Hi all,

 

I started the car this morning and immediately noticed the idle was off, then it would stall by itself. I went to check the oil and the dipstick was completely dry. I picked up some oil after work to fill it up but it comes straight out onto the floor :/

I'm going to ask a local garage to have a look at her tomorrow but in the meanwhile do you have any suggestions as to what could be causing such a big leak?
My immediate idea was that the sump plug has come off but I don't think I have hit anything and it was only just serviced in January.

Is it a PD engine?

 

When you say the oil comes straight out, you mean before starting the engine again or after?

 

If its before its definitely something sump related.

Edited 12 April, 20179 yr by SuperbTWM

off the top of my head it could be the oil filter, or a gasket that's starting to fail.

Thank you for your replies!

It is a PD engine. The oil leaks out without turning the engine on, it goes in one end then comes out of the other. I'm hoping it's just something simple and not an expensive fix.

Could be failed conrod punching a hole in your engine or may be the sump plug has failed.

1 hour ago, Squible said:

Thank you for your replies!

It is a PD engine. The oil leaks out without turning the engine on, it goes in one end then comes out of the other. I'm hoping it's just something simple and not an expensive fix.

have you had a look under the engine cover and around the engine to look for anything obvious?

 

 

Sounds like a cracked sump or sump plug. Surely if it was something serious like a hole in the block it would of been noticed while driving could be wrong though.

It shouldn't be too hard to trace where the oil is coming from. May need to jack the car up, support and remove undertray though.  Haven't heard from the OP since Wednesday so perhaps it has been progressed now. The low oil may or may not be related to the poor running noticed.

 

If it has been driven with low oil some damage may have already been done.

 

If you can't get oil to stay in it, i.e. it is leaking out straight away, it is also a danger to other road users, as well as the risk of further damage, you should have it recovered.

Thank you all for the comments!

I tried to get it recovered but nobody would take her before the Easter weekend. I managed to push her onto a kerb today and have a look underneath. When I removed the under tray the sump plug was lying on it - so that explains why the oil was falling straight out! I only had her serviced a few months ago, so that was annoying to find, I assume they didn't tighten it in properly when changing the oil. But at least it's not anything more sinister. I've tightened the plug and topped with oil and she seems to be running fine with no leaks.

I just hope that this incident hasn't caused any lasting damage to the engine.

52 minutes ago, Squible said:

Thank you all for the comments!

I tried to get it recovered but nobody would take her before the Easter weekend. I managed to push her onto a kerb today and have a look underneath. When I removed the under tray the sump plug was lying on it - so that explains why the oil was falling straight out! I only had her serviced a few months ago, so that was annoying to find, I assume they didn't tighten it in properly when changing the oil. But at least it's not anything more sinister. I've tightened the plug and topped with oil and she seems to be running fine with no leaks.

I just hope that this incident hasn't caused any lasting damage to the engine.

 

That must have bought a sigh of relief and yet be totally frustrating at the same time, oil ain't cheap so to have dumped two lots due the service technician's incompetence in my opinion isn't acceptable I'd be asking for a refund against the cost the service at least to the equivalent to two lots of oil, put it this way if you don't ask you definitely won't get

 

edit,

may well pay to check the plug for tightness after a few journeys could be the thread on the plug or on the sump has deteriorated 

Edited 14 April, 20179 yr by davidwhite

24 minutes ago, davidwhite said:

 

That must have bought a sigh of relief and yet be totally frustrating at the same time, oil ain't cheap so to have dumped two lots due the service technician's incompetence in my opinion isn't acceptable I'd be asking for a refund against the cost the service at least to the equivalent to two lots of oil, put it this way if you don't ask you definitely won't get

 

edit,

may well pay to check the plug for tightness after a few journeys could be the thread on the plug or on the sump has deteriorated 

 

Thank you for the advice  

That's a good point, I'll definitely keep a close eye on the plug tightness and oil level!

Sounds like you have been very lucky, you can't run an engine for long with no oil pressure and not do any long term damage

Edited 14 April, 20179 yr by SuperbTWM

Either the sump thread is knackered (a not uncommon occurrence), you would of probably noticed when tensioning it back up though.  Or the plug must have only been put back in finger tight and not torqued up. Either way the garage should of been aware of both situations and resolved. If the stripped thread was not their doing in the first place,  they should of brought it to your attention although it may not have been their responsibility to fix it...

 

I've never had a plug come loose and I don't do them up that tight. Usually a bit less than the spec torque and I don't usually worry about a torque wrench.

 

If the plug has been loose, it has probably been leaking oil before it came completely out.  They don't usually seal completely until torqued up.  I hope you have avoided engine damage.

 

 

13 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

Sounds like you have been very lucky, you can't run an engine for long with no oil pressure and not do any long term damage

 

The engine stalled when I started it so I reckon the car moved about 100 yards and some of that was coasting/pushing the car downhill. My main worry is that the oil may have been below the minimum bar before that. 

 

5 hours ago, TheClient said:

Either the sump thread is knackered (a not uncommon occurrence), you would of probably noticed when tensioning it back up though.  Or the plug must have only been put back in finger tight and not torqued up. Either way the garage should of been aware of both situations and resolved. If the stripped thread was not their doing in the first place,  they should of brought it to your attention although it may not have been their responsibility to fix it...

 

I've never had a plug come loose and I don't do them up that tight. Usually a bit less than the spec torque and I don't usually worry about a torque wrench.

 

If the plug has been loose, it has probably been leaking oil before it came completely out.  They don't usually seal completely until torqued up.  I hope you have avoided engine damage.

 

 

 

The plug seemed to tighten nicely, so hopefully the sump threads are fine. 

Looking back on it the Octavia was loosing some oil slowly over the past few months - I couldn't see any obvious leaks/oil pools under the car so I assumed it was just drinking some oil like some of the PDs do. 

I didn't have a torque wrench to hand so just tightened the plug with a spanner, so I will try and get it seen on Tuesday to make sure it's been tightened to the correct torque. 

Thank you - I hope I've avoided engine damage too!

Edited 15 April, 20179 yr by Squible