1994 Lincoln Mark VIII oil pan

Tiny
MIZPLAINJANE
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 LINCOLN MARK VIII
1994 Lincoln Mark VIII

i bought a car it was saaid there was an oil leak I took it in and the diafnosed that the oil pan had rusted out and hard to find a new one I found one online new took it to a different shop they put it on all seemed fine I drove to work and when I got off the next dasy less than 24 hrs after the work wass done trouble starting car and noticed oil in the car I had no other way home so I added more oil made it 10 mins away and the car died I had it towed to the shop and the following mon they said engine locked upo and they find no fault saying anything else could have c aused the huge oil leak is this true is their something else that could have caused this
? No other leaks noticed before this incident help me
Do you
have the same problem?
Yes
No
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 10:00 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
"and noticed oil in the car I had no other way home so I added more oil made it 10 mins away and the car died"

Please clarify. There isn't supposed to be oil in the car. Can we assume you mean "NO oil in the engine"? That suggests the mechanic forgot to put oil in the engine after the pan was replaced. If that's what happened, there would have been a red warning light on the dash, and the engine would have been very noisy and have low power.

"they said engine locked upo and they find no fault saying anything else could have c aused the huge oil leak is this true is their something else that could have caused this"

What huge oil leak? If they originally forgot to put the oil in the engine, they are now seeing the oil you put in. That would incorrectly suggest the engine just seized up for some other reason. If there is no sign of a leak now, that would support my theory. If there is indeed some other leak, it should have been evident when they drove the car out of the shop. Also, with all the warning signs, you should have stopped the engine as soon as you noticed the red warning light. Engines rarely last more than a few miles without oil.

Caradiodoc
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 10:34 AM
Tiny
MIZPLAINJANE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
When we left friday from the shop they said they broke the dipstic and that I should bring it in on monday. The oil light did come on but the status check said oil light ok and that oil temp signal not working the mechanic said he put 6 quarts in when it was repaired but within less than 24 hrs I walk out to start it it had difficulty starting and then noticed oil under the car a puddle and the shop was closed I added oil and attemped to drive home I was under the impression that all had been fixed the mechanic is saying the leak is not from thier work and that without being able to start the car they cant figure it out I had it diagnosed before this and was told the oil pan was the problem can something else caused a huge oil leak
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 10:44 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Thanks for the extra details. I feel better knowing they put oil in it. Rusted out oil pans are common on Ford products, especially if you live in places like Wisconsin, the road salt capital of the world. Normally the oil seeps out; it doesn't pour out from the rust holes. To find a puddle underneath suggests something more than rust holes. A loose or leaking oil filter, an improperly sealed new oil pan, and a leaking warning light sending unit are likely suspects.

One thing that catches a lot of people sooner or later is "double-gasketing" a new oil filter. That's where the gasket from the old filter sticks to the engine and doesn't get noticed, then the gasket on the new filter goes over it. It could take a while, but eventually the old seal is forced out by oil pressure and results in a really bad leak. This happened to one of my cars once, but it leaked so badly, I saw the oil on the floor before I got out of the shop. Lost two quarts of oil in 20 feet!

I'm confused why additional leaks were not discovered when the new pan was installed. Part of the service should include thoroughly cleaning the area and inspecting for more leaks. If they did clean the area, that will make it easier to see the source of the current leak. To be fair, it is possible for a leak to develop long after you leave the shop. It is easier to come to a conclusion after the source of the new leak is found.

Is it possible the engine damage began with the previous owner due to the original leak, and continued to get worse over time? Low oil results in the oil pump drawing up air which kills the oil's ability to isolate moving engine parts. Once the engine bearings start to wear away, adding oil will not stop them from deteriorating further. It would be helpful to know exactly what is wrong now with the engine. That will help too to come to a conclusion.

Caradiodoc
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 11:12 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links