Will my engine survive? Am I just very lucky this time?!
Discussion
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.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?
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 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 casePurple 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 fI 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?
ked. Get rid.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?
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?
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.
I would not be keeping that, get rid whilst you can.
Edited by M.F.D on Sunday 15th September 16:24
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.
_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. Please don't allow some innocent party to buy it without them knowing.
So might as well run it to oblivion, or at least enough miles to comfortably sell as a runner with an assuaged conscience.
I did the same with an Octavia I had from new, but hit a kerb straight on instead of a brick. It had done about 20k miles at the time.
I drove another few miles before I had to stop and then discovered an oil slick spreading out from under the car from a cracked sump, checked the level and it was not showing anything on the dipstick.
It was recovered to Skoda who fitted a new sump and I put another 50k miles on the car before I sold it, and it carried on running for another 30k miles until the driver ran up a bank one day and overturned it about 3 miles from my house.
All this happened before the poor old thing hit 4 years old, used as a taxi.
You might be lucky OP
I drove another few miles before I had to stop and then discovered an oil slick spreading out from under the car from a cracked sump, checked the level and it was not showing anything on the dipstick.
It was recovered to Skoda who fitted a new sump and I put another 50k miles on the car before I sold it, and it carried on running for another 30k miles until the driver ran up a bank one day and overturned it about 3 miles from my house.
All this happened before the poor old thing hit 4 years old, used as a taxi.
You might be lucky OP
andy43 said:
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.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?
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...
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