2008-02-17 17:47:28. When they change and add oil they are just trying to get you to believe that everything as far as the oil change they performed is okay. An oil pan is made from either stamped steel or aluminum, and either metal can be damaged if the oil drain bolt is over-tightened or cross-threaded. Expanding rubber oil drain plug. 102 Posts . 10 Major Mistakes You're Making When Changing Your Car Oil If you change your own oil (or even if you have a shop do it), your car may not be getting all the attention it needs. Loosen screws (1) to (3). It's pretty common for the spark plug tube seals to fail, allowing the tubes to fill with oil. 1 ... thereby stripping the threads to the point that the plug fell out on the way home! Replace the drain plug and fill the oil pan with solvent once again. It draws the oil out into a can and I later empty it at Jiffy Lube.-Charles I attached a female fitting to the tube on my extractor pump that mates to the male fitting of the drain tube from the motor. if there was a problem with the threads or the plug did not tighten properly the person doing the oil change would no this before it ever left the shop. truck w/466 14.5 1/4 @ 93 mph. Check the front seal, the oil pan, the oil filter, the oil drain plug (make sure its tight), the valve cover gaskets, the oil cooler lines, the timing cover, and the rear main seal (between the engine and transmission). I don't think I torqued it to spec, I think I just snugged it down. There is no reason that your drain plug should fall out if the oil change was done properly. Remove oil reservoir and secure from falling out. If it is a dark sludge, the process will need to be repeated. Oil drain plug fell off while driving new-ish car, engine now completely destroyed ($8500 to replace) [WY] Close. I was lucky; I had to weld a nut onto the bottom of the pan that accepted a whole new bolt. Discussion Starter • #8 • Oct 18, 2010. chillan420 said: the smoke you saw was probably blue and from oil burning on your exhaust . (tow, oil, etc.) When I change the oil, I simply remove the brass plug and thread the "snout" of the oil extractor in. Oil drain plug fell out while driving!!! if the drain plug was properly tightened it would not fall out after any period of time. I didn't come here for the effects of too much oil, i spent plenty of time googling that. When I won, Pep Boys would only be responsible for "reasonable attorney fees." going down the highway the oil plug fell out The OP admitted to the oil plug "falling out" while driving the vehicle on a highway. oil plug fell out after dealer oil change: merry2012: Fuels & Lubricants: 159: December 8th, 2012 06:59: 2006.6 Jetta oil drain plug and oil filter can torques: ddafforn: TDI 101: 2: January 18th, 2007 18:27: Oil Pan With Oil Level Sensor And Drain Plug. It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong. The place that did the oil change is trying to tell me it's impossible for the oil drain plug to fall out but it happened to me and I have no reason to lie. Almost everyone who h I removed the plug and measured only two ounces of oil in the bottom that won't drain out the stud holes. After being towed (twice), told by 2 different garages the latter being Cross Creek Subaru, we were told the engine seized due to oil drain plug falling out. Jiffy Lube torqued the drain plug with an impact gun. Feed out the stiffening plate (4) in the area (5) of the wheel arch trim panel and remove. Tighten oil drain plug (1). Once that happen, you’ll leak oil. The molecules mix with the dirt in the engine coming from comb… It is hard to imagine that a person would risk ruining his or her engine like that. The only explantation is that they did not properly tighten the drain plug after draining the oil. That person owes you an engine. Allow it to sit for 2 additional days and drain the product. Drain the solvent out of the oil pan. Unless you want to buy a new engine. It is used to drain the oil from your pan during an oil change. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, … Here are the four options to repair a stripped drain plug. The sooner you get the car int he shop and have it evaluated, the better it is for you. To know the plug was missing, one would have to know the oil went missing, too. A post by Daniel musikanth. Summer has arrived! I see no liability against anyone today, months after the oil plug and the oil went AWOL. The filter goes on hand tight ( lube the black ring & threads) & then 1/4 turn with a filter wrench. You don't need a torq wrench. You should at the very least be reimbursed for all the costs associated with the oil plug falling out. Some guys have mentioned problems with the o-rings falling out while trying to install. Draining Engine Oil This is the process where a plug is removed that the oil drains out the bottom. All the oil would have come out and it would be impossible to find the plug. My question, what would cause an oil drain plug to fall out … Wiki User Answered . If you can read this, that means I'm