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Anyone ever left their oil cap off by accident?


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Hey guys

 

So I turned my car on today to go grab lunch (Bugeye WRX), and I noticed the oil pressure light on which was weird.

I checked oil and it was really low for some reason which was weird as I topped it up a few weeks ago and my car never really chews oil, but regardless, I topped it up and then drove 5 mins down the road to grab some lunch and came back.

 

I got home and realized that the oil cap was off as I forgot to put it back on in my rush to get lunch and now wondering if this is bad?

 

I researched and most said that oil would piss everywhere but this did not happen to me I checked under hood and engine bay.

 

Should I be worried about any damages? The pressure light or oil level light was not on during the drive but I did notice the car was driving a tad rough (almost felt like a slight misfire), but it might have been my imagination as no engine light or anything came on.

 

I only drove for maybe 5 mins, 10 mins at MOST and I was just cruising as it was raining.

 

I assume the oil filter would have captured any contaminents?

 

Am I all good?

 

Also, any issue with slightly overfilling oil? I usually never worried if it was but just thought I'd ask. It is sitting just above the hole in the dipstick that indicates full.

 

Cheers!

Edited by Bugeye01WRX
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I've never left one off so I wont comment, but I've always found Subaru dipsticks to be utterly infuriating. Rescuing oil caps from the top of the sump guard/tray when you drop them into a hot engine bay in a service station is also a mare

 

Cue debate about measuring oil levels

  • Hot
  • Cold
  • Engine running
  • Engine not running
  • Hot with engine running
  • Cold with engine running
  • Only on Sunday that falls on a full moon
  • Any/all other conceivable alternative combinations of the above

My rule is change it religiously, on time, with the correct amount. If its not laying in a pool on the driveway, or pouring out the exhaust you'll probably be fine till the next change (track days etc. aside)

 

While I have answered none of your questions I hope that helps 🤣

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If you don't have oil spewed all over the place then you are fine. Plenty of moisture builds up in the engine naturally, but is then burned off when the engine is up to temp.

 

Oil level so low that the oil pressure light comes on is a lot more concerning :)

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43 minutes ago, Loren said:

If you don't have oil spewed all over the place then you are fine. Plenty of moisture builds up in the engine naturally, but is then burned off when the engine is up to temp.

 

Oil level so low that the oil pressure light comes on is a lot more concerning :)

 

Haha sweet! yeah it was concerning me as well as I definitely topped it up, although I did take car for a very spirited drive through some windy backroads for an hour last weekend, probably more than she is used to :P.

 

I'll definitely keep an eye on it but thanks for letting me know about the oil cap.

 

What about if oil is overfilled? It was sitting probably 5 mills above the full "hole" amrker. Should I drain it or should I be all good?

 

Cheers

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I suspect Subaru's are a lot less susceptible to chucking oil everywhere than some other makes if you leave the cap off.

As per what Loren said, 5mm overfull is nothing to worry about. I overfill mine 500ml ish on purpose.

 

Oil pressure light on while running is very concerning

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Ok my 2c

TLDR; pretty much what everyone else has said. 

the oils cap isn’t directly on the cam cover like a inline engine since the heads are so low in the engine bay. That’s why no mess as the cams and rockers etc would have to splash oil all the way up the filler tube which is 20cm long and has a bend in it. 
 

over filling to 1cm is noticed in the engine note at idle and light load but still won’t break anything. 5mm is perfectly fine. 
 

The oils light is a problem.  
Firstly make sure it still works. From a cold start turn key to ACC and then ON but don’t start. The oil light should come on. If it doesn’t swap out the bulb and sensor ASAP. 
the dash lights are meant to be checked every time, not that anyone does. 
Ive had an engine oil pressure switch die and it came one short burst for a bit then stopped forever. It died at higher rpm when the oil pressure was normal peak being old it just gave up. 
I’d be tempted to replace the sensor anyway as cheaper than chasing low pressure and finding out it was a sensor the whole time. 

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4 hours ago, Gripless said:

Ok my 2c

TLDR; pretty much what everyone else has said. 

the oils cap isn’t directly on the cam cover like a inline engine since the heads are so low in the engine bay. That’s why no mess as the cams and rockers etc would have to splash oil all the way up the filler tube which is 20cm long and has a bend in it. 
 

over filling to 1cm is noticed in the engine note at idle and light load but still won’t break anything. 5mm is perfectly fine. 
 

The oils light is a problem.  
Firstly make sure it still works. From a cold start turn key to ACC and then ON but don’t start. The oil light should come on. If it doesn’t swap out the bulb and sensor ASAP. 
the dash lights are meant to be checked every time, not that anyone does. 
Ive had an engine oil pressure switch die and it came one short burst for a bit then stopped forever. It died at higher rpm when the oil pressure was normal peak being old it just gave up. 
I’d be tempted to replace the sensor anyway as cheaper than chasing low pressure and finding out it was a sensor the whole time. 

 

Thanks man and yeah I will look into it. It has not been an issue since I topped up and it is weird as the engine never chews oil and I topped it up recently so will keep an eye on it and get the sensor replaced.

 

Cheers!

38 minutes ago, boon said:

You should definitely spend $1000 on tuning an engine that is mysteriously consuming so much oil that the oil pressure light came on :)

 

Haha I feel you man. It is weird tho as it has never consumed oil before. If it continues to do so I definitely wont tune it and will get that addressed very quickly.

 

Cheers!

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Not a subaru.

Was doing some aerobatics training with an instructor and he was pilot in command and responsible for pre flight.

Got out to training area and we were at the top of the first loop when the canopy began to get covered in oil..

Flew back and when we checked the oil dipstick/cap was gone..

It must have landed somewhere out by Ashhurst ..

Instructor was growled at by his chief /boss..

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yep for some idiotic reason the guy at VTNZ unscrewed my oil cap and left it off on my old car some years back was a toyota allex (n/a so probably not a big deal). went down the road noticed check engine light , popped bonnet and saw that was pretty annoyed. had a go at the dude but he claims was just trying to be helpful doing a free fluids checkup. car ran great for years after so didn't seem to do any damage but annoying all the same.

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