Originally posted by cannondalemtb:

I just got the car back from the shop today after getting a new clutch put in and took it to work and drove it around. I noticed a smell of oil burning but I thought it was just the oil still burning off the exhaust manifold from when I changed it. Well when I finally got home, I stopped in the driveway and realized that there was quite a bit more smoke than there should be. SO I quickly shut it off and pushed it the rest of the way down the driveway. I pulled the dipstick and there was a minimal amount on the very end of it. So I jacked it up to look underneath and turns out that the bottom bolt that holds the transmission to the engine (I believe it is, it is right next to the oil pan) is GONE! The oil was dripping from right beside it where it should be sealed tight with that bolt.

Well the mechanic will be hearing about this in the morning and towing it out of here. It is one thing to miss a screw on the door panel or under the dash but a freakin bolt like that!? Come on!

I sure hope the engine isn't ruined. I will just be without a car yet again...




This is the same mechanic that almost killed my son and I last year. Changed a wheel bearing and the next day after I picked it up the wheel fell off after shearing through 3 studs. (Luckily happened in a parking lot) They hadn't done anything more than finger tighten the lugs nuts.

The guy is so nice and honest and cheap. He only charged me $25 for all of the testing (I don't know how much was TRULY done...) on my 'Tour, supposedly 2 days worth... I think he has some dumba$$es working for him. He needs to do more checking and double checking, etc. He has already lost at least 2 families. It's just too many stupid mistakes. This is 2 biggie mistakes in less than a year. (Just for the curious cannondalemtb is my younger brother-in-law)

Also, I picked up my truck from getting the new gas tank, fuel sender etc. yesterday from the same shop. Got it home without any troubles (WOW it is hard to get used to a clutch again, REV city... It's been more than 2 months since I drove my car, my wife's van is ATX.) I vacuumed it out, and popped the hood to take a look around. I find a huge flat head screwdriver just sitting there in the engine bay. Like 18 inches long. It COULD be the former owner's, but I doubt it. I'm glad it didn't fall into the engine and hit a fan or a belt or something! Oops tangent...

Anyway, so the question is... What should cannondalemtb and his father make this mechanic do? He will come tow it back to his shop, fix the leak... But it was driven for a while with little or no oil.

What are the potential problems from this? The engine did NOT seize. What needs to be checked? Or should we just tell him to get a 3L and drop it in gratis? (JK) Is there any way to assess any potential damage from this?

MUST SELL - ECM computer new for a 98 V6 mtx + pats Now trolling in a Red Nissan 4 x 4