awesome. Ray: Sometimes drain plugs get stripped. If the drain plug came out from being loose and you never noticed any oil leaks, you are the one that neglected your car. It did restart and went a very short distance before stopping again, definitely less than one minute. I had a copacetic 2000 Toyota Sienna… until the oil-drain plug fell out while driving it following an oil change three months ago. Cam plug coming out while driving My right hand cam plug came out will on a trip dumping the engine oil onto the exhaust pipe and road. Recently, I was driving my vehicle and the oil plug somehow fell out of my oil pan causing my oil to drain out. Prevention is the best solution. After nearly 3 months and 3,000 miles driven, the oil drain plug fell out, resulting in blowing up the entire engine. Main Work. 2011 Cruze LT Turbo - well maintained - last oil change Dec 2017 at local GM dealers - only place car maintained and all oil changes there. Take a bottle and some newspaper out to the parking lot, break the plug loose, and drain some oil out. It is tough to go up against corporations but I had a issue similar to yours with Lowes and happen to broadcast this accross the internet with the help of friends it wasnt 2 weeks of doing this I got a call from the CEO's assistant faxed over everything and got compensated really fast and apologys from the store this occured I still have a hard time going to any Lowes Good Luck. And it might not have been the fault of that last shop (its oil change might simply have been the straw that broke the camel's back). He also said that the engine is ruined and will have to be replace and asked me to contact my insurance company. That nearly happened to me with my '79 Thunderbird, AKA, "The Beast" or, "Das Boot". oOPenguin941Oo (Topic Creator) 9 years ago #4. Of COURSE they're blowing smoke up your A$$! They determined that the oil drain plug fell out. Inspect it as it flows out of the oil pan. Plug likely fell out sometime this month. During oxidation, the molecules of engine oil break down. We have gone through the process of filing a complaint with the oil change shop, and both their owner and insurance company have denied liability, even though they … For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should take it. Now, my 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5L with 15,000 miles on it requires an extra tight twist on the oil drain plug to stop a very small leak. On hwy and large warning sign and audible - stop car and engine. Otherwise, The court won't listen to you if it is pure speculation. Sorry about the grammar and verb tense mistakes. And when it does, the drain plug is going to fall out. Wipe off the place where the oil drain plug was after all of the oil is done draining and replace the plug using a wrench – we love a good, handy dandy tool! The oil pan can lose oil due to a variety of factors including faulty or worn-out seals and gaskets or worn oil pans. It could be that when you performed the repair, the seals didn't get installed properly. Stop when it's snug. This is a very small amount. If the bolt or oil pan have been cross-threaded, you may need a new oil drain plug. I called the dealer to get to where I was parked on the side of the road and do something! Check the engine for any oil leaks that are visible to you. Driving without stiffening plate is not permissible. And that 2.5 miles was to circulate the oil so I could inspect the oil filter. While driving it home it began to smoke. The result can be oil drips on your driveway, garage floor, and ultimately, into the environment. Oil drain plug fell out while cruising on the 66. didn't notice till she was seized. Rub the … Get two mechanics estimates if possible. Prev. While driving to drop someone off at the airport my check oil light comes on and about a minute or so later car starts to loose power and engine ceases. After 36 days and 2500 miles driven, the oil drain plug fell out, resulting in severe engine damage. The main reason why an oil drain plug gets stuck is due to sludge. Allow the engine oil to drain out fully. They rammed that plug into the pan with an air tool and so could not feel that it was not in line with the threads. This can result in the engine losing all lubrication and burning up in the process. If you have an oil catch pan container, it is not that much work to simply loosen to get slight oil drainage, but not remove the oil pan bolt entirely to drain out the extra oil. Overtighten the oil drain plug and you can strip the threads out of the oil pan. Half way through our journey, driving on 95 S in North Carolina, the car began to slow down and resist her attempts to increase speed. Asked by Wiki User. There was no oil leakage or any sign of trouble up to the point where the plug came out; no oil in the driveway, or parking spot at place of employment. if there was a problem with the threads or the plug did not tighten properly the person doing the oil change would no this before it ever left the shop. You have been given a lot of good advice. Ever since then my car has been making a knocking noise and the noise increases as the gas is pressed down. Top Answer. The more you drive the car, the easier it is for the shop to claim ...if the damage was as bad as he says, then why did he put "X" miles on the car since we worked on it? It won't fall out. