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EMERGENCY: Car has leaked every drop of oil in an hour

25K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Astrofarian 
#1 ·
I had my oil cooler lines, fuel pump and tie rods replaced a few days ago and last night while driving I started to smell something burning. I countinued to drive home assuming that nothing could be wrong with my car since it was in the shop for a week, I park and see that it is literally pouring out oil. About an hour later I build up the nerve to drive it home about 5 minutes away, leaving behind and trail of oil and instantly forming a puddle seconds after parking my car. I'm sure by now it is completely drained, so I can't turn my car on and I'm not to excited about paying to get it towed. Hoping that it's just a leaky part or something not screwed on right but I do not have a clue and my mechanics father refused to give me his sons number so I'm stuck waiting for him to get to work. If anyone recognizes the problem or knows how to fix it, I would GREATLY appreciate it.
 

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#2 ·
Hard to tell from the photo. Is it leaking from one or both of the fittings at the radiator? They push in and clip in place however yours look much different than mine. I would check to see if the bottom one has its clip like the top one does.
Give them a slight tug and see if the pull out, they shouldn't. I suspect the bottom one lost its clip (improper installation?) and spraying up ? I am only guessing
Hard to tell, good luck and others more knowledgeable than myself might lend a hand.
 
#3 ·
Yeah with the oil everywhere, its hard to tell whats coming from where. But the oil cooler lines are the only thing in that area that carry engine oil. so if that is what is leaking, and you just had those replaced, it seems to me like improper installation on their part. I bet if you give one of those lines a tug I bet at least one pops off. I would call up that shop and ask them to pay for towing. They should at least do that, they are lucky you didn't pop an engine running that low on oil.
 
#6 ·
The fitting is popped out on that side. You can see the separation.

popped.PNG


This is something you can easily repair yourself...but considering you're calling the van a "car" I think it's best you have someone else tackle it.

That shop should pay towing, repairs/cleanup and a refill of oil. And you should let us know who this shop is so anyone in SoCal can avoid them like the plague.
 
#9 ·
The friggen line isn't pushed all the way in I bet, friggen hacks, I cant stan that shit, you pay for a professional and you get grade school work!! try seating the lines and did they install the clip to keep the lines in place, I bet not. The one under the exhaust manifold
 
#10 ·
Yep, Jack beat me to it.

You cannot reuse those spring clips and once you've seated the line, you have to pull firmly on the line to ensure it's properly seated.

Also, if you do anything but snap the clip onto the line, you are bound to bend it so it will not hold the line in place.
 
#12 ·
Yes, good catch Jack!
I, myself, would also have a serious, calm, conversation with the service manager at this shop and inquire as to what (if any) other remedies may be available to you under State Law as to hidden damage(s) not immediately apparent as a direct result of this gaffe. Depending on the mileage on your engine and the actual overall amount of oil lost there is a good likelihood that you're going to be hearing a rod bearing or two doing woodpecker impressions very soon. Of course, the shop is going to say that you should have shut the engine off immediately when you first noticed something was amiss and they would be correct in that regard. Nevertheless, they may offer you SOME recompense here simply to avoid legal costs and the hassles of going through the court system. Regardless, I doubt that this is the last you'll hear of this scenario.
Best of luck, Nick.....I
-M!ke-
 
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