Hello

Had my car over a year now.

being busy, I've been a little late on my last two oil changes. The first time I was reminded by a warning low oil pressure chime, and the second time, I discovered it myself while doing the oil change... the dipstick is nearly down to the bottom. Way below the fill line.

First, is it normal for this car to consume any oil? It'* not leaking out anywhere that I can see, although the bottom is seepy around the oil pan.

Also, I have been watching the coolant ever since I found out about it. It'* been slowly loosing coolant for a long time, and seems a little faster now. Again, I don't see it on the ground.

She runs a little rough (always has), and a little more then half of the time there'* moisture coming out the exhaust tips (I think)... It'* cold winter hear, so I do see smoke, although I do think I see more then I'm supposed to. It does smell "sweet" to me, but again I'm not sure...

So... where do I start? Or do I get a new car? =) (Although she just has 91k)

Thanks!

Sounds like a new oil pan gasket is in order for you, or at least drop it, clean it up, and re-mount the pan with properly torqued bolts. The gasket is intended to be re-used.

Your coolant loss could be from many sources. A leaky hose (above the water pump is common), water pump (dripping slowly out the weep hole), or the dreaded upper intake failure. Some people are actually replacing their upper intakes BEFORE they fail now. Might not be a bad place to start. Looking at the runners in your lower intake can tell you where a leak may be.

I'm still learning yet... =)

I understand intake

I don't understand what is the upper vs lower intake?
so where do I want to look to find the runners?

Upper intake=the black plastic thing on top of the engine with 6 visible ridges in it (under the engine cover).

Lower intake=the aluminum part the upper bolts to.

Runners are the dished out chambers in the lower intake that the air travels through on the way to the cylinders. You'll have to remove the upper intake to get to the lower. This includes removing the fuel rail, and alot of vacuum lines.