Author Topic: Oil all over my engine (Read 1282 times)

mudskipper · « **on:** August 12, 2005, 07:43:58 pm »

I changed my engine oil and I stupidily forgot to put back my oil cap. Well, after driving for around for about 15 km, I smelled the heating oil on the engine block.
I bought a new oil cap and cleaned up the engine block as best as I could. The battery was spared but oil went all over the left side of the car under the hood. Oil as over the left side fo the engine block as well and plastic coated tubes. Oil as also around the housing of spark plugs but I do not think it got in. I cleaned it up as best as I could but is there anything else I should do?

Thanks in advance

mudskipper · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2005, 07:46:08 pm »

Here is a pic. The red arrow is the oil cap. Under the Hood

Brigitte · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2005, 08:10:33 pm »

Yikes, Mudskipper... What a mess.

Out of curiosity, how much oil is left in the engine? Mind you, 15 km isn't very far, but still... I wonder how much was lost.

mudskipper · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2005, 11:02:15 pm »

I think maybe 3 litres was left in the engine. I had to put in a little less than a litre of oil to bring the dip stick gauge back between the 2 lines.

barrie1 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2005, 11:28:54 pm »

The Best thing in my mind would be to Steam Clean your engine and rechange you oil except the filter. This cleans up the accidental oil spills and make it easier for you to maintain any further leaks or problems you may have in the future. They are easier to see as nothing else is leaking. If you cover up the air breather well enough you won't have to change the oil filter.

articsteve · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2005, 12:42:35 am »

I've done that before. I turned around and my friend spotted the oil cap on the dirt road. I would have been SOL on getting a replacement in a resonable time.

mikron15 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2005, 12:54:04 am »

One day , i was in a hurry to class and had to refuel. After refuelling i had forgotten to put the cap back on and drove all the way to the univ. ( 10km).
After class was done, i was heading to the car; I saw my gas cap dangling outside. What was strange that the check engine light never light on :S
That explained why 1 car honked at me lol

barrie1 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2005, 01:14:43 am »

That is a very common habit of many drivers to leave a cap behind. A good friend of mine owns the Gas Bar around the corner from my house and he has a large box full of Gas Caps that are Free to a Good Home. I know he would be Happy if all the Original Owners got theirs back. They leave both behind Gas and Oil Caps.

johngenx · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2005, 07:28:37 pm »

When I was in high school I took an automotive shop class. We had one poor fellow that left his oil filler cap sitting loose under the hood of his Chev Nova. As he backed out, the cap fell into the fan and the fan blades shot the cap THROUGH the rad.

You got off easy.

Minou · « **Reply #9 on:** August 13, 2005, 09:17:02 pm »

Barrie1,

Why rechange the oil?

barrie1 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 13, 2005, 10:03:31 pm »

Because if you Steam Clean your engine the odds are good that some of the water will get into your engine. Even with the Air Cleaner and other places like the Dist covered up it does happen. Thats why I recommend to change your oil after a engine Bath. Or wait until its time to change out this oil and clean it then.