Here is the story, I have a 2005 G35 coupe 6 speed. I had changed my oil on Thursday, the same way I have done it for almost 5 years now. When I was pouring the new oil in I saw a little bit of it leak out the bottom of my car to make about a 3 inch puddle but then it just stopped. I kept checking it on Friday to make sure it wasn't leaking anymore and it wasn't. Now today (Saturday) I was driving about 70 on the highway and I saw a ton of white smoke coming out of the back of my car. I instantly pulled over and didn't see anymore white smoke coming out of the back by the exhaust, so I decided to look under my car, then I saw all of my oil pouring out of the bottom of my car, as if the oil pan bolt was off. I immediately turned my car off (I did not see the red oil pressure light go off either). I waited for all the oil to pour out because the oil pan bolt was in fact GONE! I then had my car towed to autozone where I bought a new bolt put it in the filled the oil up again, it leaked out of the random spot again but only about a 3 inch puddle again and stopped. I then turned it on and it smelled smoke and I saw a little bit of white smoke from the bottom of my car but I believe it was just residual oil burning off from when it was spilling and getting all over my exhaust, I had to drive it about 2 hours home and it seems to drive fine and checking my oil it has stayed at exactly where I filled it up to at autozone.

Also when I pulled over from the highway after I turned my car off it had still leaked out about a good 2-3 quarts onto the street. I am hoping that I had turned my car off in time so that I truly don't have any real engine damage. Do you think I have engine damage? If I were to open up my engine what should I look for and what should I look at to see if I had in fact damaged my car?

Thanks in advance!

 

I had a similar situation in a Mitsubishi that lost the oil plug and I notice the oil level gauge dropped so I stopped right away. Had a friend go get some oil and new plug. I replaced it and drove the car home. Drove that car for another year and gave it to my brother which has been driving the car for over two years now. As long as you caught it early enough you will have no problem.

 

If you had any extensive damage it would probably already have a CEL. Take it easy for the next little while.

You shouldn't be getting any oil leaks at all though. You need to find out where the 3" leak is coming from. Hopefully you used a new crush washer as well, so that you don't leak/lose the oil pan bolt again.

 

thanks, yea im taking it slow i still see some whit smoke from the bottom of my car in the middle by my exhaust, not coming out the back of my exhaust. Im hoping its just residual iol left over and around, im going to try and clean it today and see tomorow. my oil is till the level it was a few days ago. thanks again