the engine block.
White fumes come out of the engine when engine oil leaks. A cracked gasket cover is one of the prime reasons for oil leakage leading to the production of white smoke. It`s super easy to replace a faulty valve cover gasket in the early stage.
If a valve seal has lost its grip or piston rings get worn, they can cause oil to leak into the combustion chamber. This wayward fuel then mixes with other engine elements and burns, causing white or blue smoke to escape from the exhaust manifold.
The most common cause of car smoking after an oil change is simply that the oil wasn`t changed properly. If the old oil isn`t drained completely, or if the new oil isn`t filled to the proper level, it can cause your car to smoke. This is usually an easy fix – just make sure that your next oil change is done correctly.
If you`re just driving along and you notice a potent oil smell, it`s a sign that you may need to schedule an oil change. If you don`t change your oil in the immediate future, this oil smell will get stronger in your cabin. This smell will also become more potent outside your vehicle.
Here are three indicators of a bad EGR Cooler: White Smoke – while that pesky Valve can cause an abundance of black smoke billowing from the pipes, a failing EGR Cooler actually emits white smoke, or steam, caused by evaporating coolant inside the cooler.
Thick white smoke coming out of the exhaust typically indicates a blown head gasket, a crack in the head, or a crack in the engine block. Cracks and bad gaskets allow the fluid to travel to places it shouldn`t be. If it travels, then the problems begin.
Diesel Engines Blowing White Smoke from Exhaust

Water entering combustion spaces will also create white smoke. Faulty head gaskets and cracked cylinder heads or blocks are a common cause of water entry, and are often to blame. Unfortunately, expensive mechanical repair is the only proper solution here.

Light or thin white exhaust smoke is typically water vapor. You`ll notice it the first time you start your car, especially if it`s a cold day. This happens because condensation naturally collects in the exhaust system.
White or light gray smoke is usually associated with paper, straw, leaves, or wood.
One common cause of this is a broken or blown head gasket, which allows engine coolant/water to seep into your pistons, creating a white smoke with a noticeable odor.
A blown head gasket is a serious issue, as mechanical problems in the vehicle may have caused the problem and will need fixing. In addition, the head gasket problems may have caused engine failure or serious damage to the engine components, and that situation will need addressing.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Oil was leaking, put in over 4 qts of oil and oil leak stopper. White smoke coming tailpipe,engine shakes, car dies. Oil leaking.
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.

think i put wrong oil in car went few miles lose power car dies oil in spark plugs still starts low oil blinking light before die.
ANSWER : Hello. If you put too thick of an oil in the car, then you may have damaged the engine bearings but this should not have caused oil to get in to the spark plugs unless the oil got into the intake of the engine or one of the pistons rings broke. If you ran it without oil and then tried to put oil in thinking it would be okay after that, then you were not that lucky and broke or damaged all of the rings on the pistons. If you would like to have this looked over, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the stalling issue and go over all of the relevant systems for a better diagnosis.

My car is leaking oil i got an oil change for it last month but it is still leaking oil what will cause my car to leak oil ?
ANSWER : Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 23 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, if you smell burning oil, oil is probably leaking onto a hot engine part such as the exhaust manifold. A certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs.

As far as the check engine light, that is not related to the oil leak(s). If you request a check engine light diagnostic, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic would use a code scanner to retrieve the specific diagnostic trouble code(s) from your car’s PCM that have caused the check engine light to illuminate. Using those codes, the appropriate individual vehicle components or sub-systems (often a sensor, circuit, and the like) are then carefully tested, based on specifications set forth in your car’s Factory Service Manual, to pinpoint the cause of the fault or the reason why the check engine light has illuminated. Once the faulty part or component is identified, it is explained to your satisfaction and the mechanic will let you know of the cost to repair. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

Just noticed a huge oil leak trailing my car. It seems to be coming from below the engine. I recently had my oil changed a month
ANSWER : You might have a problem with the oil filter leaking when you rev the engine and increase the oil pressure. This can be from a collapsed oil filter media or excessive oil pressure from the engine. I recommend having the oil and filter replaced using a good quality filter and have the oil leak verified to be from the filter. Make sure to not run the engine low on oil. If you are finding you do not want to drive with the leak, a mobile technician from YourMechanic can come to your home or office, and replace both your filter, and oil.

I have white milk coming out of my exhaust pipe but I don’t see it mixing in my oil pan when I check my oil
ANSWER : In most cases, the white smoke is an indicator of coolant finding a way into the combustion chamber. This could happen through a damaged head gasket or a crack in the cylinder head or engine block. Most of the time, this would also be followed by milky oil or overheating problems. However, it could also be a problem with the EGR system, or an extremely rich fuel trim. The best thing to do is have a professional mobile mechanic complete a smoke coming from exhaust inspection, so they can pinpoint the source of your issues and recommend a repair.

Oil leaking from engine (not enough to leave driveway spots but still a leak) white/grayish smoke on startup only. No smoke while
ANSWER : External leaks could be from any of the oil seals on your engine and the cost to repair would depend on exactly where the leaks are located and how many seals need to be replaced. Certain seals are inaccessible unless the engine is removed, notably the rear crankshaft seal. Of course, as many leaks as possible should be repaired because leaking oil can damage external engine components such as rubber motor mounts. Oil leaking into the combustion chamber that is visible as smoke in the exhaust on start-up is typically due to failing valve stem oil seals. Those seals are replaceable. If you want the sources of the oil leaks identified and the repair estimated, simply request an oil leak diagnostic. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic.

Very bad oil leak. I put 5 quarts of oil in my car before going out of town. After I drove about an hour and a half it was gone.
ANSWER : Large external leaks can be readily diagnosed. I suggest you just request an oil leak diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. It’s possible to have multiple leak points on a engine and as many as possible should be resolved. On some engines, though, there are inaccessible seals that require engine removal to service. In your case, inasmuch as the leak is so large it might be from the front crankshaft seal. If that seal has major damage, you will get a big leak like that. Those seals often have a relatively short life. But, all the engine seals, and gaskets, have to be checked as perhaps the valve covers leak, too. If you request the leak diagnostic the mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

2006 BMW oil filter gasket keeps breaking and oil leaks from oil filter. Oil leaks only after starting car in morning. PCV valve?
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.