That "Oh Sh1t " feeling
Discussion
Hadn't checked the oil in my Griff 500 for a week or so (yes, I know, I know..) then when I opened the bonnet I saw a void where the oil filler cap should have been. Fuck, I had driven the thing for over a week with the sodding cap off!
I was horror-struck, but I am not sure what damage this could have done to the engine? I would estimate that I had done a couple of 50 mile blasts, tops, plus some tootling around town. Any ideas?
BTW the oil level and pressure are spot on.
Where did the cap go? Hunted high and low, then found it wedged between the exhaust manifolds. The orange pink plastic had completely melted away (Fuck, it could have caught fire!!) I polished up the remaining steel cap now it looks great, much better than the plastic ever did!
But could the engine have been damaged?
Ta for any advice (yes, I know - check the oil more often..)
I was horror-struck, but I am not sure what damage this could have done to the engine? I would estimate that I had done a couple of 50 mile blasts, tops, plus some tootling around town. Any ideas?
BTW the oil level and pressure are spot on.
Where did the cap go? Hunted high and low, then found it wedged between the exhaust manifolds. The orange pink plastic had completely melted away (Fuck, it could have caught fire!!) I polished up the remaining steel cap now it looks great, much better than the plastic ever did!
But could the engine have been damaged?
Ta for any advice (yes, I know - check the oil more often..)
In some cars (my Quattro is one of these) you will notice straight away if the cap is off - they just will not actually run at idle if you leave the cap off.
I didn't turn it on fully one day and every time I came to an idle the engine stalled, and oil started to leak out of the top. I can only therefore summarise that if you haven't got oil everywhere then you can't really have done much harm...
Know that isn't a definitive answer - but given the car was running OK I can't believe you have done anything serious to it.
I didn't turn it on fully one day and every time I came to an idle the engine stalled, and oil started to leak out of the top. I can only therefore summarise that if you haven't got oil everywhere then you can't really have done much harm...
Know that isn't a definitive answer - but given the car was running OK I can't believe you have done anything serious to it.
Yes -- good point. But then again, the ajp (and in this respect, I think it is unlike the rover) delivers oil at different pressures to the crank and the head, so in principle there's no reason to insist the oil would be pressured to all come out. (which, as I think we've established, doesn't happen 
)
)Short of beasties climbing in (and only excessivly crunchy or furry ones at that), there'll not be a problem...you'll only have lost a mist worth, if anthing at all. Prolly beneficial actually as it will aid evaporation of condensation and fuel blow-by contaminants, and general breathing.
I think you would have known very quickly if you were losing oil - a nasty smell, smoke from under the bonnet, oil pressure warning light, and a large puddle where you park, might all be clues! When my friend did this in his Honda, the inside of the engine bay was fully coated in oil in about 15 minutes, and it was err, very noticeable. I reckon you've got away with it - have you checked the dipstick? (I mean to see how much oil there is, not whether it's there...)
quote:
In some cars (my Quattro is one of these) you will notice straight away if the cap is off - they just will not actually run at idle if you leave the cap off.
I didn't turn it on fully one day and every time I came to an idle the engine stalled, and oil started to leak out of the top. I can only therefore summarise that if you haven't got oil everywhere then you can't really have done much harm...
Know that isn't a definitive answer - but given the car was running OK I can't believe you have done anything serious to it.
A lot of cars have oil breathers going into the fuel system. In this case, removing the cap effectively vents that part of the fuel system to atmosphere, giving you running problems (esp at low speed)
The rover engine is already vented to atmosphere (look at the back of the engine on the same bank as the oil filler) so driving without the cap isn't going to do any harm as long as the oil doestn't fall out
Anyone still listening
MikeyT's right. Other than spraying oil all over the engine (which it hasn't) nothing else bad will have happenned.
I did the same on a 4.0l Chimaerea a few years back except that it was the dealer that realised and found the cap! No damage done at all.
Cheers.... Andrew (ex gb61390)
I did the same on a 4.0l Chimaerea a few years back except that it was the dealer that realised and found the cap! No damage done at all.
Cheers.... Andrew (ex gb61390)
quote:
Agree. I thought I'd be the only dope that had driven off in a Cerb without the filler cap back on...but yes it does rather mess the engine bay.
A rather white faced friend came round this morning, knees still trembling and explained over a cuppa that he'd just filled up his Saab with gas,paid for it and then promply drove off with the nozzle still attatched to the car, nothing exploded thankfully..dohh!!
heliox
Pumps don't work like ours in the US. Some you have to manually turn on and off with a throw lever rather than it being automatic when nozzle is removed/replaced.
quote:
So how did the cashier allow him to pay with the nozzle still in the car?
Unless the nozzle is placed back on the cradle the sale has not finished so the cashier cannot get a total sale price.
quote:I hadn't tightened it up enough in a moment of distraction, and it must have vibrated itself off. Always make sure it's very tight now!
Agree. I thought I'd be the only dope that had driven off in a Cerb without the filler cap back on...but yes it does rather mess the engine bay.
quote:
quote:I hadn't tightened it up enough in a moment of distraction, and it must have vibrated itself off. Always make sure it's very tight now!
Agree. I thought I'd be the only dope that had driven off in a Cerb without the filler cap back on...but yes it does rather mess the engine bay.
...they do do that, don't they, though?
Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff