Could lack of oil cap cause "cracked engine head"

My female friend has a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with around 133K. She had it
serviced 2 weeks ago and they changed the oil. It was leaking something
recently (we thought it was anti-freeze). The people who serviced it 2
weeks ago took a look at the car and said it was missing an oil cap and down
to 2 quarts of oil. Could the lack of a cap cause the oil to get too low
and then cause a "cracked engine head"? Is that same as a cylinder head?

What I don't understand is that my friend says there was no indication that
the engine overheated and no oil check light was lit up on the dash. Seems
to me that if it really were true that the lack of an oil cap (negligence)
caused the car to lose oil and crack the engine, then something on the
dashboard should have lit up beforehand, which my friend says did not
happen. I don't know what to make of the whole thing. What do you think?

J

jaynews wrote:[color=blue]
> My female friend has a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with around 133K. She had it
> serviced 2 weeks ago and they changed the oil. It was leaking something
> recently (we thought it was anti-freeze). The people who serviced it 2
> weeks ago took a look at the car and said it was missing an oil cap and down
> to 2 quarts of oil. Could the lack of a cap cause the oil to get too low
> and then cause a "cracked engine head"? Is that same as a cylinder head?
>
> What I don't understand is that my friend says there was no indication that
> the engine overheated and no oil check light was lit up on the dash. Seems
> to me that if it really were true that the lack of an oil cap (negligence)
> caused the car to lose oil and crack the engine, then something on the
> dashboard should have lit up beforehand, which my friend says did not
> happen. I don't know what to make of the whole thing. What do you think?
>
> J[/color]

If it were down to 2 quarts then it was likely to be running very hot
and poorly lubed. Not sure itd crack the head providing coolant was
there but its possible. Id expect to spot an oil pressure light but not
if it had blown. Its possible, but hard to prove.

On Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:28:50 +0000, jaynews wrote:
[color=blue]
> My female friend has a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with around 133K. She had it
> serviced 2 weeks ago and they changed the oil. It was leaking something
> recently (we thought it was anti-freeze). The people who serviced it 2
> weeks ago took a look at the car and said it was missing an oil cap and down
> to 2 quarts of oil. Could the lack of a cap cause the oil to get too low
> and then cause a "cracked engine head"? Is that same as a cylinder head?
>
> What I don't understand is that my friend says there was no indication that
> the engine overheated and no oil check light was lit up on the dash. Seems
> to me that if it really were true that the lack of an oil cap (negligence)
> caused the car to lose oil and crack the engine, then something on the
> dashboard should have lit up beforehand, which my friend says did not
> happen. I don't know what to make of the whole thing. What do you think?
>
> J[/color]


My stepfather drove my car for a couple weeks ('74 Corolla in '75) and
lost the oil cap. It had about 2 qts for ? long. I got a new cap, filled
the crankcase and drove it to 90,000 miles. I sold it, the new owner
racked 30K and sold it. That owner had to replace the rings...

I had an '80 that was squirting oil out the pan gasket at 60,000 miles,
down about..2qts. Took a while to figure it out. Got 240,000 out of that
car.

Take it somewhere else (if you can drive it). It is possible, but unlikely.
You may have another, simpler problem.

"jaynews" <jaynews@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:6HKbh.14681$9e.4590@trnddc02...[color=blue]
> My female friend has a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with around 133K. She had
> it serviced 2 weeks ago and they changed the oil. It was leaking
> something recently (we thought it was anti-freeze). The people who
> serviced it 2 weeks ago took a look at the car and said it was missing an
> oil cap and down to 2 quarts of oil. Could the lack of a cap cause the
> oil to get too low and then cause a "cracked engine head"? Is that same
> as a cylinder head?[/color]

Yes, the lack of an oil filler could could cause the oil level to get low
enough for the engine to run hot enough to crack or warp the head. An
"engine head" is properly called a "cylinder head." If the cooling system
was low, that could also cause a cracked or warped head, and of course, if
both the oil and the coolant were low, the likelihood of engine damage
increases.

It is also possible that no serious harm was done.
[color=blue]
> What I don't understand is that my friend says there was no indication
> that the engine overheated and no oil check light was lit up on the dash.
> Seems to me that if it really were true that the lack of an oil cap
> (negligence) caused the car to lose oil and crack the engine, then
> something on the dashboard should have lit up beforehand, which my friend
> says did not happen. I don't know what to make of the whole thing. What
> do you think?
>
> J[/color]

The oil pressure warning light warns if oil pressure is too low at idle, not
low oil volume, which is why there is a dipstick to check oil level. It is
possible for there to be sufficient oil pressure to keep the light off and
still not be high enough to lubricate the head at higher engine speeds,
especially if the oil volume is low.

Some classic symptoms of a cracked or warped head are oil mixed in with the
coolant - you will see it floating at the top of the radiator and/or coolant
overflow reservoir, and coolant mixed in with the oil. The oil will have
mocha milkshake appearance. A head problem can also result in exhaust gas
in the coolant - you may see bubbles floating to the top of the radiator and
detect the exhaust gas with an exhaust gas sniffer in the radiator neck, and
clouds of white smoke out of the exhaust after the engine has warmed up. A
head or a head gasket problem can also results in external leaks of oil or
coolant.

I would ask the place that told you about the head problem to tell you why
they think the head is cracked and take it to a reputable repair shop for
confirmation.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

<<I would ask the place that told you about the head problem to tell you why
they think the head is cracked and take it to a reputable repair shop for
confirmation.>>

Thanks, will have someone else look at it.

J.