Oil Filter Housing Leak - No Oil in CAR!?!?

[Tsquare86]

Oil Filter Housing Blowout - No Oil in CAR!?!?

Gents, Ladies,

Walked out this morning in the -15F temps and started the Jetta to let it warm up before going to work, went inside and did a little scrub a dub, and then came back out to hear my lifters clacking like all hell was breaking loose. Walked in front of the car to see a 6' round puddle of oil on the driveway. Immediately shut off the car, checked the oil, and then put a gallon back into it... Ugh...

Found out the oil filter housing oring must of junked out with the cold temps and viscous oil as it was spewing out after I filled the car back up and restarted.

Question: These engines are pretty robust and I didn't notice the oil pressure warning light on, but I'm really concerned about my lifters being hosed after this. Anyone have a good list of things to check? Headed to China for 2wk starting tomorrow, so won't be able to check everything before I leave.

 

[BobnOH]

I think you'll be O.K. When you get a chance do an oil change and look for small flecks of metal.

 

[Ski in NC]

Engine is probably ok. Maybe. Depends on how long it was run without oil. Cold oil is nearly grease, and greased bearings don't need pressure lube. Nothing to do but fix the leak and see what it does.

 

[snakeye]

Are you sure the clacking wasn't due to the cold?

When i busted my oil pan a few months ago, i drove home not knowing i had a leak. Oil pressure light never came on, but I'm pretty sure my engine was almost dry by the time i parked in the driveway. There was a puddle but not too big.

Upon changing my pan, i tried starting my engine, but it wouldn't even crank at first. After numerous attempts it finally cranked slowly and eventually fired up, but smoked like crazy. Thought it was ruined, but the next day i stated it up again and it didn't smoke at all.

Was a close call. The fact that my car wouldn't even crank, and that yours started, makes me think your car may just be alright.

 

[Tsquare86]

Friends! Managed to replace the two orings in about 40 min (inclusive to pushing car into garage with truck and turning on the old kerosene heater). No more leaks and lots of residual sprayed all over the front of the engine.

Again these damn engines amaze me. I can't believe how much more oil I had to put back into this thing. Filled it up, cranked over and ran like a champ, no lifter clicking at all.

Gives me faith I will hit 360k :-D (even with my dirty habits) and hello Asia tomorrow

 

[turbocharged798]

The oil pressure light doesn't work at idle because the gauge cluster ignores the sensor under 2000RPM. So basically you can have no oil pressure and unless you rev the engine over 2K, you will never know until it locks up. Nice huh?

 

[AndyBees]

The lifters were whacking because there was not oil pressure.

I do agree that your engine is probably okay. At idle, the rod bearings would be the first to suffer. But, as Ski in NC said, the cold oil acted as grease...... lubing those moving parts.

About two years ago, I did extensive work to a 1.8T Passat that had lost oil pressure due to plugged oil pump screen. The lifters were whacking like crazy, the plastic timing chain tensioner for the second Cam was toast, etc...... New oil pump, cleaned out oil pan, etc., and two years later, the engine runs fine!

 

[CopaMundial]

started the Jetta to let it warm up before going to work, went inside and did a little scrub a dub

Off topic to the original question but idling to let it warm up, does that actually accomplish anything?