Yes, of course the engine dies. That’s what happens when you run an engine without oil. What’s surprising is how long it takes this Honda Civic’s engine to die.
The video, posted on YouTube’s carwow channel and featuring journalist Mat Watson, starts as a comparison of how long a Ford Focus, a Peugeot 206, and a Honda Civic will run without oil. They’re not just idling, but bouncing off the rev limiter with rocks holding down the gas pedal.
Despite being built Ford Tough, the Focus is the first to conk out, just 20 seconds into the test. The Peugeot smokes and then stops running at 47 seconds. But the Honda keeps going. At the two-minute mark, its radiator starts smoking, and the revs begin to drop. That must be the end, right? Nope, despite being clearly unhappy with its predicament, the plucky little Civic seems to be getting away with it.
It keeps going and going …
Watson decides to step it up a notch and try driving the Civic, since merely sitting still bouncing off the rev limiter isn’t killing it. He doesn’t baby it, either, keeping the revs up and accelerating hard. Five minutes into the test, some warning lights turn on, and you can hear the unmistakable sound of rod knock. But still, the Civic soldiers on.
Watson even throws some handbrake turns into the mix, just to beat on this car as much as he possibly can. Although the Honda Civic is one of the most reliable cars you can buy, it was never designed to put up with this kind of abuse. At 6:22, in the middle of a slide, no less, there’s an audible pop, a brief flame under the car, and then the engine stops. That’s it, right?
Not quite. After “repairing” the engine by adding Mentos and Coke, it miraculously starts, runs, and drives again. Before long, though, it emits its final death yell in the form of many metal bits banging against each other. While the engine still cranks and is miraculously not seized, it refuses to run anymore.
I’ve always been impressed with Honda’s quality, but this engine outlasting the others by such a huge margin surprised even me. That said, don’t try this at home. Even Honda engines aren’t made of adamantium, and they do require oil to run properly.