A little Boo Boo..

Soldato
Joined
22 Dec 2004
Posts
9,173
Location
Rugeley, Staffs
Rather embarasing this.. just looking for any advice really.

Like a numptey last night when I was doing a couple of checks, I took the Oil Cap off, which I neglected to put back in.. and only realising this afternoon when I went to go check my VIN plate for a the Ford Colour Code thread on here.

Now it made a bit of mess, went down to my local Halfrauds and got some Gunk, had a spray and got most of the visable stuff up.. the car was smoking a fair bit the first time I took it back out without.. but now i've used the stuff, the smoke seems to of cleared up.

Daft thing is.. i found it on the floor where my car was after shooting over to my local Ford dealer to get a replacement.. they didn't have any.. but at least I found it.

Now is there anything I should really be worried about.. the smoke seems to of disipated but I can't really check this till tomorrow morning on my journey to work... there was a small wire at the rear of the bay that seemed to get some on it (Small loom just to the right of the Power Steering Fluid Reseviour)

Also the car seemed to be idleing a bit higher.. am I best just asking my dealer to check it over when it goes in Thursday?

Any advice appriciated.

Thanks
 
The smoke is caused by spattered oil from the filler cap getting hot on the exhaust manifold. As long as there are not huge amounts and the manifold is not red hot it should just smoke off until it's all gone.

Check the oil level too, cam lobes do a good job of throwing oil out of a filler cap :D
 
Oil pressure should have been maintained, so long as the oil level didn't go too low.

Just top it up, get the engine bay steam cleaned (save any plastic bits that won't like oil), and pray.
 
Just took it out again, the idleing problem has solved itself.. i'm hoping thats that..
 
Done this on my old fiesta, put a new oil cap on topped the oil up and away it went. The smoke was everywhere though.
 
I've not done it with oil, but I have done it with the fuel filler cap, got one which needs a key now, so I don't do it any more.
 
Oil pressure should have been maintained, so long as the oil level didn't go too low.

Just top it up, get the engine bay steam cleaned (save any plastic bits that won't like oil), and pray.

Do not do this!

my salesman at the Ford dealership, the guy i picked my keys up from and the first person i spoke to when taking the car for the initial service oil change all told me not to, the Zetec engines can't take it.
 
How did you manage that West :confused:

This is why, when I tinker around with things in the engine bay I always check then double check everything is put back in order.

Unlucky dude. Should be OK though.
 
Hmm, shall have to remember that one, is it just a matter of waterproofing or is it something else?

Apparently not. I can't remember the details, someone may be able to confirm, but it was hammered home that I shouldn't do it.
 
Do not do this!

my salesman at the Ford dealership, the guy i picked my keys up from and the first person i spoke to when taking the car for the initial service oil change all told me not to, the Zetec engines can't take it.

Mines the stage IV Duratec HE ne way, as it's the 1.8.

I've just used that gunk stuff, i've asked them to check all the Aux belts for me tomorrow any way :)
 
How did you manage that West :confused:

It's daft..

I was cleaning it out (like the insides etc..) and like I do once a month, I check all my fluid levels after doing my cleaning and tyre pressures...

I left the car to cool off and came out after about 4 hours when the engine was stone. Basically I just took the cap off but realised that I only had 0w40 Fully Synth, so I went to check the manual; just to see if it was useable.. but wasn't so I thought i'll just leave it and ask the stealers to top it up when I take it in, so I took my keys out, flipped the badge round and shut the bonnet.. and forgot to put the cap back on...

Started the car next morning, did about 7/8 Miles and noticed an odd smell.. but just put it down to Anti-Freeze in the Screen-wash as it was a rather cold morning.. and I did put quite a bit in.

Basically I got home and was looking at a Ford Colour code thread on here, I went out to check my VIN plate for the code.. and found Oil all over the cover, and noticed the cap was missing.. now I was gonna just have a look round, but it was pushing 5pm, and the dealers shut in 30 mins, so I had to jump in my Dads BM and ride over there to see if they had any in stock.. but didn't so I took a tip to Halfrauds, picked some Gunk and some Castrol 5w30 up and offski home I go... only to find the cap on the floor where a transit van had been parked previously..

So I cleaned it..took it out for a 5 Mile run down the duel carriageway.. and to get some dinner a little later.. and all is well again.. checked it again this morning, no problems, smells a little but theres no more visible signs that the Oil has gotten anywhere it shouldn't of.. all the belts etc sound good.
 
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