# Have I created a major crisis for myself?



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

So, this morning i was changing the oil like i normally do, and as i was pouring the oil, I noticed there was a little blip as it was pouring out of the bottle. I thought "Surely part of the aluminum seal on top of the bottle didn't just go into my engine.". Well.... There is about 1/4 of the aluminum seal missing and nowhere to be found. Usually it is very sturdy and clings to the bottle with tenacity. This time. Not so much.

So, I have not started my engine. My immediate thought was to have it towed to the dealer and have them pull the valve cover to see if the piece is still sitting on top of the head. I don't know how big the oil holes are in that I am not sure if draining the oil might pull it out the bottom, but I am not optimistic. 

What a lovely morning this is turning into. Anybody that has any thoughts or suggestions, please chime in.


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## Classy56 (Jul 16, 2014)

Should probably find it yourself if you can. It would make a bad day worst if you got into it for a tow and a couple hours labor and they came back with nothing.

1st place Id look is easiest, cut that bottle open


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

Sorry to hear that diesel. I think your solution to take to the dealer is a decent one, I would have it towed and stay with the car so no one accidently starts the car, would be easy to do if communication at dealer gets bad. I have always been concerned about what happened to you, probably not available for your car but part of the reason I like larger containers of new oil when possible.

Hope you get good outcome, my fingers are crossed for you.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

Since you are using quart size new oil, was it the first or last or somewhere in between bottle used? Might have some influence where the missing piece could be?


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

OMG this is unheard of - and could happen to any of us. So sorry to hear. 

My suggestions:

1) disconnect the battery. This will prevent the starter from being engaged. 

2) buy, borrow or steal a boroscope. I saw cheap ones at Home Depot one time. Get in to your oil filler neck and look for the shinny bit. Then try to retrieve it with those grabber things we used to retrieve dropped bolts before neodymium magnets were on the market. 

3) if not successful flatbed the car to the dealer; OR, try to get a dealer tech to come to your place to pull the valve cover. $100 cash and a case of beer should do the trick. 

I'm wondering if we should install screens into our funnels?


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Maybe we should move this to the gearhead forum for greater coverage?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I had the boroscope idea - after I had it towed to the dealer. I taped on both top and bottom of steering wheel in big red letters DO NOT START. They are supposed to look at it tomorrow.


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## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

diesel said:


> I had the boroscope idea - after I had it towed to the dealer. I taped on both top and bottom of steering wheel in big red letters DO NOT START. They are supposed to look at it tomorrow.


Ughh, that's the worst! Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Im not gonna lie, Id probably just run it


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## DECruzer (Jul 19, 2015)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Im not gonna lie, Id probably just run it


Me too. Hard to believe that little piece of foil would do any real damage.


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## wiltedjoint (Jun 6, 2015)

I'd bet a dollar that it'll just end up in the oil filter.


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## magnusson (Jun 15, 2014)

Let it warm up then drive it like you stole it! Change the filter after 300 miles or so if your still worried.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

DECruzer said:


> Me too. Hard to believe that little piece of foil would do any real damage.


It will flow with the oil to block one of the return holes, oil journals or worse jam up against the oil pump pickup screen and serve to starve the engine of oil.

if it happened to me I'd have the exact same reaction to diesel.


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## JDH (Dec 24, 2014)

And the guys in the shop used to wonder why I was so insistent that they pull the foil off before they put the bottle in the filler.


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## Clausses (Sep 8, 2014)

I think I'm going to start using a funnel with a filter in it just in case this were to happen.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

its either going to sit in there below the cams or if small enough make it to the pan through a return hole waiting to come out with old oil.
it won`t get pass pump pickup screen to cause problems.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

you said 1/4 is missing it is not big enough to restrict oil pump pickup screen. would never get in to oil delivery or filter. years ago use to re an re oil pans an clear screen of valve stem seal pieces an cam gear nylon pieces when hydraulic lifters would start to clatter.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Tomko said:


> It will flow with the oil to block one of the return holes, oil journals or worse jam up against the oil pump pickup screen and serve to starve the engine of oil.
> 
> if it happened to me I'd have the exact same reaction to diesel.


Ditto. I think it would block a return hole. I'm not sure what would happen. Maybe nothing, but I wouldn't chance it.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Hmm, I thought I posted a reply to this but apparently that was the moment my internet went down again. Comcast service sucks, by the way. The dealer pulled the valve cover and fished it out. They taped it to the bottle for me and I have posted a pic for all to see. It was a very expensive oil change, but the piece of mind is worth it. I drove about 100 miles today without incident.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

diesel said:


> It was a very expensive oil change, but the piece of mind is worth it.


Ya win some and lose some. But you can't put a price on piece of mind. Hopefully you save that amount in the future by doing your own oil changes. That way you're still ahead of paying to have it done.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

diesel said:


> Hmm, I thought I posted a reply to this but apparently that was the moment my internet went down again. Comcast service sucks, by the way. The dealer pulled the valve cover and fished it out. They taped it to the bottle for me and I have posted a pic for all to see. It was a very expensive oil change, but the piece of mind is worth it. I drove about 100 miles today without incident.
> View attachment 157986


Holy crap that's huge!

Let this be a lesson to us all.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Tomko said:


> Let this be a lesson to us all.


I don't have the time nor money to learn from only my mistakes. :grin:


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

What brand Oil is that? From what I recall, the quart oil bottles I have used in the past did not have a foil seal. Mobil One, Penzoil and Royal Purple just had the plastic screw caps that twist off shearing a retaining ring that remains on the neck of the bottle. The 5 qt jugs may have that foil seal.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

blk88verde said:


> What brand Oil is that? From what I recall, the quart oil bottles I have used in the past did not have a foil seal. Mobil One, Penzoil and Royal Purple just had the plastic screw caps that twist off shearing a retaining ring that remains on the neck of the bottle. The 5 qt jugs may have that foil seal.


Looks like a Total Quartz litre bottle.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

blk88verde said:


> What brand Oil is that? From what I recall, the quart oil bottles I have used in the past did not have a foil seal. Mobil One, Penzoil and Royal Purple just had the plastic screw caps that twist off shearing a retaining ring that remains on the neck of the bottle. The 5 qt jugs may have that foil seal.


it is a Total Quartz quart bottle. I think I am going to switch back to Amsoil.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

blk88verde said:


> What brand Oil is that? From what I recall, the quart oil bottles I have used in the past did not have a foil seal. Mobil One, Penzoil and Royal Purple just had the plastic screw caps that twist off shearing a retaining ring that remains on the neck of the bottle. The 5 qt jugs may have that foil seal.


I confess I was surprised to see the original post. I've been using Mobil1 since 1980 in both quart and 5 quart bottles and had never seen a foil seal, just the shear retaining ring seal on the caps. The liquid chlorine I use for the swimming pool has those foil seals and they are always tearing when you open one. I'm constantly finding bits of them around the pool.


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## DECruzer (Jul 19, 2015)

diesel said:


> Hmm, I thought I posted a reply to this but apparently that was the moment my internet went down again. Comcast service sucks, by the way. The dealer pulled the valve cover and fished it out. They taped it to the bottle for me and I have posted a pic for all to see. It was a very expensive oil change, but the piece of mind is worth it. I drove about 100 miles today without incident.
> View attachment 157986


Larger than I would have thought. You did the right thing and I retract my last post!


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