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. so the oil plug/dipstick popped off while riding yesterday..i noticed smoke coming from my engine area but couldnt tell if it was from oil splashing out and touching the hot engine making the smoke or if I did some major damage. Tonight I filed a complaint with consumeraffairs.com. While driving back from the west coast of FL my oil pan drain plug (just found out) apparently fell out. After you drain it, use a dab to lubricate the plug.spin the plug finger tight, then a socket to tighten it. I have a friend that's a certified mechanic & owns his own business... you know where this is heading! I’m assuming from your comments about oil being pushed ou, the price quote and so on, that the engine has a blowby problem and that generally means a piston ring problem unless the stars are in … Click to expand... Actually that was like the first area checked once I pulled over considering I was still kind of in the mindset that I hit something but the oil pan looked fine from what I could tell and so did the filter. Pull everything out from under the car and put the oil in. I would bet that it fell out because some lazy fool used his air rachet and rammed that oil pan plug home when it was not lined up correctly, thereby stripping the threads to the point that the plug fell out on the way home! 71 72 73. Had towed to dealer who is only one that has serviced my car. I don't think luck has anything to do with your situation. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. My buddy stripped his drain plug on his gixer 750 and we put a helicoil in it. Ive looked everywhere for an m18-1.5 oversized drain plug but have had zero luck all i get told is that its not made. JavaScript is disabled. 64 International 4dr. I've seen countless loose drain plugs on vehicles back in for an oil change, even several that were almost out, so it's feasible that an improperly tightened drain plug could last 4 months. So I was driving my 2012 Soul it made an awful noise and I pulled over, turned off, got out and opened hood then looked under car. We followed the spotted trail of oil back onto the road and concluded that the oil drain plug somehow fell off while driving, drained the oil, and forced the car to disable itself. Since I had them tow the vehicle home, I have not driven it more than 2.5 miles. Stop when it's snug. Don’t do this too soon after a ride that you’ll risk burning yourself, but while your engine is still warm, remove your drain plug with a 17 mm socket. who ever did this oil change is responsible. This is a very small amount. If oil drain plugs/sump plugs suddenly loosen due to improper fit or even negligent installation, then a sudden loss of plug and engine oil might occur. Ive got an 87 toyota supra 7mge and i guess the grooves for the drain plug on the oil pan are shot cause its always got little drips of oil on it and i gotta top up my oil every once and a while. I tapped in a new plug so that the highest part of the plug was close to flush with the outer surface of the head. Allow the engine oil to drain out fully. Which, according to the attorneys I spoke with, doesn't actually pay their fees. Most people dont do that, if … After two small claims court experiences (both of which I won), I can tell you that you need to prove damage. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. A forum community dedicated to Ford performance owners and enthusiasts. Posted by 2 years ago. The mechanic at Toyota explained to me that when a drain plug comes out when a car is moving all the oil is dumped quickly. You're screwed. They don't care. If you look through your owners manual, it will say- if the oil light comes on, immetiatly pull over and stop your car. In my area, small claim's maximum is $4500. Oil keeps your engine lubricated and prevents overheating. The sludge forms around the drain plug because the oil in the engine has exceeded its oil change time. It happened to me on a $2000 transmission job. They will spend more time trying to BS there way out of it instead of just doing their job. You have a permanently damaged engine and the individual who was responsible for tightening the drain plug is the exact person at fault. If the drain plug fell out and the oil light was on then there is engine damage. The dealer diagnosis was that there is no drain plug which is probably because the last place the oil was changed (around 2-3 months back) did not install the plug properly. I removed the plug and measured only two ounces of oil in the bottom that won't drain out the stud holes. If they did ALL of your oil changes and now your turbo sounds different since the oil plug fell out, they owe you a new turbo. maybe ur drain plug came loose, hit something and ur oil pan has a hole in it, ur oil filter came loose. Here is one way to loosen a stuck oil pain drain plug (bolt) or any other low-mounted, horizontally located nut or bolt. WHAT EVER YOU DO DON'T DRIVE THE CAR GET IT TOWED. Ignore the fact that someone has beat on the oil pan with a hammer - the "stuff" around the hex plug is the crush washer which has squished out due to the SEVERE over torque. We pulled over onto the shoulder. