I went for an inspection and oil change a week ago. I got the car back with the brake fluid cap off, which didn’t make me feel very good about attention to detail. I checked the dip stick and it had new oil in there at the proper level.

Car started to feel a little rough and I figure it was because it was getting cold. I also hear a little bit of a valve tap kind of noise (I am not mechanical). I thought nothing of it because of the cold weather.

Today, a week or so later, the check engine like came on, yellow (I am told it goes red if catastrophic?). I was only 5 minutes from home, so I thought I’d look up the problem when I got home, thinking it was probably a sensor or something.

On the way home, I saw it was overheating. I can’t say 100% if it was overheating the whole time. So, I pulled over a few minutes from my house. I took the water reservoir cap off and saw a little dark liquid at the very bottom, but it was definitely empty. The oil was also a little steamy. There were no big clouds of steam though, just the slightest bit.

I called some friends and asked what to do. Was advised that since I was walking distance from my house, to let it cool off for 30 minutes, start it, see if temp is under 3/4th and make it to home. I did that and temp was halfway all the way home.

Once home, I opened the hood and noticed there was white crust all along the battery and on the big thick hose going from radiator to engine. I also checked the oil and it was halfway up the dipstick. Me not being mechanical thought that might be because it was really hot.

Now I am not thinking so…because I put 10 quarts of water into the plastic water reservoir and see nothing more than a few drips under the car on the ground. That water has to be going somewhere. I think the water is in the engine, which would explain why the oil level is so high and why there is white froth on the oil cap…

When I open the oil fill cap, I can see bare metal and the oil drops in there are milk chocolate colored. It no longer looks like new oil. There is white froth on the top and on the cap.

Does this mean the block is cracked and the car needs a new engine?

The blue book of this car is only around 6-7k dollars. I also have no job right now, so I am looking to get a rough idea if its even worth towing it to a mechanic or if it’s just garbage at this point. I think a busted head gasket or cracked block is gonna be 2-5k and am not sure if there would be engine damage from driving it like it is on top. I need to make informed decisions, because my $savings buffer is all I have and who knows when I’ll get a job with the economy the way it is.

Any advice appreciated.