Will my engine survive? Am I just very lucky this time?!

[Purple Dogs]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 18 September 2024 at 19:59

[andy43]

Purple Dogs said:

Hi,
I drove over a large brick on a country road that unfortunately I could move out the way of.
I have a Merc a class (w176)
The first 1-2 mins it drove ok, then the engine was noisey, I drove up a hill to get me to safety and out the way, but it konked out!
Stupid of me really, but we move….
I got it recovered and it’s the oil sump.
My garage managed to get it started, fill up the hole, put oil in to test it. At first it sounded horrendous they said and they thought new engine for sure! But after 15 mins it’s started to smooth itself out.
They left it running for 30 mins.
Turned off and back on again for a further 30 mins, revving to get the oil pump moving the oil around.

It’s now running like it did before. It’s still in the garage and the sump will be fitted Monday. They said im incredibly lucky and I should be ok. But I’m worried the engine is damaged and won’t rear its head until I’ve head it back.

Am I extremely lucky on this occasion?!
Anyone experienced there engine not failing and run ok after?

1-2 minutes with no oil and you might get away with it. Under load up a hill your odds get worse. Taking the filter off and looking for metal debris would be a good idea.
Good they're replacing the sump and not just leaving their special test chewing gum filling the hole in the old one.
eta if by 'konked out' you mean it seized solid that probably means webuyanycar beckons...

[Purple Dogs]

Thanks, I’ll get my garage to take the oil filter off tomorrow and inspect it. It was only serviced 3 weeks ago, so I’d imagine quit east to spot metal particles?

If it had fully seized then would it even turn over?

The fact it’s started again and I heard it yesterday when i dropped the part of to them and it sounded like it did before, is this a good thing?

I have 3 options -

1) Keep it as it may just be ok and I might get another year out it which is what I wanted (103k on clock, so was going put another 13k on it)

2) keep it and buy a new engine when or if it happens

3) Trade in ASAP whilst it’s ok (it’ll go auction and not on a forecourt)

[kiethton]

If it's running well now I'd be getting shot of it asap

[bishop finger]

Going by what you've wrote it's most likely buggered. Didn't you notice the trail of motor oil?

[Purple Dogs]

bishop finger said:

Going by what you've wrote it's most likely buggered. Didn't you notice the trail of motor oil?

No, even when it stopped, there wasn’t a trial behind or running down the hill. It’s only when the recovery moved the car that the oil was seen underneath it.

[bishop finger]

Purple Dogs said:

No, even when it stopped, there wasn’t a trial behind or running down the hill. It’s only when the recovery moved the car that the oil was seen underneath it.

Perhaps the intrusion of the brick into the sump was great enough to interfere with the crank which is what stopped the engine rather than the engine seizing due to oil loss. You might get away with it in that case

[CraigyMc]

Purple Dogs said:

Hi,
I drove over a large brick on a country road that unfortunately I could move out the way of.
I have a Merc a class (w176)
The first 1-2 mins it drove ok, then the engine was noisey, I drove up a hill to get me to safety and out the way, but it konked out!
Stupid of me really, but we move….
I got it recovered and it’s the oil sump.
My garage managed to get it started, fill up the hole, put oil in to test it. At first it sounded horrendous they said and they thought new engine for sure! But after 15 mins it’s started to smooth itself out.
They left it running for 30 mins.
Turned off and back on again for a further 30 mins, revving to get the oil pump moving the oil around.

It’s now running like it did before. It’s still in the garage and the sump will be fitted Monday. They said im incredibly lucky and I should be ok. But I’m worried the engine is damaged and won’t rear its head until I’ve head it back.

Am I extremely lucky on this occasion?!
Anyone experienced there engine not failing and run ok after?

It's probably fked. Get rid.

[Purple Dogs]

bishop finger said:

Perhaps the intrusion of the brick into the sump was great enough to interfere with the crank which is what stopped the engine rather than the engine seizing due to oil loss. You might get away with it in that case

It was a huge brick. Like the stones you see in the walls in the peaks, one of them!
Anyways… Can this be the case?
My mechanic said the fact it’s started and running again and not rattling is a good thing… I’m not convinced. Not from him, I just think it’s go good to be true and it’ll show itself at some point?

[Purple Dogs]

CraigyMc said:

It's probably fked. Get rid.

This is my thinking. If it wasn’t starting at all, I’d completely agree. But cos it’s started and no noise, I’m 50/50.
Love my car but forking out for a new engine and it being of the road isn’t what I want.
It’s a risk it or trade in case

[Sway]

The fact it's running and sounds normal is, er, odd!

I'd have perhaps wanted a little more than 'put new sump pan, fill with oil and get it running', there's a whole host of things that can be done to 'pre-oil' an engine that's been completely dry.

Really don't know where I'd go if I were in your shoes. I'd probably crack on as though nothing has happened, but then may well be forced to realise some x miles later that this was a stupid decision!

Maybe see what Motorway will offer you for it now?

[Megaflow]

No it won’t survive. The damage has been done. The only remaining question is how long before it dies catastrophically.

[M.F.D]

My old Impreza STI suffered oil pickup failure on track. Came into pits after warning lights came on for oil pressure. It sounded 'fine' and wasn't knocking which was a head scratcher but sure enough the oil was nice and glittery.

I would not be keeping that, get rid whilst you can.

Edited by M.F.D on Sunday 15th September 16:24

[DaveH23]

If you decide to get rid, either scrap it or sell it described as you have done here.

Please don't allow some innocent party to buy it without them knowing.

[_Neal_]

DaveH23 said:

If you decide to get rid, either scrap it or sell it described as you have done here.

Please don't allow some innocent party to buy it without them knowing.

Absolutely this.

[Panamax]

Oil doesn't just lubricate, it plays a very big role in engine cooling. It's possible the lack of oil caused the pistons to overheat and expand until they got just tight enough to stall the engine. Once the engine cooled down the seizure would have have released. The big question is whether the cylinder walls got damaged and whether the bearings had a hard time. In the short term it sounds like a lucky escape.

[cadmunkey]

OP's never coming back

[Sway]

_Neal_ said:

DaveH23 said:

If you decide to get rid, either scrap it or sell it described as you have done here.

Please don't allow some innocent party to buy it without them knowing.

Absolutely this.

Nonsense - both those options are worse than just cracking on and seeing if it fails down the line, as the sale price if it does fail is the same as scrapping it or selling it with assumed catastrophic engine damage.

So might as well run it to oblivion, or at least enough miles to comfortably sell as a runner with an assuaged conscience.

[carreauchompeur]

My mum did similar to her Polo SDi and drove home since dogs were on board and she was in a tiz. No ill effects for several years!

[zsdom]

cadmunkey said:

OP's never coming back

Beat me to it

Post quote ftw!