Update on my car...I'm conflicted

"Azrek" (azrek) 08/08/2019 at 16:06 • Filed to: None

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So, after it didn’t shift and the mechanic also said it was hosed. The insurance agent showed up after 5 days, swift, to check out my car. The mechanic got in started it up and...it shifted. He said it was shaky at first then purred like it should. He said he’s never seen anything like it before.

Insurance then threw up their hands and declared my car fine...but not before this gem:

Insurance Lady: Well, I think when you were shifting you were pushing on the brake so it wasn’t going into gear
Azrek: That isn’t how manual transmissions work...at all.
Lady: Oh, well then I have no idea what happened to you car. And that oil leak? That is totally your problem.

So my rear main oil gasket exploded during this event, mechanics also confirm it happened, but Insurance says it is unrelated to the water damage.

Mechanics are trying to cut me a deal to fix the rear main, but they also have to remove the clutch to get to the gasket. So they are trying to find proof of more water damage and write all the repairs off. Ugh...

So I am debating...I’ve debated selling the car before, but it is tough to find something that fits my odd personality. I really think it’ll come down to an ATS-V manual or a GT350 at this rate. I am concerned I am now driving a time-bomb and it makes me sad. 

BeaterGT > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 16:25

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Hmmm ATS-V, would you go coupe or sedan?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 16:28

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After reading this and your previous post on this, I’m thinking you should take it to a different mechanic.

For one thing, the issue sounds like the clutch isn’t releasing. Why wouldn’t it do that?

Well let me tell you... probably has something to do with the hydraulics associated with operating the clutch... specifically the slave cylinder.

What you describe sounds like what happened to me on a past car when the slave cylinder started leaking and the fluid level got too low.

And if the clutch itself was truly gone, there would be all kinds of slippage.

I suspect the mechanic you’re car is at isn’t at all familiar with manual transmissions and how the master cylinder and slave cylinders are related.

Read this:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1361957

One other thing... a clutch issue would NOT affect the rear main seal of the engine in any way. Though it’s possible a leaky rear main seal could contaminate your clutch with oil.

But if that was the case, you would be getting tons of slippage, which you’re not getting.

I wouldn’t trust this mechanic’s judgment regarding whether the rear main seal is truly blown.  An oil leak could also be coming from the back of the oil pan gasket or back of the valve cover.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 16:28

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Sorry to hear about the water damage (and apparently a very indifferent insurance agent .) I read your earlier post too and I guess that it can be really tricky to deal with water problems, although when I first read that I was thinking that it seemed implausible how much damage actually wrought from that situation.

Based on the fact that it’s an E9X series a comparable car shouldn’t be too hard to find, unless you’re looking for another manual.

Might I suggest a gently worn Lotus Evora S if that is the case? It depends on how daily/comfy your ride needs to be.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 08/08/2019 at 16:37

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That forum post was a rollercoaster of a read. Thanks for sharing it. 

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 08/08/2019 at 16:53

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And I find it highly implausible that a bit of water would cause the rear main seal to blow and cause you to stop being able to put it in gear.

It’s not the kind of damage water causes.

Use the info in the forum and ask some key questions regarding the brake fluid level and the condition of the slave cylinder.

Note that when I had the issue, a temporary fix would be to top up the brake fluid.

I’ve seen too much dumbassery from various mechanics over the years to not do my own homework and/or get second opinions on things like this.

Here’s a story for you... Back when I had my Saab, I had an issue with the engine getting too much turbo boost which would cause the fuel cutout to kick in.

My past mechanic, even though he owned a Saab, didn’t know that the fuck he was doing. It was *me* who figured out what the issue was (the APC valve)... and that was after I wasted $800 on unnecessary repairs that didn’t resolve the problem because he was just guessing .

I’ve had other faux-mechanics not know how to tighten wheel lug nuts properly, not know how to do oil changes properly, tell me that a new heater core needs to be ‘recored’, be unaware of how some thermostat housings have bypasses that can fail causing the engine to cool too much even with a new thermostat (another issue I figured out), idiotically tell me that an alternator issue was actually a battery issue and other dumb shit.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 08/08/2019 at 17:03

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That sucks.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 17:09

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What are they quoting you for the rear main seal? 

Azrek > BeaterGT 08/08/2019 at 17:34

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Either, prefer a coupe. I don’t buy a car for passengers .

Azrek > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 08/08/2019 at 17:35

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$1800

Azrek > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 08/08/2019 at 17:36

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I agree, I am not a fan of this mechanic shop.
As for the oil leak. I believe I caused it when I couldn’t shift when the car was on, but I could shift when the car was off. So I put it into first and then turned the car on with the clutch depressed. The car turned on, lurched and died. Then I smelled oil. The mechanic agreed with me. 

Azrek > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 08/08/2019 at 17:50

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I love Lotus cars and their racing history. But finding one is rare. 

vicali > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 17:54

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So you hit some puddles and it was raining and now it’s totalled? I’m lost..

Were there any pelicans?

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 17:57

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There are more 400s now than Ses. I suspect since Lotus stopped making the S that they are getting rarer on the ground. 

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 18:02

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I don’t think doing that caused it per se. More likely the gasket or seal (and I’m not going to trust that it’s the rear main seal) was about to fail anyway.

It sounds like more like of a bad-luck coincidence that it started leaking when the lurch happened.

Also of note:

“It is not possible to tell a oil pan gasket leak from a rear main seal leak. They both leak from the same place. 90% of the time it is the oil pan gasket.”

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=984537

Azrek > vicali 08/08/2019 at 18:03

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Original assessment was that it was totaled...5 days later when Insurance appeared the car worked fine(?!)

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 18:36

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Both good choices - if I could increase my budget by about $10k I’d be looking at one of those 2 cars as well. 

Victorinoo > Azrek 08/08/2019 at 21:07

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Do you have a garage? I say do it yourself. Pulling a manual trans is not that bad. Also, I don’t think water would have caused this. Many vehicles with manual trans are used for water crossings. And the gasket sees crank case pressure all day, why would some water make a difference?

pip bip - choose Corrour > Azrek 08/09/2019 at 03:46

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fix it and move on

Azrek > pip bip - choose Corrour 08/09/2019 at 10:28

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Yeah, that is the likely course of action. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 08/09/2019 at 20:32

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Probably worth doing, even if you do decide to sell. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 08/09/2019 at 20:35

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Interesting thoughts from Manwich.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 09/12/2019 at 15:05

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What did you decide to do with your car?

Azrek > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/12/2019 at 15:14

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Dealership saw I was getting screwed and gave me a deal. Charged me parts for the bits I needed replaced and sent me on my way. No labor costs. New gasket, new Clutch.

The engine still makes a bit of a dry ringing noise when I first start it up, but it goes away after I get going. That is a new feature I have.

I am getting it detailed this weekend and then my armrest replaced and the ceiling looked at. So it’ll be a new car again...I hope. 78000 miles. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 09/12/2019 at 15:20

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Nice! Glad it worked out.

125k+ on mine - no plans to let her go yet. Worth way more to me than what someone would pay for it.

Azrek > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/12/2019 at 15:24

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Yeah, it is tough to give it up, but that GT350 I saw was high on the list of fun.

I just had a tune up as well, so I am enjoying it. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Azrek 09/12/2019 at 15:31

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GT350 is also near the top of my list of potential replacements. Looks great, sounds great.

Current plan is to drive my car 3.5 more years (I only drive it to work once or twice per week) and then get something way more impractical. My son will be able to shuttle his siblings to school at that point.

We’ll see how that plays out.