So, I was accelerating fairly quickly in my evo 8 mr yesterday, and shortly after the engine started knocking. I was five minutes from my house so I got home and looked at it. The oil was bone dry! I had just changed the oil not 1500 miles ago. So after work today I put 5 quarts in and cranked it up. It is still knocking. What should I do in this situation? Is the motor restorable without rebuilding the internals? Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you.

 

My question is where did 5qts go in 1500miles? You'd have to have quite a leak or burning alot while driving. Sounds like the damage is already done. You can remove you oil filter and cut it open, take a look and see if metal shavings are in there. Sounds like you may have already spun a bearing, but I hope I'm wrong.

 

It is very difficult to diagnose a blown motor over the internet. If the motor was bone dry and is now knocking, I'd say it's time for a rebuild. If the knock is coming from the bottom end and not just a lifter ticking, the only way to find out what is wrong is to pull the oil pan and inspect the main and rod bearings.

 

Did the oil warning light ever come up or flicker?

 

The oil light flickered a little bit just before I got home....

 

One way to check is the screw-driver way, if you spun a rod bearing that is.

1) Remove the spark plugs
2) Get a long screw driver that can fit through the spark plug hole
3) Once the screw driver rests on top of the pistons turn the crank slowly left and then right
4) What you're looking for is slack, if there's a lot of it when you change the turn direction, then that bearing is done, you will see that by screw-driver going up and down and how long it takes for it to react when direction is changed.

You'll feel and see how long it takes for your turn and piston to start moving up, if everything is in check, there should be no slack when the turn direction is changed.

Hope this helps, spun rod bearing after crank-walk is the most expensive damage that can happen, so be prepared.