Help! Oil chance disaster
 

After getting my oil changed at an unnamed incompetent place, I noticed that my engine was a little louder and deeper in pitch when I started it up. I wasn't real sure what the difference was - maybe attributed it to the intense cold we've had here in the east. After a few days, I checked under the hood since I was curious if I could notice a problem. I then discovered that the idiot had left the cap off after refilling the car with oil. There's a decent amount on the engine block, but I'm most worried about the damage that might have been done driving this way.

Can anyone give me suggestions as to what I might have damaged? I plan on checking the level of oil once it cools down, and I'm sure I can take it to a dealership and have them check it out. I plan on calling the place who performed the change tomorrow and going through some profanity. I also took a few digital pictures this evening.

Any help? Anyone else had this problem?

Ugh.

How long were you running it till you noticed it, like miles wise? 10? 100? 1,000?

Some info about the car might help out too. Year, make/model and if you know the miles on the car right now.

let me guess,

Jiffy Lube?

I have heard tons of horror stories about them

Sorry. Should have included that.

2000 model, 45K miles

Ran for maybe 100 miles, mostly on the highway at 65-75 mph.

Been very cold here for the last few days, so the temp hasn't gottem above the low 40s during the entire time.

Thanks.

i doubt anything happened unless you can hear a clicking noise in the engine then you might of screwed some sh!t up

make sure you take it back to the people and make them aware of the problem. i'm sure they will work something out for you. try to get your car checked out (by another place) and get them to pay for it.

my friend took his car to jiffy lube once, and the guy ended up cracking his radiator b/c he leaned on it. he brought it back the next day, and they said they werent responsable.

good luck man... sorry to hear that. Nothing should be really wrong but a REALLY dirty engine bay. that is, if you still have a decent amount of oil left....

Jiffy Lube = total incompetants. I have never been to one where the people knew the SLIGHTEST thing about cars. They just hire them and teach them, like a monkey or dog, to do one task repetitively over and over and over until it becomes routine. Then they STILL mess things up.
They broke my dad's windshield, and only the fact that the regional manager was there saved his ass.
When I had my old Volvo 240 (whose engine was in pristine shape) they told me I had 1) piston slap 2) bad valves 3) knocking 4) an oil leak and 5) a bad clutch.
Each and every one of those statements was a lie, and my first visit became my last. The guy behind the desk hated the mechanics, and told me to say no to every procedure other than the oil change - engine flush, hose replacement, oil additive, lube every possible part they can toss grease onto, engine wash, etc.

Man, NEVER trust those places. Someone once said of Best Buy here on the board "I wouldn't let them install an air freshener." Well, I wouldn't let Jiffy Lube change a dollar, let alone change my oil.

Heh, heh. I can give a horror story as well about Juffy Lube. I got a coupon for a free oil change from them once, so I decided to get it ( :doh: ). I always changed oil myself, and I thought what could they do, right? The morons proceded to sheer the drain bolt clean from tightening it so damn hard. Luckily, they did pay to have it tapped and replaced. They then had the audacity to give me another coupon for a free oil change. I mailed the coupon and a really nasty letter to their corporate clowns and told them I didn't want a reply, I didn't want free oil changes for life, I just wanted them to know they run a circus of an organization.

hm.. i say everyone here, as well as others you can get to participate, should write them a letter.

EVERYONE i talk to hasnt got a damn thing good to say about them. just kinda make me mad they keep places like that up.

it's one thing if it's a rare thing that they mess up, but when it's everyone you talk to, there needs to be something done about it.

The offending place in this instance was not Jiffy Lube. Super Wal-mart.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.