Oil Cap Left Off While Driving

[Diohix]

So a rookie mistake here, looking for some advice as I've never had it happen before.

I topped my oil up yesterday afternoon before leaving for work (Night shifts). Once I got there I noticed a strange smell and a bit of smoke coming from the engine, after a quick look I notice the oil cap is still sitting at the bottom of the bay so I must have forgotten to replace it. There's a little oil over the engine and I have re-checked the level, it seems I've lost very little.

Basically, would this have done much damage/do I need to do anything? It is approx a 10 mile trip.

It's due a full service soon.

Any advice welcome!

[stef123]

Sounds like you have got off lightly, my father in law done it years ago and only noticed when smoke started belching out as he was driving along the road. oil had sprayed all over the engine and exhaust lol.

You haven't lost much oil, I personally wouldn't worry about it

[MattDRX]

lol I've done this, started to get smoke coming in the heater vents and was spewing out the edges of the bonnet etc, remarkably the filler cap was still resting on the rocker cover after a 65 miles trip to Essex.

unless it ran really low and the engine temp creeped up no harm done imo.

Have fun cleaning it up though.

[BeccaaCat]

You're lucky

Took mine to Snetterton, halfway through the day we topped up the oil, my OH gets in and starts the engine next thing we know there's **** loads of smoke pouring out from the engine bay (obviously engine temp was very high!) and he'd left the cap off -_-

No harm done lol but yeah that will be a pain to clean off again

[gillyallan]

Yeah done it too years back with a laguna. Drove from Glasgow to Dundee. Noticed as I was getting there the oil light flicker as I turned a corner. Pulled in and looked in horror at the mess inside my engine. Got some oil from a nearby garage and all was well. Pain to clean though.

[troy45]

oil has a habit of making a little spillage look like it's a biggie. Probably because it sticks to everything it gets on - as opposed to coolant, screenwash etc

I had an oil filler/dipstick come loose on a motorbike and it was plastered in the stuff but only took a small top up to bring the level back to the max

[troy45]

Generous dousing with brake cleaner or similar will help clean up the engine bay :)

[luke.grimbley]

If the level is still OK you have nothing to worry about. It probably looks worse than it is.