How easy is it to crack/damage sump?

Post by **Donald** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:58 am

So I went out yesterday just pootling around city centre, going back home a turn down my road and ding something, assumed it was downpipe as that happens all the time.

Just went out and moved the car so some workmen could park up, get out, see sizeable oil slick where I was parked. It was wet. Crawl under car (well not really, stretched an arm under there), bottom of the sump is wet and oily too.

Now I know I've got a valve cover leak but this seems too coincidental/too much oil too suddenly.

Note: no oil light on when I moved the car so it may or may not have dumped that much.

Just wondering how much/little oil you have before the light comes on, and IIRC by the time that light comes on you can guarantee it's not a happy ending anyway?

So basically, that little ding... could I have done some major damage to the sump? Was literally going 5mph. Or is this possibly just another problem rearing it's head.

I realise this is useless without me getting pics and getting under the car properly but there is no room anywhere on my road where I can check it out. Just wanted some views before I move it again

Post by **Donald** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:00 am

Also I don't have an allocated parking space so this could well be oil from another car parked there. But I have been parked in that spot for around 24hrs, so I would assumed it would've dried more than it has by now.

bb1boy · Post by **bb1boy** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:02 am

I hit my car on the road occassionally, but as you say it's usually the downpipe or that strengthening bar thing that hits the road first.. you could have whacked the sump though as it's not completely covered/protected. I had a Celica ST185 and I drove over a rock that had fallen from a hedge and it poked a hole in my gearbox! That wasn't good. I fixed it with some chemical metal though

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:08 am

(Sorry, had to be done...)

It is possible to damage the sump with a single knock of course, depending what/how you hit something. Unlikely though at that speed. Does the 5th gen have an aly or steel sump? Much more likely to knock a hole in an aly one...

The oil light operates only on oil pressure not level, so yep, you don't know about it until you have no oil... The dipstick tells you that!!!
If you have oil pressure you'd be fine to move the car on the road to somewhere you can see it more easily.

Oil can take ages to evaporate/dry, depending on temp, humidity and how absorbant the tarmac under it is (but you know all that anyway) so it is perfectly possible it's still from someone elses?

But again, as you said...

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:08 am

Try ragging it off and then see if it accumillates again whilst just being sat. If you dinged a hole in the sump it would leak just being sat, where as your valve cover would only leak when being run.

Post by **Donald** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:21 am

NafemanNathan wrote:Try ragging it off and then see if it accumillates again whilst just being sat. If you dinged a hole in the sump it would leak just being sat, where as your valve cover would only leak when being run.

Just been out and done this actually while I was waiting for replies

I'm a small guy and even still it's drokking difficult to get under a lowered 5G

Can only get to the part on passenger side of the downpipe. I don't think I'm explaining this well, but the road slopes towards the passenger side and I'm aware that where it drips from is not necessarily the source of the leak. Thought it wise to work from the bottom up though.

Anyway, wiped off and left a big bit of card underneath, I don't have to go anywhere so I'll check in a couple of hours to see if there's any change.

As said yes it's possible that it's someone else's and I just happened to park over it. I am just paranoid most of the time having owned a Pug before the Prelude

Checked oil level and it's reading on max but of course there is a bit of a slope, even so a reading is better than no reading.
Also AFAIK the 5G is ally.

Post by **vanzep** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 12:22 pm

if you cant see that the sump is cracked then you could try and tighten the sump bolts/nuts up as any knock could have caused a leak at the gasket

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 1:48 pm

Donald wrote:I'm a small guy and even still it's drokking difficult to get under a lowered 5G Can only get to the part on passenger side of the downpipe. I don't think I'm explaining this well, but the road slopes towards the passenger side and I'm aware that where it drips from is not necessarily the source of the leak.

Move it so that it's parked with a wheel up on the curb to create enough clearance so you can slide under, up by the gutter?

BMCC · Post by **BMCC** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 1:52 pm

Jack up and remove front passanger wheel so you can see the sump

Post by **Donald** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 2:19 pm

There is literally not enough room on my road for either of those suggestions, but thanks. I'm not joking either.

Anyway, I am no longer worried (too much anyway). No drips out there currently, if it was gonna drip I would've thought it would at least once after 3 hours. Going over to the old mans later to get it jacked up on the driveway for a proper inspection.

Cheers all.