my son went to one of those oil change garages and they forgot to put oil back in it. he drove a couple miles before realizing anything wrong.

 

long story short. too timid to take it back and didn't tell me until months later. he just kept adding fluid as it overheated but could drive it back and forth 5 miles to work.

 

i haven't pulled motor yet to replace headgaskets but i'm afraid that the heads may be warped.

 

if we find the heads to be bad , should we attempt to rebuild or buy a reconditioned motor to put back in. it's a 1984 gl. e81.

 

also we live near reno. where would be a good place to buy a motor if necessary.

 

we have never done this before so it is a first motor pull for us.

I wouldnt bother with the motor you have, if it has indeed ran without oil for any real distance. Cylinder wear will be significant.

 

Find a junkyard motor to install, or if you want to go full-monte, find a junkyard motor to rebuild.

Rebuild your current engine if it is not consuming too much oil or making ugly noises.

 

Sounds like it may only need a head gasket.

Pretty hard to warp a subaru head as they are so short.

Not a mortal wound anyhow.

Having just been through this with EA81's be prepared to pull apart and scrap several (possibly many) junk yard motors looking for a good core to rebuild. Although they are great engines, they are getting quite old and the ones that have made it to the yards seem to have been severely abused by now.

 

If yours still turns it's at least worth pulling it apart for a closer look. They are easy engines to rebuild and parts are not that expensive. Just my opinion - good luck!

Rebuild your current engine if it is not consuming too much oil or making ugly noises.

 

Sounds like it may only need a head gasket.

Pretty hard to warp a subaru head as they are so short.

Not a mortal wound anyhow.

 

 

appreciate responses. the motor actually purrs pretty well and uses very little oil. doesn't smoke at all.

Sounds like it's a keeper then compared to some I have torn down looking for one to save. Nothing to loose by opening it up for further inspection.

Heads aren't your main issue, oil pressure loss is a concern to the main bearings and piston rings (likely your cause of oil consumption). If it was only driven a couple miles, it probably didn't overheat, which would mean almost zero chance of warped heads.

 

These are all wear items, and can be replaced. But depending on how much damage they absorbed, they may be causing more damage to the crank, pistons, and block.

 

 

Get an engine reseal kit, bearings, and rings (measure the last 2 before ordering, you may need/want oversized ones), give it a DIY cylinder hone, and it'll be good for many many years of service to come.

Heads aren't your main issue, oil pressure loss is a concern to the main bearings and piston rings (likely your cause of oil consumption). If it was only driven a couple miles, it probably didn't overheat, which would mean almost zero chance of warped heads.

 

These are all wear items, and can be replaced. But depending on how much damage they absorbed, they may be causing more damage to the crank, pistons, and block.

 

 

Get an engine reseal kit, bearings, and rings (measure the last 2 before ordering, you may need/want oversized ones), give it a DIY cylinder hone, and it'll be good for many many years of service to come.

 

 

 

thank you too.

Junk the car, it is only worth $5-600 running.

 

Jack

i would go back to the oil change place and get them to have it fixed there is no reason for them to forget to put the oil back in. if it has only been a couple months there should be no problem. that is just what i would do its not your fault they messed up

AMEN, brother!!!

 

an oil change is NOT brain surgery.

 

step 1, take old oil OUT.

 

step 2, put new oil in.

 

its a very complex process, but they decided to open and run a business that advertises an ability to handle that complex and extremely difficult process.

 

if they cant handle it, maybe they should start a business of door-to-door shoe tying service.

 

they owe you. if they DONT pay up, just stand around and complain a lot at the busiest time of day, in front of lots of potential paying customers.

 

also, try to remember the time of day, and day of week, that the "oil-change" was performed.

 

so whichever employee was too busy text-msgng his girlfriend, and smoking a joint in the back parking lot, can be held responsible for doing such a crappy job.

 

and p.s. NEXT time, i hope you learned your lesson. for half the price, in half the time, and even when they do it CORRECTLY, you can do it twice as good yourself. dont waste your time and money with those morons.

yep, exactly why i do my own oil changes

Thats what gets me about thus one fellow. Worried about the world out to get him then leaves his car sight unseen at the lube place.

 

Keep the motor follow the good advice and try to raise cain with the lube shop.

Although I suppose this is irrelevant if no records exist at the shop..

 

1. Cordial. Give em a chance. If its a big brand theyd be overjoyed compared to the replacement cost of more modern cars their techs have screwed up.

(find a aircraft ea81 price list to scare em settle for less)

 

Unlikely but there is probably a figure that lets everybody walk away..

 

If none of the above works just ensure with the manager whichever tech forgot the oil in an oil changing place is not doing that anymore. Retraining or other.

Good luck with the lube shop. If you had brung it back in a day or 2 yeah. I have a friend with a transmision shop. Customer brings his car in 2 months after A/T was rebuilt. Yup tranny toast. Puts it on a lift and bottom of car is covered in ATF. Sorry dude no can help. If he had returned when it started leaking he would have been way happier as it would have been fixed no charge.

I'd find a new motor and keep the old one for parts

Edited August 22, 201213 yr by Brat78