06-23-2004, 11:49 AM
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#1
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AF Regular
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 80
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Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
My friend was adding oil to the engine and forgot to put oil cap back on to the engine. She drove the car like this for 60 miles before she put it back on. She felt the engine riding a litte rough when she realized this. What are the affects of driving the car like this? Can any serious damage occur? Thanks.
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06-23-2004, 02:23 PM
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#2
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Resident Chemist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
My hunch is that it would have no effect during such a short period.
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06-24-2004, 07:03 PM
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#3
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AF Regular
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Wilmington, California
Posts: 211
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
Check the dipstick. See how much oil it lost. Probably not much.
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06-25-2004, 10:01 AM
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#4
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AF Newbie
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 2
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My girlfriend did the same thing on her '88 witht 3.0 V6. She drove errands around town and complained that the idle was surging. I popped the hood and the cap was still sitting on the intake. This was 2 years ago and nothing ever came of it...
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06-26-2004, 08:38 PM
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#5
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AF Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 177
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
Well, with the cap off there would be no oil pressure, and the roughness would be from the lack of oil in the system. Probably no ill effects from such a short distance, but it still isnt very good for the engine
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06-26-2004, 09:26 PM
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#6
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Resident Chemist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by sha_zapple
Well, with the cap off there would be no oil pressure, and the roughness would be from the lack of oil in the system. Probably no ill effects from such a short distance, but it still isnt very good for the engine
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I hope you rethink this comment.
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06-26-2004, 09:29 PM
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#7
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AF Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 177
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
whys that? If Ive gotten something wrong please tell me.
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06-26-2004, 09:32 PM
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#8
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Resident Chemist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by sha_zapple
Well, with the cap off there would be no oil pressure
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The oil pump supplies the oil pressure to the engine and removing the filler cap has no effect on the pressure supplied by the oil pump. Removing the filler cap only allows some air to enter the engine, and perhaps some blowby gases to escape, depending on the condition of the rings.
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06-26-2004, 09:36 PM
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#9
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AF Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 177
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Makes sense, but with no cap, would it not be an 'open system' and therefor no different pressure than normal?
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06-26-2004, 09:41 PM
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#10
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Resident Chemist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
The pressure inside an engine has nothing to do with oil pressure.
Read this:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine1.htm
Particularly the part about lubrication.
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06-26-2004, 09:44 PM
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#11
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AF Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 177
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
ahhh, thanks dude 
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06-26-2004, 09:48 PM
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#12
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Resident Chemist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Adverse effects of driving with oil cap off?
You're welcome. Nice site for alot of things.
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06-27-2004, 03:25 PM
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#13
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AF Regular
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Sparks, Nevada
Posts: 380
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