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. just check it out. It is NOT. Secure component against falling. In some jurisdictions, this can lead to fines for environmental cleanup. Archived . We heard no knocking noises or anything. It actually surprises me because most of the time they tighten it down too far and make it a pain to get off. While that sounds like appropriate payback ... it is also ILLEGAL. Put in the proper amount of synthetic oil. I purchased another one for my upcoming oil change on my 2013 335i with the n55 engine. It is 26 months old and has 14260 miles, next oil change due at 15500 miles. Buy Mag Plug Magnetic Oil Pan Drain Plug and Filter (M12 x 1.5 mm) ... My main concern is the magnet loosening and falling out while driving. The best thing you could do is park the car or replace the motor on your own dime. " Jan 18, 2008 #5 brknhearted said: You'd need full coverage to cover something like this. Ouch!! TECHNICAL INFORMATION . That is when the oil light first came on and the engine stopped running. It worked well until it was time to drain the oil again and it popped out. User Info: oOPenguin941Oo. Extracting Engine Oil This is where a device is used to suck the oil out. 'twas a sad day. In fact, I will probably drop the insurance off of it. I replaced the oil plug and added a new oil filter and new oil. The area that was worked on, was the area that caused the problem. I had driven up to 6-7 miles. Servicing dealer refuses to accept liability! I will not be driving it any more. That nearly happened to me with my '79 Thunderbird, AKA, "The Beast" or, "Das Boot". IF you have a helicoil put in make sure whoever is doing it knows what their doing otherwise it wont stay in. Why would the oil pan plug fall out while driving? An oil plug should stay on the vechile forever. Huge puddle of oil. Let’s be sure to define each. If the oil-less engine had run for much longer, it very well could have seized. File a complaint with VOA. I caught it before any damage was done. Can't dream of what would have happened if the plug fell out while driving. 1. Because large companies don't care about you at all. At the district level, I can obviously sue for more, but then I have to pay an attorney from 25-50%. I considered posting this as a new thread, but it fits perfectly here. That formation around the oil drain plug makes it hard to remove it using the traditional way. who ever did this oil change is responsible. 4 – Replace the lower oil sump section. How much damage? To know the plug was missing, one would have to know the oil went missing, too. The oil pressure light came on and the car turned off causing me to pullover. While I'm not certain how much it will actually help, it makes me feel better. When we got out of the vehicle oil was just pouring out the bottom of the engine and the back of my car was covered in oil. If you want, give it a little twist after it stops. Your engine is WRECKED my friend, I'm sorry to say. 2 – Removing the stiffening plate. ... on the oil drain plug and install. If you remove the bolt, it is pretty messy to reinstall the bolt, while oil is still flowing out the bolt hole, as oil … For some reason the oil plug fell out. A guy who helped me (says he used to work at a VW shop) push it says that a new drain plug and some oil and it should be fine, but I'm a little worried. If for some reason the o-rings want to fall out in your encounter put a small dab of tacky grease on the plate then push the o-ring into it. Remove screws (arrows). After jacking the car up I discover that the oil plug is gone (threads where not stripped or damaged) and the engine is bone dry. But it's entirely possible that it took 4 months to come out, if they were trying to get a free engine out of you it'd be much easier for them to pull the plug a few days after you changed it, not 4 months later. The oil drain plug is typically located on the bottom of the engine on the oil pan. You can deny it if you think it's worth it. Don't you dare sell that vehicle "while it is quiet". Now for the fun part. Stripping the threads in the pan can cause the oil to leak out around the bolt. Jump to Latest Follow 41 - 60 of 64 Posts. TECHNICAL INFORMATION. The oil pressure light came on and the car turned off causing me to pullover. Loosen nuts (1). I pulled off at the nearest exit and it died on the off ramp. Out of town GM dealer says oil plug fell out - engine finished - need new one - $5-6,000+. ..." - Voltaire. Make sure to hold them accountable If you're low on oil or, worse yet, run