2000 Dodge stratus 4 door having oil trouble
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2000 Dodge stratus 4 door having oil trouble
Hi, I have a used 2000 Doge Stratus that I bought a few years ago. Ive had to do a few things to it like...
new breaks front and back
new ball joints front and back
One of the odd things I had was that there is a large piece of black molding near the front passenger side tire hanging down. My dad said it was the cover for the oil area and that maybe the people who had it before never put it back in place right when they changed the oil. But its never been a problem and I have told the oil change guys to put it back up.
About two weeks ago I was dropping off my aunt at her apartment building. I was behind the row of parked cars. My aunt got out and suddenly a guy in a blazer which was only a few feet away suddenly backed up and into me. It was not that hard of a hit but it caused body damage. On a side note my aunt says that guy never looks when he is backing out. But I was just able to see his tail lights come on a second before he nailed me.
It screwed the passenger side front fender up so much that my dad and I had to take a crowbar to pry it up so we can open the passenger door again. After that it seemed still driveable just body damage. Then while driving it I heard a thunk while going over a bump. I looked when parked and saw that the black molding oil cover was now very loose and hanging down. It was so when I would hit a bump it would push up into the engine.
We crawled under there and cut off the part of the cover that was hitting the ground. We then noticed and oil leak. As I was close to an oil change anyway I took it to Fleet Farm and had them look for the leak and fix it while doing the oil change. Well they said they saw it leaking but could not find the source of the leak. And since they do not do engine work they couldn't dig deeper.
I crawled under there myself and noticed that the leaking oil seems to be dripping down the plastic molding then hitting the ground. So its leaking from somewhere up in the engine not right under. It seems to be able to not leak all out and still leave enough for me to drive (though I got a few things of oil in my car just in case)
I was wondering after all that explanation if its a possible easy cheap fix or Im screwed?
new breaks front and back
new ball joints front and back
One of the odd things I had was that there is a large piece of black molding near the front passenger side tire hanging down. My dad said it was the cover for the oil area and that maybe the people who had it before never put it back in place right when they changed the oil. But its never been a problem and I have told the oil change guys to put it back up.
About two weeks ago I was dropping off my aunt at her apartment building. I was behind the row of parked cars. My aunt got out and suddenly a guy in a blazer which was only a few feet away suddenly backed up and into me. It was not that hard of a hit but it caused body damage. On a side note my aunt says that guy never looks when he is backing out. But I was just able to see his tail lights come on a second before he nailed me.
It screwed the passenger side front fender up so much that my dad and I had to take a crowbar to pry it up so we can open the passenger door again. After that it seemed still driveable just body damage. Then while driving it I heard a thunk while going over a bump. I looked when parked and saw that the black molding oil cover was now very loose and hanging down. It was so when I would hit a bump it would push up into the engine.
We crawled under there and cut off the part of the cover that was hitting the ground. We then noticed and oil leak. As I was close to an oil change anyway I took it to Fleet Farm and had them look for the leak and fix it while doing the oil change. Well they said they saw it leaking but could not find the source of the leak. And since they do not do engine work they couldn't dig deeper.
I crawled under there myself and noticed that the leaking oil seems to be dripping down the plastic molding then hitting the ground. So its leaking from somewhere up in the engine not right under. It seems to be able to not leak all out and still leave enough for me to drive (though I got a few things of oil in my car just in case)
I was wondering after all that explanation if its a possible easy cheap fix or Im screwed?
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Joined: Oct 2007
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If it helps any here is what I think is going on, though I could be wrong. The top of the engine where the oil gets poured has dried oil all over the top of it and in the long groove I think is where the spark plugs are covered over by grey caps.
What I think is this...
Its only leaking in that area during the time I am driving somehow and then when I park it drips down the amount it leaked while driving. I figure if the oil was fully leaking I would be out of oil 100% if its left for a day without driving.
What I think is this...
Its only leaking in that area during the time I am driving somehow and then when I park it drips down the amount it leaked while driving. I figure if the oil was fully leaking I would be out of oil 100% if its left for a day without driving.