funster

Picture the scene.....

I'm driving down a lovely, straight, quiet country road. Just hit national speed limit so drop down to second, overtake a van - all perfectly normal. Approaching the redline, shift to third, rear end twitches a bit, and then - and this is where it gets dramatic - a plume of smoke engulfs the road behind me, oil pressure warning light is on, I pull over double quick time. Fortunate that there was a layby within probably a couple of hundred yards.

Car is smoking heavily. Horrible smell. Engine switched off, bonnet opened, yuck. Oil splattered around the engine bay, but worst at the bottom. Too difficult to see what's happened with all the smoke so time to call the recovery service. Flatbed, of course.

As the smoke died away it was pretty evident there was an oil problem. Oil pressure light and generous sprinkling of oil around the engine bay were giveaway signs. Called Honda Winchester and told them I needed to come in for some treatment. The only place I could really work out where to go.

Recovery service turned up and off we went. Fortunate that Honda were open till 6pm. They got it up on the ramp and the problem became fairly evident. Anybody hazard a guess?

Looks like an oil filter failure. I'd got my oil and filter changed when I was up at CG a couple of weeks back. The Mahle filter looks like its the part at fault. Since its clearly not a Honda part the warranty aspect is stuffed. The Honda technicians are hopeful that there was still oil being pumped around the engine to avoid damage, but can't say for sure and will not know definitively even after replacing the filter, oil, and running tests tomorrow.

I am truly hoping things don't come in threes. Eggs damaging paintwork, oil filter failure..... having engine damage would really cap things off.

The bit that really causes me some angst is the fact that CG - who had done such a brilliant job of the suspension geo - supplied and fitted the filter. I've left a message for Chris but won't actually know what the damage is until tomorrow. And if there's engine damage, who knows when that will manifest itself?

Well, its happened now. Can't say I feel any the better for it. As always, opinions and advice welcome.

Stevo071077

I had exactly the same problem on the track a couple of weeks ago, Mahle filter fitted by Chris (note that I watched him change it and he followed the normal procedure).

Fortunately my oil light didn't come on and I only lost a litre of oil, but nonetheless a frightening experience at first.

I kept it quiet until I'd informed Chris (via Jayne) about it and I suggested that the Mahle filter might not be suitable - but I've not yet had a reply.

Honda filter for me next time, tightened with the engine HOT, COLD and HOT again.

No doubt one or two people will be here soon to tell you that it's a fairly common occurence, as they did with me a couple of weeks ago.

Best of luck with your prognosis, how much oil did you lose?

mikey k

FFS after all the threads on genuine oil filters coming off when not fitted correctly why would anyone even consider a none genuine filter.
Especially when you consider the cost of an engine!

Stevo071077

Mikey, if you pay someone else to do the job don't you consider the filter to be fitted correctly?

LTB

How do you know it was the fitter and not the part though ?

Until you ascertain this you're not in any position to attribute blame.

funster

Can't tell how much I lost. By the time I was able to check the dipstick I'd been stationary a while. Oil was still being lost while I waited for the recovery truck, there was also some on the flatbed when they pulled it off at Honda, and a bit more when they started to drain it at Honda.

Like I say, the technicians were hopeful there was enough in there and being pumped around till I stopped to avoid any lasting damage. But without a full strip I guess can't really say.

Mikey - sheer stupidity on my part. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Wish I hadn't now.

I will take it up with Chris when I find out more from Honda tomorrow.

funster

Which is why I have not attributed any blame so far. I have told Honda to keep all parts they remove and they have committed to photographing as well.

No idea whether it was the fitting or the part. Either way, feel like shit.

GrittyShaker

I bet you do mate. Awful news. Good luck getting it sorted.

simonprelude

I had a similar experience to you but with a Honda filter.

It happened just after the 65k service, engine was changed at 72k miles

Stevo071077

LTB "How do you know it was the fitter and not the part though ?"

I don't know which it was and I haven't actually blamed anything, all I've said is I'll be fitting a Honda filter in future I highlighted Mikeys assertion that even genuine filters come loose and asked him;

"Mikey, if you pay someone else to do the job don't you consider the filter to be fitted correctly?"

this read in isolation does not indicate I am blaming, it requires you to assume I am blaming.

Two Mahle filters, recommended , supplied and fitted by Chris have come off. This shouldn't be witch hunt, I rate Chris and skills highly enough to use him again. But the possibility of people losing engines should be averted so the root of the problem needs to be found and eliminated. I would say so far, that the most effective way of doing this is, as Im have done - suggesting to Chris that he uses Honda filters. No harm done