Bought a spare s4 vert for a good price. Everything is mint. It runs and all that But it hasn't had an oil change in 13k . The oil pan leaks and he has just been topping it up with new oil. What Are the chances of catastrophic damage? I checked the oil and it's perfectly clear.

I'm doing the change tomorrow. Should I be worried?

 

It's toast,and needs to be donated to STYX's Automotive Museum..
sounds fine man..if the engine is running with good compression,run it til it blows.
Now,if the engine leaked,had no oil,or Oil like molasses and wouldn't start..another story.

 

I'm relieved. And for the price to the tune of 500 big ones. Watch for a shell coming up for sale in the next few months as I am keeping the motor and torsen miata diff he supposedly put in it. I could always use spares for rainy days.

How should I pack the motor for storage ?

 

Canadian Tire sells "fogging oil".You find it where the 2 stroke,Stabil fuel stabilizer and octane boost are.
Plumbing is Aisle 43....haha!..Skate sharpening 10 bucks..(now, I am just fuggin around.!)
really though,they sell "fogging oil" for fogging engine internals for storage.

 

send the shell down here, i need something to chop up for a shop car.

 

+1 for a spare FC

Have one too. Cheap insurance and ridiculously cheap taxes for cars over 25 years makes for a good spare car. I would keep the vert

Well my spare FC is in mint condition, looks better than the other one ^^ Hehe

 

Pull the pan and seal it with Right Stuff. Then you can stop worrying about it. And stop leaving oil all over the place.

 

But we are in Canada..home of the "Oil Sands".If we spill something we just sop it up with kitty litter and send it to Alberta for refining!

 

you have to really screw something up to have an FC pan leak.

 

one of the convenience features is self changing oil, you just add periodically. it also serves as rust prevention on the bottom of the car

 

and a bushing eater.

 

I disagree... the stock gaskets suck a big dick at sealing. I had to pull my pan two or three times on my car before I got it to stop leaking.

Right Stuff is the only thing that stopped leaks 100% for me.

+1 on the bushings. It sucks to spend your hard on money on upgraded engine and tranny mounts just to have oil eat through them after a few years.

 

except the factory never used a gasket, problem #1 right there is using the aftermarket gaskets which tend to split at the holes with even factory torque specs. i always had to apply sealant to both sides and use minimal torque. eventually i said screw it and stopped using them altogether even though i had no issue even with the aftermarket pan gaskets.