Hi, all...Sorry, this is going to be a long message!
I have a 1991 Camry 4 cyl DL, purchased new (8 miles on OD), and has a little over 225,000 miles on the OD now.
Today I was going to go to work for a few hours and then go shopping for essencials in New Jersey but could not even get it out of the co-op's garage. As I was driving down from the 4th floor to the 3rd and getting ready to go down the ramp to the 2nd floor level whenever I gave it the gas it started to stall out badly. I have installed on the dash the following gauges: Voltage, amps, Oil pressure, Tachometer and Vacuum. When I pressed on the gas the tach showed a drop from 1,500 to around 500 and the vacuum pressure was being very erratic. The Oil pressure was showing over 50psi, even when I drove the car to an available parking spot on the 3rd floor and let the car idle up to regular engine temps from a cold start. I had to maintain engine speed at over 1,000 rpm's by depressing the gas - otherwise the rpm's would drop to 500 and being to stall/did stall. Had to start the car several times.
Decided that it would not be a good idea to take it out onto the road. I stopped the car and checked the fluids. The oil stick was barely showing any oil. Now, this was strange, I made a ski trip to Ludlow, VT from New York City with my nephews a few years back and while I was going over the mountain pass to Londonderry, VT where we were staying, the Engine oil idiot light lit up. The oil pressure gauge showed "Zero pressure" We got down the pass into Londonderry & stopped at a gas station. There was NO Oil showing on the oil stick. Got 4 quarts & drove to the Frogs Leap Inn in Londonderry (about a couple of miles) when the light lit up again. Drove to the back of the inn were we were staying at the pool house. I got out and saw to my horror a steady trail of oil on the snow. This was the time I had installed the gauges. The idiots at the shop installed the sensor on a tube connecting to the engine. The vibrations, of course, caused a crack in the tube. I had this fixed at a local garage. My point is that the car kept running, even when there was about a quart of oil left in the pan!
I went back home and found 3 bottles of castrol 10w30 and put it into the engine. I did not start the car at this time - walked to the local Strauss Auto Store & got a case of oil & dry gas.
Got back to the car and checked for leaks under the car. There appeared to be a wet spot, thin, about 6-8 inches long. This was below the area in the front of the traversed engine where the belts are at. Hmm...
Started the car. went outside & open up the hood to give a listen (before starting, I checked the radiator - ok, Oil stick was past full level). Began to notice engine noise anomoly. It sounded that I was inside the car tapping the gas pedal every second. The headlights would get brighter also at this fequency. The car progressivly was sounding worst and vibrating more. I got in the car, put it into drive (after engine reached operating temps) and move the car in and out of the parking spot. Pressing the gas it was ok, except that when I had the car parked again and raced the engine past 1,500 rpm's the vacuum gauge was not exibiting steady progression/regression. It was jerking from 20 to zero, back up to 10, more jerks/sticking. I turned off the engine.
Got out of the car and notice where I drove the car lines of dampness on the concrete - exatly in line of the wet spot mentioned above. Put my fingers on the stuff and noticed that it was not oily - more like water (water pump going bad?) This is happening at a bad time (when is it ever a "good time") since My Wife has just started Radiation treatments for her breast cancer she came down with in 2005.
Wonder if I should try to drive it to the local mobile repair station (a few blocks away) or call them for a tow...
Funny, I was parked next to a Late model Toyota Matrix. It's about the same size as our 1991 Camry, but taller. I wonder if this is a sign...
Thanks for any thoughts on this topic... Vic