Oil plug came loose...
 

Hey all.

A couple of days ago I performed an oil change with another Z friend of mine. Since we did it together, we were both doing different things--tightening and untightening bolts while the other drained oil, etc. We were going too fast and didn't communicate with each other what we had finished. Lesson learned.

Long story short, ~15 miles after the oil change, my oil plug came loose because each of us were under the impression that the other person had tightened the bolt.

For about 1/4 of a mile, I was dropping oil on the road in my neighborhood. Not until I smelled the issue and saw smoke billowing out of my car did I notice something was wrong.

I pulled over in front of a neighbors house immediately and cut the engine. We jacked up the car right there and put in a new plug with new oil.

The chassis of my car was covered in the sh*t, and there was oil on my cats under the heat shield. No CEL though.

I took my ZSpeed shroud off from under the car. A couple of times I have warmed up the car and then brought it through a car wash that washes the underbody of the car. The chassis is still stained, but the oil seems to be gone. The cats smoked after the first day, but after running it and cleaning it the second day they were no longer smoking. I don't seem to have any drivability issues.

Should I be worried about anything else right now? Any internals that might be damaged that wouldnt throw a CEL? Or could throw a CEL eventually?

JAR recommended Blackstone Labs for oil analysis after about 1000mi to see if everything is running smoothly. I will definitely look into that.

Let me know what you guys think. Thank you!

:facepalm:

What could have been so urgent as to not put the plug in completely. Probably shortly before you saw the smoke is when it all poured out, so I don't think much harm was done.

What's done is done. Sh!t happens. Good to hear.

Did your oil pressure light come on?

Working in Aviation, this is a huge pitfall. We "TRY" not to do two things at once. If two people involved, you're either helping each other on one item or two separate items which each individual is responsible for.

Torque seal or witness paint is a huge help. Torque and seal as you go. Nothing is put on loosely or just "started". It either ON or OFF. Otherwise, we place warning tags.

Just some tips for next time you two work together. :)

BUT DID THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT COME ON?

were you bone-dry by the time you noticed and tightened the plug?
This is why I wanted an oil pressure sensor after installing my cooler

No oil pressure light came on. And thank you! Will definitely keep that in mind :) Cheers.

After I cut the engine, I'd say a good quart and a half (at least) still dumped from under the car. The embarrassing clean up that ensued in front of my neighbors house indicates there was plenty-a-mess when I pulled over :icon17:

The plug came out. It was gone when I pulled over. Put a new plug and 6 qts into the car from the spot where I cut the engine.

lol that was the first thing I asked him when he called me ... sounds like he got lucky :tup: :driving:

If the engine is running ok and not making any weird noises. You dodged a big bullet. You're damn lucky.

There is one more item you can do so you can sleep better at night.

Since no OP light, you are probably ok. Also, you said you had some oil still coming out. Which means you didn't pump dry and you had caught it in time.

However, if you still have the oil FILTER involved in incident, you can cut that open and check for metal. Specially chunks. Based on your description, you probably won't find any. Small, singular bits are no worry.

Plenty of Youtube videos on how to cut filters open. I highly recommend AGAINST using die-grinder or hack-saw methods as this will introduce metal into filter and SCARE the begeezuz out of you. LOL.

Keep the filter, take it to a shop that has proper cutting tools or buy your own.

Longacre Oil Filter Cutter 77750

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5mKiMeoN2U

zz

Appreciate all of your help brother! Happy to look into anything that keeps me of sound mind.

You won't find any chucks in the oil filter. As they first would have to go through the pick up tube screen and then the oil pump. If they did make it through the screen. The oil pump would get destroy. ;)

Redneck rustproofing.
https://i.imgur.com/s3KzBN3.png

Sounds like this is a common EW issue!

I think a recall was released on this one in Miami:wtf2:

What if it was Pump material? ;)

Like I said, probably wont find anything. If any, it will be in form of shavings, covering majority of filter pleats.

Chunks? maybe. depends on size and material. Some do get through, but not necessarily destroy pump.

zz