# Crap!! Hit a pothole, lost my oil plug/oil, now replaced, but Oil pressure is out of wack!!



## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

So I was driving home from school today, hit a pothole, and my oil plug came off, leaking all my oil on the street, I was like 2-3 miles from home so I drove home carefully, as I was driving my car stalled, and I had to restart it twice, I barely made it home, when I checked my engine there was s little smoke, like there was burning oil...
I bought a new plug installed it, then put in new oil (10-40 the heavier density oil), I also checked the dipstick, to make sure I didn't over fill the oil, or under fill it.... Now here's where I'm stumped (AND SCARED S***LESS!!),
1) My car has oil in it right now, but the oil pressure light still comes on,
2) Now when I drive and step on the gas, the oil pressure light starts to beep, but when I let go it goes off,
3) Plus there's a rattling noise now when I idle and it gets louder when I gas it...
Please don't say rod bearings, because thats gonna be expensive








Any idea? Please lmk man thanks!! 
Oh yeah forgot to mention that I'm pissed at myself right now because didn't check my oil filter to see if it was clogged or not...










_Modified by sengd001 at 8:56 PM 2-3-2009_


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## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: Crap!! Hit a pothole, lost my oil plug/oil, now replaced, but Oil pressu ... (sengd001)*

How did a pothole knock your oil plug off? How did you put in a new one if the old one was knocked off?


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

I got coils on my car, so its slammed, as for the plug, I have spares lying around, its a habit I have, I like to be prepared, I just screwed it on, and oiled it again...


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## malibu1228 (Oct 9, 2005)

Sounds like bad bearings, I'm sorry but you are an idiot for driving with NO OIL in the car.


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

*Re: (sengd001)*

Yeah bad call I know, but I had no choice, 
No cell on me, or any cash, plus I was 2 miles from my house, on a quiet straightaway... I doubt its the bearings right now, because I found 3 leaks, probably got them from the hit, its likely whats messing with the oil pressure, just not sure where they're at yet... too dark outside, I'll double check on Thursday when I get out of class, still it's much better news than I expected... but not ruling out the bearings yet....


_Modified by sengd001 at 1:19 AM 2-4-2009_


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## Nastyboost35 (Mar 26, 2007)

*Re: (sengd001)*

your motor is toast bro. Contrary to what you may think you cannot let a motor run without oil and definitely not drive it and put load on it. This is not some castrol commercial you need atleast 2.5 quarts of oil in the motor to keep everything lubed up, without oil the metal contact parts in your motor were probally toast before the first time you had to restart it. you smoked your bearings and god only knows what else. next time take the 2 mile walk and maybe save your motor, it is alot cheaper. Take this as a lesson learned and get a new motor and learn a new lesson...how to replace an engine.


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## 08Rabbit1 (Jun 30, 2008)

I've never seen a pothole unscrew and extract an oil plug. Obviously an extremely wicked nefarious pothole - tough luck.


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## spasticone (May 31, 2004)

*Re: (08Rabbit1)*

I'd say your screwed.


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## malibu1228 (Oct 9, 2005)

You were a mere 2 miles from home. You could have walked that slowly in under an hour.


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

I never ruled out my motor being toast, I was ruling out the possible issues step by step, but yeah, you guys are probably right about the engine... because when I drained my oil a few hours ago and found some metal shavings in there, so its likely the rod bearings, it still cranks, and drives (I didn't drive it), but there may also be some damage to the cylinder heads, crank, etc... which probably means eiher a rebuild or replacement engine... The motor has 175k on it so because thats a lot already its looking more like a replace. How much do you guys think its going to cost to either rebuild or replace my motor? And is it even worth it? Its a 2000 2dr Golf, and even if I replace the motor, the resale value is gonna take a huge hit... right now I think the stuff I have on my car is probably worth more than the car itself, so iono... I could probably just part the mods, sell the car stock, and use the money, and what I was gonna invest into the engine and by another VW with less miles, any advice?


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## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: (sengd001)*

You may want to check car-part.com to see if there are any low mileage motors near you that are reasonable. Then weigh that cost (+ install if you aren't doing it yourself) vs. the other options you mentioned such as selling the mods. etc. Once you pencil it out, the answer will be clear I bet. 
Just don't forget to factor in the cost of the new mods. if you think you would be modding the potential replacement vw.


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## dubbinmk2 (Jan 15, 2008)

*Re: (saaber2)*

yep the motor is done for.... nice!!!!!


