how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

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plohl
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how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:36 pm

So... long story short - I f'd up one day to work and smashed the front of my car. Anyway, insurance has been pretty good and it got repaired... though the fking usless &*^& ^&%*% panel beaters forgot to put fluid in the radiator! plus a bunch of other sh*t they screwed up...

So I pick up my car on Wednesday, had to fix up a few things before leaving because the idiots didn't know how to put it back together... anyway, i get 600m down the road and see the temp sensor was reading way too hot :(
They had dríven it that day to get a wheel alignment as wheel - without coolant... Couldn't get a straight answer out of the guys how far it was dríven - "about 5 min..."

The car is back at the assessors who I am meeting tomorrow morning. The repair gets to sub it out for a check over - I would prefer it to go somewhere else, but they have a right to repair :x
I spoke to one of the service guys at work today (experience with BP's in clubmans) and he says "it's Fu'cked - full rebuild" :(

Thoughts? :cry:
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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby NitroDann » Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:57 pm

Depends how much water was in it.

the fact that the sensor read any temperature is a good sign.

might be fine.

Does it drive fine?

Radiator water and oil look fine when running and revving it?

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby Steampunk » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:00 pm

IMO it's 50/50.
Is there a coolant leak somewhere, ie. they didn't do up bottom radiator hose? Perhaps they did fill the radiator and drove with it like that but when you got it, all fluid was lost. That is probably the best case scenario.

Stating the obvious that I know a Festiva is not an MX-5 (it's still a B series engine), but I drove the Festiva for many, many months (during Autumn) with not a drop in the rad.

Compression check it, regularly check for coolant in oil & vice-versa, and drive it as is if you're not having problems.
Last edited by Steampunk on Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby sailaholic » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:01 pm

It had a complete rad replacement and never had any fluid put in. So I'd say dead empty is a decent assumption.

Answering for Plohl as I know most of the story.

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:26 pm

sailaholic wrote:It had a complete rad replacement and never had any fluid put in. So I'd say dead empty is a decent assumption.

Answering for Plohl as I know most of the story.


+1

I didn't drive it had and was shifting about 2000-2500. The gf and i picked up her car on the way home from work and she said it blew a bit of smoke on the way home. Doesn't look like there is any water in the oil.

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby NitroDann » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:33 pm

It definately had some water in it otherwise the guage wouldnt have moved.

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:39 pm

NitroDann wrote:It definately had some water in it otherwise the guage wouldnt have moved.

Dann

I made them bring some fluid down the road to me. We added at least 5L... There night have been some in there, but not much

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby JBT » Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:42 am

plohl wrote:The car is back at the assessors who I am meeting tomorrow morning. The repair gets to sub it out for a check over - I would prefer it to go somewhere else, but they have a right to repair

Too late now but a very good reason to have your own choice of repairer as part of the policy.

plohl wrote:I spoke to one of the service guys at work today (experience with BP's in clubmans) and he says "it's Fu'cked - full rebuild" :( Thoughts? :cry:

I tend to agree, especially if it was blowing smoke and didn't do that before the repair.
Was there a leak because something wasn't properly connected or was it a case of a half done job?
See if you can get it taken to a trusted workshop (MX-5 Plus?) for assessment.
Check with the Insurance Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with the corrective action.
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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Tue Apr 16, 2013 7:40 am

Yeah... It makes the extra money for shannons not so bad now.

It never used to blow much smoke, more fuel if anything.

Yeah, have looked at the obsman stuff briefly. Hopefully it doesn't get to that though

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Tue Apr 16, 2013 7:48 am

I was hoping to take it to plus or torque team etc to get checked out, but i have to cover it if there is nothing wrong with it... And yeah, i don't like gambling Haha. Plus is in the same complex as the assessment centre, so i might just roll it over there this morning. Maybe.

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby Steampunk » Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:30 pm

Ah ok I get it now, you're wanting to find out if it's effed so you can include in the claim.
Besides compression test and smoke on running, they can run fluid testing using proper equipment to determine cross-contamination of coolant & oil.
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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby bootz » Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:10 pm

Steampunk wrote:Ah ok I get it now, you're wanting to find out if it's effed so you can include in the claim.
Besides compression test and smoke on running, they can run fluid testing using proper equipment to determine cross-contamination of coolant & oil.


Yes, but the big problem will be proving it is the repairer's fault and not your stuff up or pre-existing wear that is now coming out.
As soon as it leaves the premises the dickwads will deny any liability.
Good luck with that.
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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby Magpie » Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:56 pm

You can tell an awful lot from analysing the oil. Most major earthmoving companies use oil analysis to plan maintenance etc. You take a sample put it in the mail and the results come back. Even better on one project I worked on we had oil analysis on site, heaps of problems were solved very quickly.

Have a look here http://www.e-monitor.com.au/

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby Dweezle » Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:12 pm

bootz wrote:As soon as it leaves the premises the dickwads will deny any liability.
Good luck with that.


At least they ran coolant out to you.
That will prove they screwed up and should help with a claim.
Bastards

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Re: how fkd is it? running an engine with no fluid.

Postby plohl » Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:49 pm

They have already admitted fault. The assessors were good, they are fixing the wiring issues first then getting the engine checked out - they said they'll do compression tests and a sniff/CO test and a leak down test. Plus they are making them fix all the other little things.. There was a decent list. Got a hire car too.

A few things might happen if the engine requires a rebuild though... Like the car being written off




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