your engine without any oil, you're probably in for serious problems. Step 1: With a warm engine, remove the drain plug. You need the receipt from Pep Boys for the oil change, a receipt or proof that it was towed at Pep Boys expense would be very helpful to show they had taken responsibility, and i'm afraid that the best thing to do is to have the engine removed (or at least the oil pan removed) and to have the damage quantified by a independent mechanic. When I crawled under my SUV, the oil drain plug was gone and there was no oil in the oil pan! Now, my 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5L with 15,000 miles on it requires an extra tight twist on the oil drain plug to stop a very small leak. Come join the discussion about popular models such as the Mustang, Galaxie, Falcon, Fairlane, Torino, Shelby and many more! It won't fall out. Could my motor be completely ruined since it shut off? If the oil plug fell out, it wasn't just lose, it was missing. While driving we saw a thick cloud of smoke pour out the back. Running your car without oil can cause extensive damage to your engine. Some cars will run a for a short amount of time without oil, but not long, and damage does happen. My buddy since has been putting a rubber plug in the that expands as you tighten it. 2 – Removing the stiffening plate. I pushed it 1/4 mile to at dealership where it now sits. Sounds like you need a … The oil then tends to oxidize under high temperatures. But, I found out the plug was only hand tight. Put the socket back on the ratchet and tighten the oil plug. That happens when I don't proof read before I submit. Slivers of metal in your oil is like blood in your stool. Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. I thought it was electrical and tried to restart it. I was completely loose by about 3 turns. Options to repair a stripped oil drain plug. The tow truck driver suggested I tow the car back to the last place I had an oil change, because usually if this happens, it is because the mechanics did not properly tighten the oil drain plug. I replaced the oil plug and added a new oil filter and new oil. http://members.cardomain.com/96mustang460cid, http://www.pepboys.com/about/contact/cust_relations.html, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. It has been about 2 months since I had my oil changed. Guide in oil drain plug (1) and install. I torn between persueing this in small claims court or on the district level. R. racer72 Senior Member. While driving home from the dealership, the oil light came on. Oil was spraying near the bottom of the engine (4WD). Using a funnel, pour a majority of the oil into the oil filler hole slowly, allowing the oil to run down and not clog up the tube. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. If the oil plug fell out, it wasn't just lose, it was missing. Is extracting oil better, worse, or the same as draining it from the drain plug. The OP admitted to the oil plug "falling out" while driving the vehicle on a highway. No leaks yet. One thing, when I took the drain plug out, I thought I had too large of socket. if the drain plug was properly tightened it would not fall out after any period of time. After you drain it, use a dab to lubricate the plug.spin the plug finger tight, then a socket to tighten it. The whole thing only takes about 10 minutes so its just a lot smoother to go back and tighten the plug afterwards, but you have to physically remember to do it. Before we talk about the Pros and Cons of these methods. We have gone through the process of filing a complaint with the oil change shop, and both their owner and insurance company have denied liability, … See Answer. Sudden Oil loss – Engine damage. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. So, don't drain your car of oil just to see what happens. I have been changing my cars' oil for a lot of years, some have reached 200,000 miles without me ever replacing the oil drain plug gaskest. These places are independently owned and they don't want to be sued. I pulled over, shut off the car, and opened the hood. If you notice a leak at the oil plug, in some cases it can be as simple as replacing the gasket. They wrecked your engine. I have been changing my cars' oil for a lot of years, some have reached 200,000 miles without me ever replacing the oil drain plug gaskest. Your drain plug has a crush washer that you must not lose, so try to remember that when a flood of oil starts pouring out of your Boulevard. I'd have it inspected and have the independent mechanic provide a estimate to repair the engine. There was no oil leakage or any sign of trouble up to the point where the plug came out; no oil in the driveway, or parking spot at place of employment. Recently, I was driving my vehicle and the oil plug somehow fell out of my oil pan causing my oil to drain out. Every now and then, you will find a mechanic who thinks the oil drain bolt should be tightened with an impact gun. And if it happens to fall out while you're driving, it's good-bye, motor.