So I got my engine set on fire today...

[PostaL]

So I just got back from the oil change from hell.
Went to a service station that will not be named atm, they change my oil/oil filter. I leave...


2 stop lights later I notice (oil) smoke starting to billow out from the engine bay. I pull over and see oil coming from the Oil Filter cap so I immediately head back. I arrive and pop the hood as they approach, left-side of the engine is in flames. To their credit, they had good reaction time and smothered the flames fast (almost used an extinguisher, but fire went out before that was needed).


After further inspection, turns out the mechanic didn't seat the o-ring on the Oil Filter housing when he replaced the cap.
There was no visible damage from the fire, and they apologized profusely. I made sure to get a printed report on what happened for the record.

After they hosed out the engine bay with some kind of solvent, they said it should be "fine".......I just witnessed my brand new Camaro's engine on fire, I was far from fine. But I got the incident in writing and I'm confident if complications arise from this, they will take care of it.

So, my question to you guys is what kind of things should I be looking out for that would hint at damage from the fire?

[fielderLS3]

My main concern would be damage to plastic coverings and wiring. The engine itself should be fine. Do you have any pictures? Good thing you are vigilant when you drive. Imagine if you hadn't gone back right away and just kept driving.

[formare]

There are sensor wires running just above the oil filter cap. A fire would almost certainly melt the shielding on this wires.

[Sandor]

OK, I know you don't want to hear this right now but its "for your own good". Do not take your pride and joy to a quickie oil change place! You spent big money to get the car of your dreams, only to have a high school dropout turn wrenches on it just to save a couple bucks? Don't do it again.

Take it to the Chevrolet dealership where trained technicians who know your car inside out will work on it. Will that cost a bit more? For oil changes, many times the dealership is competitive with the quickie places in town. At worst it may cost a few bucks more, but as your story shows it is well worth it.

Or, learn to do the work yourself. An oil change is a simple maintenance item, and I actually enjoy doing my own - nice bonding time with the car and will give you a greater understanding of your Camaro's mechanicals.

Glad that it worked out OK this time, sorry that happened to you. If I were you I would take the Camaro to your dealership ASAP so they can check it out. An engine fire is not something to hope the best about, you need to have them check it. This will not be a warranty repair. If you get a bill you obviously take that back to the morons who caused the damage to get reimbursed.

[NASCR3]

Originally Posted by Sandor

OK, I know you don't want to hear this right now but its "for your own good". Do not take your pride and joy to a quickie oil change place! You spent big money to get the car of your dreams, only to have a high school dropout turn wrenches on it just to save a couple bucks? Don't do it again.

Take it to the Chevrolet dealership where trained technicians who know your car inside out will work on it. Will that cost a bit more? For oil changes, many times the dealership is competitive with the quickie places in town. At worst it may cost a few bucks more, but as your story shows it is well worth it.

Or, learn to do the work yourself. An oil change is a simple maintenance item, and I actually enjoy doing my own - nice bonding time with the car and will give you a greater understanding of your Camaro's mechanicals.

Glad that it worked out OK this time, sorry that happened to you. If I were you I would take the Camaro to your dealership ASAP so they can check it out. An engine fire is not something to hope the best about, you need to have them check it. This will not be a warranty repair. If you get a bill you obviously take that back to the morons who caused the damage to get reimbursed.

Words to live by!!!!

On a side note. I would recommend that the OP take the car in to the nearest dealer first thing Monday morning to make sure that none of his wiring harnesses have any kind of melting damage. Nothing can RIP a car/computer like wires grounding out against each other. The lube joint that made the error is clearly responsible for any damage, if any occurred.

[BlackIce1066]

Do Not Drive it anymore. Do Not do anything to it anymore. Take it to the dealer first thing in the morning and have it checked out. Things are not right anymore somewhere. That much hot oil and not to mention fire will leave a marke somewhere and on something. The oil change place will have to take care of the bill for any repairs.

