Fire extinguisher agent in motor oil.

[1two3tim]

Hi,

Last night (as I was climbing a hill) the warning indicator for oil pressure came on in my car (A 91 V.W. Jetta).

Pulling over, I decided to add a little oil to see if that would solve the problem.

It was windy, dark, and hard to see. I had one of those 5 quart bottles of oil which are just about impossible to pour without using a funnel (which I didn't have with me.) As you can guess, I spilled oil which apparently found it's way to the manifold and ignited almost instantly.

I ran and got my fire extinguisher and put out the fire but (unfortunately) I didn't have the foresight to put the oil cap back on first.

Some of the fire extinguishing agent (Baking Soda) blew down into the valve cover which, fortunately, has a cover over the valves. I was able to wipe most of the baking soda out with Kleenex tissues, but some remained. I then drove back home which was approximately five miles away.

I plan to change the oil again, but I wonder if there is anything that I should do before I do so?

I also wonder:
1.) Would the screen in the oil pan catch baking soda? (Should I clean it first?)
2.) Would the baking soda just break down and dissolve in the motor oil?
3.) Would the Oil Filter be able to catch the baking soda particles?

I'm sort of concerned because I know that Baking Soda is fairly abrasive...
It's used in toothpaste for this reason, as well as in abrasive blasters to clean parts, etc...

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Ragtop_Renegade]

Drain the oil and remove the filter.

Pull the valve cover, stuff rags in the drainback holes in the head and blast out any dry chemical that's caked up around the valve springs, stems, seals and rocker arms/cam followers using compressed air. If it's a V engine, you only need to do this to the side with the oil filler cap.

Reinstall valve cover, use new gasket as needed.

Pull the oil pan and clean the pickup screen. Reinstall the oil pan.

Install a new filter and fresh oil. Use 1 quart of a oil system treatment/cleaner, marvel mystery oil is a favorite of mine.

Re-change the oil and FILTER (it will plug up if there is still dry chem in the engine) at 250 miles, then again after another 500. Keep using a treatment/cleaner. Resume normal oil change intervals.

Some engines have a screen in the drainback holes on the cylinder head, and should you have this it would have helped alot. Not sure if VW does this, I never touched the engine on the only VW we've owned (wife's 99 Beetle) The oil filter and pickup screen will have stopped most of the dry chem that did get past the heads.

If you're at the point where you carry around 1.25 gallons of oil in the car and use the low pressure light as a dipstick, odds are any damage by the dry chemical are only accelerating what was bound to happen anyway.

[1two3tim]

Thank you Ragtop_Renegade,

I appreciate the detailed help. It looks like I have my work cut out for me. I've decided to let the car sit until I can dedicate the time to it that I need.

The advice that you've given seems pretty sound.

I'm sort of worried what damage might have been caused in the five miles that I drove....I guess that time will tell.

I always carry oil, antifreeze and transmission fluid (in the automatics) and tools in my cars. Almost every car that I own is twenty years old or older. Most are well over 140K miles. I usually pay $500.00 to $800.00 for what I drive so I have to be prepared. Unfortunately this was the $800.00 car which I've invested a lot of time getting back into condition.

The reason that I added oil is because I had just completed an oil change and the oil was completely clear. It was totally dark and I was trying to bump up the oil on the dipstick so that I make certain of where it was. I guess that I would have been better of walking home except that you can get slaughtered walking in the dark on a major highway.

Thank you again!
Regards,
Tim

[Ragtop_Renegade]

AH.

When you said it was a 5 quart bottle of oil it took me back in time, when I had a Chrysler 2.2L Turbo LeBaron. The rings were so far gone it burned oil almost as fast as gas. That was one of those cars where you start "using the oil light as a dipstick" because the engine's on it's deathbed anyway. Torwards the end, I started using used Shell Rotella diesel engine oil (my buddy's parents owned a 40ish passenger motor coach, so they had about 150 gallons worth accumulated they were more then happy to see vanish) I carried around in the 10 quart jug. The thing left an opaque smoke cloud at every stop sign and traffic light. It's a miracle I never got pulled over and fined. Good times, indeed.

Good to hear that wasn't your reason for having a big oil jug in the trunk! Word of advice, though: flashlights are cheap. Those self-generating wind up ones are excellent because you don't need to change batteries. Next time you can avoid the engine cleanup.

By the way, the only part of the engine that could have taken serious damage from the ordeal would be the upper valvetrain, which is pretty durable. Nothing could easily get at the cylinder walls, where foreign particles do the most harm. Granted, it's possible but not likely dry chemical got in critical places.

One last suggestion: Replace your now-defunct ABC extinguisher with a Halon model. While they're a bit pricier, they're nowhere near as messy if you have to actually use one.