How F@&*ed am I? Catastrophic oil leak
12-02-2019, 03:25 PM
#46
Instructor
I imagine you'll be ok! Not the same car or engine, but years ago I had the same misfortune in my VW TDI. Hit a pothole. Didn't realize that anything catastrophic had happened at the time and continued to drive a couple miles until the oil light came on and I pulled into a lot. Not much sign of oil coming out because it'd already poured out! 5 quarts of Rotella T6 had been deposited on the road along those couple miles. A quick look and saw that the plastic cover was shredded and a big chunk of the oil pan was missing. Got it towed to shop and a couple days later all was well w/new oil pan installed. No engine damage.
12-03-2019, 01:40 PM
#47
Just heard back from my shop. As many of you predicted it appears to just be a cracked oil pan. They also pulled the filter and said it looks fine. They'll take a close look at everything once they open it up (before replacing the pan, oil and restarting) but sounded pretty confident there is no other damage. What a relief! Thanks everyone!!
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12-03-2019, 01:48 PM
#48
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Best.
Day.
Ever!!
Day.
Ever!!
12-03-2019, 05:16 PM
#49
Great news! If the shop is willing to take photos, please share.
Just heard back from my shop. As many of you predicted it appears to just be a cracked oil pan. They also pulled the filter and said it looks fine. They'll take a close look at everything once they open it up (before replacing the pan, oil and restarting) but sounded pretty confident there is no other damage. What a relief! Thanks everyone!!
12-03-2019, 05:33 PM
#50
Rennlist Member
Sounds like it's turning out to be a positive outcome (all things considered) so hopefully once the oil pan is replaced and everything else is buttoned up you'll be back on the road!
12-03-2019, 07:09 PM
#53
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Is this an opportunity to upgrade the pan? Is something offered by the motorsport division, for example. Better capacity, more baffling. Let's make lemonade approach.
12-03-2019, 07:46 PM
#54
Looking at the 2 potholes I'm surprise your front bumper didn't get damage as well? Hope you got her up and running.
12-03-2019, 08:09 PM
#55
I'm glad it was just a cracked oil pan. I used to be a VW mechanic and would replace oil pans almost weekly as they sat really low. Most of the time the customer would not know they broke the oil pan until they got back to the car after letting it sit to discover a huge puddle of oil. The aluminum pans typically just crack and creates a steady oil leak you have to kit them really hard to punch a hole it one. It typically takes quite a while (relatively speaking) for them to empty out enough oil to have the light come on. Anybody who shut the car down within a reasonable amount of time when the light came on would always be fine. It was the people that would drive for a few minutes before deciding to shut it down that would have the catastrophic engine failure usually within the next 300 -1000 miles after the repair. Where you shut it down quickly and the shop has found nothing in the oil filter I definitely would not lose any sleep over possible future engine damage.
12-03-2019, 08:17 PM
#56
Most of my comments are ignored because I’m so positive, but a lot of these “catastrophic” posts turn out to be nothing at all. Some owners really are experiencing problems, like bore scoring, and I get that. But there are so many posts on this forum with scary titles that turn out to be nothing major at all.
Really glad things worked out well for the OP and I’m still laughing at the first response that told the OP his entire engine was destroyed 😂
Really glad things worked out well for the OP and I’m still laughing at the first response that told the OP his entire engine was destroyed 😂
The following 3 users liked this post by snaphappy:
12-03-2019, 08:34 PM
#57
Most of my comments are ignored because I’m so positive, but a lot of these “catastrophic” posts turn out to be nothing at all. Some owners really are experiencing problems, like bore scoring, and I get that. But there are so many posts on this forum with scary titles that turn out to be nothing major at all.
Really glad things worked out well for the OP and I’m still laughing at the first response that told the OP his entire engine was destroyed 😂
Really glad things worked out well for the OP and I’m still laughing at the first response that told the OP his entire engine was destroyed 😂
12-03-2019, 08:49 PM
#58
Three Wheelin'
Oil pan upgrade time.
12-04-2019, 11:23 AM
#59
Rennlist Member
In most cases, bringing a lawsuit against the city for potholes, cracked sidewalk accident/etc just results in a letter back explaining they are not liable.
Unless the city has on record several complaints regarding said pothole being present or cracked sidewalk/pushed up sidewalk from roots, they don't and won't assume any liability in the matter.
Unless the city has on record several complaints regarding said pothole being present or cracked sidewalk/pushed up sidewalk from roots, they don't and won't assume any liability in the matter.
