Forgot to replace Engine Oil cap

[ls973800]

Changed the oil on my son's 2016 Ford Escape 2.0 Ecoboost the other week. I left the oil fill cap off after putting in 5 qts of the new oil. Started the engine to circulate the oil and then to check the dipstick since this car takes around 6 quarts.

OMG!!! The engine sounded like it had every piston slapping and every bearing knocking!!! I really thought that somehow the engine destroyed it self it was so loud and abnormal sounding. Very loud and diesel engine sounding.

Put the cap back on and the noise ceased! Took it off and the noise was right back. It was off for maybe 1 minute total both times and there was some oil which had sprayed out onto the area, not much but enough to see it. Even after the oil level was brought to the correct level and the engine running a few minutes, the noise is there ONLY when the cap is taken off.

I checked a few Ford forums and found others who also had the noise with the cap off. Right now the car is running great and there is nothing to indicate any problems.

I don't have to worry about forgetting to put this cap back on since it will remind me!

 

[Gebo]

You won't believe how long I left the oil cap off my 4Runner. It was a long time ago. Let me give you a hint. I rarely check the oil in my cars that don't use any oil between changes. At least until the next oil change. And the 4Runner has never used any oil. LOL

And it rained several times.

 

[BLND1]

OP you are totally fine - swap the oil and filter and put the cap back on. Enjoy your vehicle.

 

[JoelB]

I bet you won't ever forget to do that again!

 

[DGXR]

The only thing that would happen running without an oil cap for 60 miles is reduced (or enhanced?) function of the PCV system, and potentially a mess under the hood with associated loss of oil.

 

[BucDan]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Ummmm….there's supposed to be a cap where you add the oil???

Eons ago, had a lady walk into autozone and wanted 4 quarts of oil for her 1988 Town Car (5.0 HO engine)...

Through casual visiting, she had NO IDEA the old oil gets drained out..... she just added 4 quarts every 5,000 miles.

She might have gotten lucky. Maybe she was burning 4 quarts every 5,000 miles lol.

 

[meborder]

I did it twice on my old expedition. Once in the summer when I was running a lot of gravel roads. Did a UOA at 800 miles and showed higher silicone levels. At the end of a 10k mile run, silicons was twice as high as normal but still plenty safe.

Another time once in the winter. Didn't do an early UOA but did one at the end of another 10k mile run. Sodium was notably higher than expected for that brand of oil due to dried road salt dust.

Both times wear metals were not affected in any significant way.

Sleep easy. Run your Normal OCI. You are fine.

 

[bbhero]

I did this last year....

Topped off my car.... Then went back under the hood for another reason... Discovered cap off... I was impressed how quiet the motor was even with the cap off. And thank goodness I caught it early so there really was no message at all.

 

[4WD]

What kind of message ?

 

[bbhero]

Daggone auto whatever correct... It is not helpful sometimes.

 

[Duffyjr]

I worked for a farmer that had a 67 C10 with a 250 six that had a rag stuffed in the oil hole, never did have a cap.