Oil plug fell out on the highway...how jacked is my engine?

[Old city bimmer]

sounds to me that you still had oil runing in the oil paths because usually the rod bearing will go out first. Honestly pour some oil in it, run a few minutes and drain it. see if you see metal particles. also check you old filter and the new one also to see if you see metal. if everything checks out. keep driving like you always did but with a oil drain plug this time.

you got to remember theses car run on synthetic oil that after time adheres to the metal. do you guys remember the old castrol commercials when they first introduced synthetic oil. they ran the engine with synthetic and then drain it and ran it again. motor ran fine for the commercial time.

[varg]

Must not have been a long drive without oil if the engine wasn't knocking and rattling like hell. Unless it was just making so much noise before that there's no noticeable difference :nice:

On a related note, but I've heard of people knowingly driving around with the oil light on so many times that it isn't funny. When I worked as a valet, I even had a couple of people pull up in cars that had the oil pressure light on or were severely overheating. Of course I refused to park the car because fuck being held responsible for something I had nothing to do with.

off topic: It's appalling how poor the driver's education requirements are in this country, there is literally zero requirement for knowledge about the driving and the highly dangerous piece of equipment being operated.. As long as you know what a few road signs mean you're golden.

[UlrichFennec]

off topic: It's appalling how poor the driver's education requirements are in this country, there is literally zero requirement for knowledge about the driving and the highly dangerous piece of equipment being operated.. As long as you know what a few road signs mean you're golden.

I think they should also educate new drivers about maintenance and keeping your car on the road safely. I feel if they taught people about routine maintenance items for different kinds of engines, monitoring tire pressure, checking fluids, monitoring idle speed and oil pressure/temperatures ALONGSIDE proper driving etiquette, we'd have a small chunk of idiots off the road.

But that's just youthful optimism, methinks.

[papag1234]

I think they should also educate new drivers about maintenance and keeping your car on the road safely. I feel if they taught people about routine maintenance items for different kinds of engines, monitoring tire pressure, checking fluids, monitoring idle speed and oil pressure/temperatures ALONGSIDE proper driving etiquette, we'd have a small chunk of idiots off the road.

But that's just youthful optimism, methinks.

Maintenance? Safety? Pshhh.. so long as your car doesn't pollute then feel free to legally drive your shit boxes around in NJ