Missing a cap on engine?

Sui · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:05

Was driving home and noticed steam coming from the bonnet with the rain. So when I got in I checked underneath and as far as I know (and I don't know much about cars) I might be missing a cap, right? As can also be seen it appears to be splashing oil(?) onto the bonnet which I guess is the cause of the steam? Oh, car is a Citroen c2.

Is this a problem? Do Halfords sell replacements, or best to buy online? What's it called? Engine Cap? ;p

[TW]Fox · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:07

Its the oil filler cap and yes its a problem! Buy another from your local Citroen dealer and do it now.

Six6siX · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:09

How has that gone missing!?

Benihana · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:14

Has it been serviced recently? Might be some numpty at the garage forgot to replace it after an oil change?

Sui · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:14

Six6siX said:
How has that gone missing!?

No idea, had the car about 3months from citroen dealer and had it in the garage last week under a warranty repair to the drive shaft. Guess they did oil checks etc and didn't put it back on?

I'll go over there now, could any damage have been caused?

Firestar_3x · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:18

Yes if the oil gets too low or any road rubbish has found its way into your engine.

You need to check the oil level and replace the cap ASAP.

*Also don't do what some morons do and put a rag / sock in the hole.

Frenzy · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:24

Firestar_3x said:
Yes if the oil gets too low or any road rubbish has found its way into your engine.

Would it not be wise to get an oil change just in case anything has fallen in?

What kind of monkey outfit did you take your car to

Firestar_3x · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:26

Bit late now, damage done, the rubbish will already be in the sump / trapped by the oil filter.

Sui · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:36

Was the Citroen garage I got the car from

godinman · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:46

garriec said:
Was the Citroen garage I got the car from

This is a good thing, take it back and tell them to do a free oil and filter change, and most likely pay for any damage that becomes apparent over the next 6 months.

SB118 · 8 Oct 2012 at 12:57

Are they still sticking the old TU block in stuff? :eek:

Benihana · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:04

Was going to say I recognised the lump from my old 1.6 306!

Sui · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:21

Just got off the phone, guy who worked on the car is on lunch so service manager can't ask if the oil cap was removed/checked.

The week before I had a 'visual health check' to diagnose the original vault, and then again on the invoice of the work done it says another visual health check was carried out.

The form for under the bonnet is here, would it have been likely this cap would have been taken off for the oil condition check?

godinman · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:24

Depends if they had to add any oil I suppose.

dwarf · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:27

Would the engine have had any oil pressure with the filler cap removed?

blueseidboy · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:30

Assuming you havent had anyone else work under the bonnet then there is no way it would just rattle loose and fall off if fitted corerctly so even if they didnt touch it in the last week it msut have been incorrectly fitted from you purchasing the car.

Sui · 8 Oct 2012 at 13:33

Originally I took it in on the 25th Sept after driving it I heard a loud clattering/crashing sound around the underside of the car or something. Thought something major had fallen off! That was diagnosed as a clip on the drive shaft coming off, but come to think of it it could have been the cap coming off and hitting fans etc. However I'd have hoped after 2 visual checks they would have noticed it was missing....

Idk, I'll see what they have to say.

minimadmotorman · 8 Oct 2012 at 14:05

dwarf said:
Would the engine have had any oil pressure with the filler cap removed?

Yes, oil pressure would be fine.

Eliot · 8 Oct 2012 at 14:20

I would ask for a free oil change too as any old **** could have got in. Dust, pollen, water....

Golf1.6 · 8 Oct 2012 at 14:26

Any chance this could be caused by coolant getting into the engine oil and caused a steam explosion. or maybe trapped air inside the engine (which happens after an oil change) expanding and casing the oil cap to pop out?

Oil caps aren't normally screwed on. They wedge in most of the time so they can come out if there's expansion in the tank.