Oil Change Nightmare

Long story short, 2 weeks ago I changed my own oil on my truck for the first time. The filter was on extremely tight but when I got it removed I checked that the gasket came off with it. It did, I even stuck my fingernail into the gasket to see if it was rock hard after it was torqued on so insanely tight. I went on with my oil change as planned (using the recommended one full turn after gasket contact).

Fast forward to yesterday, I'm driving into work, and the truck alerts me to low oil pressure, it was showing 2psi. I immediately pulled over and shut the truck off. Went to pop the hood and oil was dripping down the front of the passenger side headlight. Get it towed to the dealership and they say it needs a new engine and that they found two gaskets on the oil filter. I said that is impossible because the old one came off with the old filter, I visually checked that. They claim they can't warranty it because despite what I saw the oil was incorrectly changed. I asked if they could certify that it didn't come from the factory with two gaskets (stranger things have happened) and they said they could not, they could only go off of the information they have in front of them.

So now I'm faced with a 2016 with 9k miles that has a blown engine. Anyone else ever had this happen to them? I really don't want to fork out for a new engine, and they are saying to check with my insurance to see if they would cover it which I obviously don't want to do since I would more than likely end up paying for with higher premiums over the next who knows how many years. Advice or suggestions?

Why does it need to be replaced? It was running when you shut it down? Knocking?


One thing I always try to do after an oil change is start it up and watch for leaks for a minute or two.


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Wow [emoji54] I'm so sorry to hear this! I have no insight for you but definitely appreciate your posting some honest information. I'm really confused how oil was dripping down the headlight though [emoji848] if it double gasketed I would only expect a "leak" and low oil pressure warning should have come on way before any possible damage. Something doesn't add up here tbh. But sorry to hear!

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After reading again, I'm imagining one of the gaskets breaking after 2 weeks I guess and 50psi oil shooting out and up through everything. Scary thought wow. But I'm thinking similar to others that you shouldn't just "need" a new engine but have some excessive wear in there.

drittal said:

Why does it need to be replaced? It was running when you shut it down? Knocking?


One thing I always try to do after an oil change is start it up and watch for leaks for a minute or two.


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^^^^ This, not exactly sure why it would need a new engine.. Hell my daughter has run her jeep to the point its not even near the dipstick, its got almost 190K on it now.

Double post

Do you happen to still have the old oil filter you took off, to show them it had the gasket still attached to it???

drittal said:

Why does it need to be replaced? It was running when you shut it down? Knocking?


One thing I always try to do after an oil change is start it up and watch for leaks for a minute or two.


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No oil leaking at all. I checked that right after I changed it, and checked the oil level several times since then. Truck stays in the garage overnight and nothing there either. Not a single drop.

Did the dealership show you the 2 gaskets when they pulled the oil filter???

stimpy433 said:

Do you happen to still have the old oil filter you took off, to show them it had the gasket still attached to it???

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No, I took a pic of the oil filter after having to resort to curved vice grips to get the OEM one off but it didn't show the face of the filter, just the back end. I really wish I had a pic of the filter (which would have a date in the EXIF) that showed the gasket. I am more than willing to take a freaking polygraph to show that I saw the gasket not that that would help me.

stimpy433 said:

Did the dealership show you the 2 gaskets when they pulled the oil filter???

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I didn't have a way to get back up there yesterday, but they said they have pics before they pulled the old one off and after. I can go by tomorrow but if they have pics either it had two gaskets on it then or it does now.

bretttn said:

Wow [emoji54] I'm so sorry to hear this! I have no insight for you but definitely appreciate your posting some honest information. I'm really confused how oil was dripping down the headlight though [emoji848] if it double gasketed I would only expect a "leak" and low oil pressure warning should have come on way before any possible damage. Something doesn't add up here tbh. But sorry to hear!

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After reading again, I'm imagining one of the gaskets breaking after 2 weeks I guess and 50psi oil shooting out and up through everything. Scary thought wow. But I'm thinking similar to others that you shouldn't just "need" a new engine but have some excessive wear in there.

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Oil was EVERYWHERE in the engine bay. I probably left the better part of half a quart on the roll back

SirGeorgeKillian said:

I didn't have a way to get back up there yesterday, but they said they have pics before they pulled the old one off and after. I can go by tomorrow but if they have pics either it had two gaskets on it then or it does now.

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Maybe the new oil filter had two gaskets on it right from the box. I've seen that on one or two occasions over the years changing oil.

drittal said:

Why does it need to be replaced? It was running when you shut it down? Knocking?


One thing I always try to do after an oil change is start it up and watch for leaks for a minute or two.


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Click to expand...

So I rolled the window down as I was pulling over to listen for knocks. I didn't hear anything but could smell oil the second I pulled over. I might have went a mile max as there was almost no shoulder to pull over when the light came on. I reduced power and speed and pulled over the first place I could. It was reading 2psi when I did.

stimpy433 said:

Maybe the new oil filter had two gaskets on it right from the box. I've seen that on one or two occasions over the years changing oil.

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I was thinking maybe the OEM had 2 gaskets on it, that's why I asked if they could certify that it didn't. He asked me how it would have been able to go for so long with two gaskets from the filter which would be easy enough to figure out with the oil filter being on so incredibly tight. Like I'm talking I had my palm on the end of the vice grips and my hand was shaking as I pushed up to get it the threads to break. I'm a pretty stout guy, and it took everything I had to get it to budge.

Now the next set of questions....

How much should an engine replacement cost?
Will a 6.4 fit in a 1500?
If so how much more do you think that would run?

SirGeorgeKillian said:

I was thinking maybe the OEM had 2 gaskets on it, that's why I asked if they could certify that it didn't. He asked me how it would have been able to go for so long with two gaskets from the filter which would be easy enough to figure out with the oil filter being on so incredibly tight. Like I'm talking I had my palm on the end of the vice grips and my hand was shaking as I pushed up to get it the threads to break. I'm a pretty stout guy, and it took everything I had to get it to budge.

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The factory oil filter always seems to be crazy tight, like they put them on with an impact!!!!

SirGeorgeKillian said:

Now the next set of questions....

How much should an engine replacement cost?
Will a 6.4 fit in a 1500?
If so how much more do you think that would run?

Click to expand...

You should not need a new motor. Tell the dealership to put a new filter on, and fill the motor up with oil. Then run the truck to test. At the worst, you've spent 40 bucks on an oil change.

if it was that short of a period of time, i doubt you hurt it much.

get it towed to your house, if you have room to work on it, clean the engine bay with degreaser, install a new filter, drain out whatever is left in the pan, refill it and run it and see what you have.

it might be ok. I've seen countless engines run longer with less or no oil in them that are ok and run for many thousand miles.

if it's not knocking after you get oil back in it and it has good oil pressure I'd just run it! Good luck

It's unfortunate you don't still have the old filter in your shop garbage


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lharrell79 said:

You should not need a new motor. Tell the dealership to put a new filter on, and fill the motor up with oil. Then run the truck to test. At the worst, you've spent 40 bucks on an oil change.

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x2, I think they just want you to spend $$$$ for a new motor, instead of $40 for a oil change. I'd definitely would want to hear the existing motor run first before coughing up the cash.