Ron98Cobra

Well I'm pretty new here, and have explained my buying back the 1998 Cobra Convertible, that I used to own back about 5 years ago, then sold it to a friend that really wanted it a couple years later, it ran and performed great. He had it for about 3 years then needed to get out from having it with lots of vehicles and the economy...so he said. I checked the car out at his house and went over it looking all around and under, no leaks as it was when I sold it to him. Oil was right at the "full" mark and clean.

Then today decided to take my brother and his two kid and my daughter for a ride with the top down to go to lunch, we got a few blocks away from the house and started to hear what I thought at first was something like a throw-out bearing starting to fail. (Remember the last owner said he had just had the transmission rebuilt and new clutch installed at the same time.) I thought that the clutch assy. was failing or something, only at certain times would you hear the noise. I turned around and headed back to the house, and the noise sounded like more of a knocking occassionally, not at all RPM's or at idle... got it back into the garage, and that is where it sits, I checked the oil and there was none on the dipstick.

I have only driven the Cobra probably 25 miles since I have had it, and this happens, it sounded like hell a couple moments, but still seemed to have no lack of power for the most part, and also pulled fine with the clutch, no slipping that is... I'm a little afraid to try and start it back up, and of course the guy now says oh I never noticed anything or never had to add any oil, I think he knew and didnt say, and was why he was pushing the fact that he had just bought new top, back glass, windshield, 4 new tires, rebuilt the trans, and installed new clutch. I've got right at about 7 grand in it now after having the new stereo and speakers installed, and not sure what exactly I should or want to do now....

mustangman281

Fill it back up with oil and check the drain plug. Push the throttle to the floor and crank it. The car won't start but you will get oil back in the bearings. Then take your foot off the gas and start it. check for leaks again and listen to it.

Ron98Cobra

Great, I'll get that done, and see what happens, maybe I'll get some video of the start up as well.

SVTeeshirt

^ if that doesn't happen i'd bet you're about to shoot a plug out.

I'd say valvetrain but i'd think a loss of power would occur.

youkairyu32

If you are still having trouble... you could try checking the compression on the cylinders, that has helped me diagnose problems before. Is the chk eng light on?

mustangman281

Look guys, he went thru 6 qts of oil in only 25 miles. If it was a bad ring causing him to burn oil he would have known by the huge cloud of smoke behind him while driving. If you have a spark plug getting ready to go it wouldn't cause him to burn oil.

The sounds he heard is from the lack of oil on the bearings causing a chirp/squeal. Now he has a knock meaning he now has spun bearings from the lack of oil.

youkairyu32

oops, I completely overlooked what he said about the oil being gone. Reading too fast, I suppose.

Yeah, bearings going out are bad. Have you ever rebuilt an engine before?

SVTeeshirt

i did overlook that as well lol completely missed it.