Accidentally Drove With Oil Cap Off... Damage?

[Kate1225]

So... my boyfriend wanted to be helpful and top off my oil for me but forgot to put on the oil filler cap. i drove a good 40 highway miles with no oil cap on. When I finally realized it was 9pm and all stores were closed. I wiped up what oil I could and put a piece of aluminum foil over the hole where the oik goes. I am driving and then as I am coming to a stop from about 45 mph my car turns off. I turn it back on and go to a parking lot. I stop and open the hood and there is a hole about the size of a dime in the center of the aluminum foil I had used to cover the hole.I don't know if the foil got sucked in or blown off or what. I have since had the oil changed and they said they did not see any foil in the pan. My car now shuts off if I come to a stop quickly and from like 50 mph. For example I'm going 50, coasting in neutral, I have to stop suddenly I brake, RPMs decrease rapidly, car shuts off. It does not shut off coming to a stop from a low speed. Any ideas? Could it just be that everything got dirty from all that oil and needs to be cleaned? Is foil stuck in some hose or something? My car idles fine and starts up fine. Drives normally pretty much.

[AZhitman]

I'm almost thinking this is just coincidental.

Initially, I thought maybe a chunk of foil made it into the brake vacuum line... but there's no real path from the valvetrain area to the intake manifold.

Was there oil all over the engine bay afterwards? Was the level low?

[Kate1225]

The level was a little low but still on the dipstick ... there was oil everywhere but I have the cover over the engine so it didn't really get down into that area. I am going to put my car up on ramps tonight and try to wipe out some more oil that is caught in the bottom of the compartment but for the most part it is cleaned up, up top. It was mostly on the inside of the hood. You could say it was probably about a good quart or 2 of oil that came out. I drove that way for about 45 mins before I knew.

[AZhitman]

Here's an idea to save you some time:

Get a big bucket and a rag, add some dish detergent and water - lots of suds. With the engine cool, wash it (the same as you'd wash the outside of your car). Give it a good scrubbing, don't forget the underside of the hood and the firewall, and rinse it gently with the hose.

Let it dry out for an hour and then go for a drive. That'll get rid of all the oil droplets you can't see (they'll attract a LOT of dirt if you don't).

Oh, and smack the BF and tell him to quit forgetting important s***.

[Kate1225]

Okay so this is FIXED! I took it to a mechanic (not the dealer) and the intake tube had split. I paid $460 for: cleaning the TB, cleaning the intake, changing the oil, changing the air filter, the intake tube (was $100) and all of the labor. I still have a SES light with the P2138 code but that was from way before and not related to this issue. So ... if you car shuts off when you put it in neutral and slow down really quickly.... CHECK YOUR INTAKE TUBE!!!

[AZhitman]

Nice work.

Now, let's make sure we keep you around so that you don't ever have to go get soaked by the dealer again!