Heating fan comes on after oil was sprayed all over the engine

[Jude]

Someone left the oil filler cap off after topping up the oil the other day. I'm not naming names. But we didn't realise for some time, so oil was sprayed all over the engine (petrol).

Luckily the oil level didn't get too low, according to the sensor. So we've just topped it up again and wiped the worst of the oil off the bits of the engine that are easy to reach.

But ever since then, the fan has come on, and remains on for some time after the engine is stopped. In fact this is what made us realise something was wrong - it very rarely came on in the past. Now it's on all the time, despite the fact that the engine temperature is not excessive.

Can anyone advise me about what might be happening? And what I should do?

I'm very far from a motoring expert, so please explain it like I'm 5! Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Flanners]

The sensor cannot be relied upon for oil level/top up, once activated the oil could well be be too low already. these engines seem to require the oil near to the max. How much oil was lost/did you top up half a litre or more? How much covered the engine etc and how long was the car driven without the filler cap before you realised?

I have heard leaving the oil filler cap off can play havoc with the crankcase breather and engine oil system and the ECU may have put cooling system of the car in limp/default mode and then runs the fans as a precaution. Do you have the engine management lights on/check engine etc.... need to get a code reader on her/reset codes etc

 

[Jude]

Thank you for your response. Not too much oil was lost, the dipstick showed the level as just at the minimum when we realised there was a problem. So basically the oil level went from max to min but not below min.

So if I've understood you correctly, I should go to a garage which can check the engine status with a computerised code reader? Thanks, I'll look into that.

 

[Flanners]

You can buy one on ebay for £10-20...garage will charge more. Have a look on here for posts etc.

 

[Jumper]

The filler cap being off has caused un metered air through the PCV system. After you have topped up the oil take for a long drive 30 miles or so without stopping and the fans should go off after when you eventually stop the engine. It will rest itelf. I bet its a mess under that bonnet!

 

[Pedro]

The ECU has triggered the Fan because your oil level dropped below the sensors danger limit to stop the engine overheating you need to check any fault codes as these can keep the fan on until their cleared providing there are no other issues
Take Flanners advice get a cheap reader if you go to a garage & they realise your not adept at mechanics it will be up to £90 for a full health check that's before they give you the usual bumpf about the car needs a urgent full service & a list as long as your arm for other ancillary work to be done?

 

[Jude]

Thanks for all your advice. The car has already been on a long motorway drive but the fan is still going, so I guess buying a cheap reader is my next step. I appreciate you all taking time to help, thank you.

 

[yloops]

Please keepnus updated as to what happened buddy.

 

[Jude]

Thanks for checking in. The issue resolved itself without me having to do anything in the end. I was intending to buy a computerised code reader but hadn't got around to it yet, then the fan stopped being on all the time. Happy days!

 

[Pedro]

So you topped up oil & the sensor sent the correct data to the ECU hence no EML & fan off so Happy days maybe worth buying a cheapish code reader just to check any codes stored in the memory