[kmcd]

Originally Posted by Sandor

OK, I know you don't want to hear this right now but its "for your own good". Do not take your pride and joy to a quickie oil change place! You spent big money to get the car of your dreams, only to have a high school dropout turn wrenches on it just to save a couple bucks? Don't do it again.
...
Or, learn to do the work yourself. An oil change is a simple maintenance item, and I actually enjoy doing my own - nice bonding time with the car and will give you a greater understanding of your Camaro's mechanicals.
...

Absolutely! The only thing the quick lube is good for is recycling your used oil after you've changed it yourself.

[JSC81]

LOL GM technicians have their fair share of idiots.....

Edit: Kind of reminds me when I was recruiting. Give the ASVAB to a college student and think.. "Man hes gonna ace this thing!" Only to bomb the hell out of it. Pick up a 9th grade drop out and he aces it.

[FastEddie]

Just curious. What's your vin number?

[JHL88]

yea... i wouldn't even take my beater truck to those quickie oil change shacks. i suggest learn to do it yourself

[pk1225]

Agreed, take it to the dealer for an check over. I'd be worried about the wiring too.

Last time I used a quickie oil change place was over 10 years ago. Went I went to change the filter, it was on so tight I ran a long screwdriver through it to get enough torque on it. Even then it was on so tight the filter was tearing and just before the whole thing was completely shredded I finally got the filter to start spinning off. That quickie oil change place had put my filter on about as tight as was humanly possible.

[Cam2011]

Originally Posted by Sandor

OK, I know you don't want to hear this right now but its "for your own good". Do not take your pride and joy to a quickie oil change place! You spent big money to get the car of your dreams, only to have a high school dropout turn wrenches on it just to save a couple bucks? Don't do it again.

Take it to the Chevrolet dealership where trained technicians who know your car inside out will work on it. Will that cost a bit more? For oil changes, many times the dealership is competitive with the quickie places in town. At worst it may cost a few bucks more, but as your story shows it is well worth it.

Or, learn to do the work yourself. An oil change is a simple maintenance item, and I actually enjoy doing my own - nice bonding time with the car and will give you a greater understanding of your Camaro's mechanicals.

Glad that it worked out OK this time, sorry that happened to you. If I were you I would take the Camaro to your dealership ASAP so they can check it out. An engine fire is not something to hope the best about, you need to have them check it. This will not be a warranty repair. If you get a bill you obviously take that back to the morons who caused the damage to get reimbursed.

[kmcd]

Originally Posted by JSC81

LOL GM technicians have their fair share of idiots.....

Edit: Kind of reminds me when I was recruiting. Give the ASVAB to a college student and think.. "Man hes gonna ace this thing!" Only to bomb the hell out of it. Pick up a 9th grade drop out and he aces it.

That's because the ASVAB is a vocational aptitude test. It's not the same as a college entrance exam, which measures your education level.

However, you do make a valid point. The 9th-grade dropout could turn out to be a top-notch technician, given the opportunity. If I may expand on Sandor's argument, though, the dropout prodigy about whom we speak is not likely to be plying his trade at Jiffy Lube.

[DevilsReject97]

First, glad to see that you are doing well and that you weren't harmed. That's a tricky situation that could have easily gotten far more worse than it did.

As a few have already mentioned, you need to have your car inspected by the dealer ASAP. I would park the car tonight, call a towing company, your insurance company, whomever you can get towing through (roadside assistance) and have it towed to the dealer.

Why towed? Because with an engine fire, you have no idea what may be damaged. This could have exposed wires, damaged lines, cracked plastic, etc.... This is the best way to prevent any possibility of damage or injury to yourself. Overboard? Maybe...but then again watching the car catch on fire while you drive it to the dealer would be on you...and hard as hell to fault the oil place at that point...

I would then submit any bills to the oil lube place for payment. If they want to play games or refuse, the fact they almost burned your car to the ground would screw them in any court of law....

As for the comments about doing your own oil vs. quickie oil joints, it's all a matter of opinion. I've seen morons screw up their own oil change just as badly as a oil changing place. The dealers are actually getting much better with their pricing, and often will give a membership type freebie after so many, depending on the dealer.

Ultimately, do what you think is best. I still wouldn't drive the car until it's inspected for safety purposes.