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

The mechanic took off my pan today, heres what he found:
1) Metal shavings in the pan (More than the norm)
2) My CV Joint is torn (Main cause of my tire wear? I posted on this recently in the suspension forums....)
3) My pan has leaks and will need to be replaced (already knew this)
4) My dipstick tube has cracks in it and needs replacing (Knew this also, but have been mending, I think the part where the tube attached to my motor came loose from impact which also caused more compression issues)
*Notes:*
#1) is the main issue I'm worried about... I'm not going to say the motor is done for... yet, since theres still other factors that could explain this... I've never been one to just give up on something...
#2) the torn joint is the one closest towards the center of the vehicle (not the one near my wheels)
#3/4) This should fix any oil leaks, I'm hoping the compression issues as well, because the pan was already damaged, however I mended it myself, but after hitting that pothole I think it got to that point where mending just wasn't a plausible option anymore. 


_Modified by sengd001 at 4:56 PM 2-6-2009_


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## animaniac (May 26, 2005)

*Re: (sengd001)*

Right i've been there done that.
7 year ago i had an old mk2 gti the k jet type, and the oil light had a cry wolf habbit yet there was nothing wrong, also the buzzer wasnt working so i was unsure which low or high pressure switch was causing it, i only found that out after it was too late.
I was in town and the damn oil pressure relief valve must have jammed, this caused the oil filter seal to blow out, causing the oil light to come on aswell as empty my oil.
I ignored the light but i was only a mile from my house so i drove home, only when i was half way did i relise all wasnt well and i reversed in my drive and saw the oil trail.
Replaced the filter and put new oil in and it ran for 2000 miles of hard driving before the bigends started knocking and the filter seal blew out again.
If the oil light with buzzer ever comes on i will put clutch in and turn the engine off, and pull over to investigate.
The engine is toast and will need rebuilding, or just keep driving it until it starts to knock, and then put another one it..


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

Wow that sucks...
Yeah I know its gone... If I sell the car the way it is I probably won't even get 1 grand for it... I'll probably just part the car, then sell it the way it is, my mechanic wanted $2500 for a rebuild and for a car that already would only be worth like $3 grand in running condition its not worth the money... I just am annoyed at how my luck always sucks, its been a horrible year for me so far, my ex cheated on me, got my scholarship from UCM revoked, lost my job, it kinda stinks when you have to just keep a stright face and pretend that it doesn't bother you... seems like everytime people do good things bad stuff happens to them, and the people who are immoral or manipulative always get ahead in life... its like theres no such thing as karma anymore... sorry for the personal rant, but thanks again everyone for your comments and concern regarding my car, I think this is my official farewell to this site (after I sell my parts of course







but I probably won't have much time for that until summer, we'll see)


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## dubbinmk2 (Jan 15, 2008)

*Re: (sengd001)*

do not rebuilt the engine get a used engine throw in there and call it a day.... it can be done for 1k...


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## '89rocco (Oct 29, 2008)

*Re: Crap!! Hit a pothole, lost my oil plug/oil, now replaced, but Oil pressu ... (sengd001)*

A few q's. What kind of car? What engine is in it? I have experienced that with steel oil pans if they bend a bit on the bottom it will restrict flow through the oil sump pick up tube. It will cause the engine to make noise because of oil starvation, and will make the light come on and off. Hope that helps. Sorry dude


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## sengd001 (Dec 18, 2006)

2000 vw golf 2.0....
so you're saying it could just be the pan??


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## '89rocco (Oct 29, 2008)

*Re: (sengd001)*

These cars have an aluminum pan. You could try patching up the pan so it doesnt leak and try again. If it still is making noise then you need to have a look at the con rod and main bearings to see if there is any damage there. The other thing I know is the lifters make a lot of noise when they run dry. Fill the oil and rev it at 2000 rpm for a while. It will take a while to quiet down. Good luck.


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## animaniac (May 26, 2005)

*Re: ('89rocco)*

The metal shavings in the oil pan indicate somethings worn rather significantly.
Most wear will be on the bottom end, the big end bearings aswell as the crank, the oil pressure light is indicating low pressure which is a worn oil pump or main bearings.
The metal filings will only cause more wear, true that you may find metal fragments in your oil filters clearly seen on vr6 cartrage filters, but theses are a normal part of engine wear if the engine has always had oil changes and the level has never dropped below minimum.
Yes i clearly know what you mean, i'm in a rather big mess myself, no money, very stressed, i need quite a few fillings doing.
The weathers always naff, which holds me back so i can't get anything done, jobs on the car, jobs on the house, emptying the garage etc.


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## king_r (Oct 7, 2008)

alot of interesting reading gents!
a oil buzzer must never be taking for granted, but it can also be a faulty switch.
similiar thing happened to me recently, i knocked my sump going over a speed bump. had oil spilling out below the car, went straight home & fitted a new sump. 
no damage to the motor, but now i have a oil leak from a sump bolt that i cant resolve


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