Grinding sound from engine/belts after drove off with oil cap off top of engine?

Tiny
JBRAWLEY1
  • MEMBER
  • 2009 SCION XD
  • 67,000 MILES
So, just the other day I changed my oil myself, but I left my oil cap off the top of the engine. I drove about 8miles at speeds up to 75mph noticed a weird smell and louder engine noise by the time I got to where I was supposed to be. And popped the hood oil was everywhere! I found the cap was able to check the levels added a bit more oil back in (a quart) and put cap on. Ever since then my car makes a constant grinding noise and while I drive it sometimes gets really loud (the grinding) and then dies back down. I cleaned out my engine with engine degreaser at the car wash and tried to clean it off while it was running, (thinking it was oil on the belts and stuff) I noticed the belt connected to the alternator would stop rotating and look like it was having a hard time moving like it was stuck, it would twitch until it could spin again. The sound was less but it caused a now kind of rattling noise as well as the grinding and now the next day the noise is almost as loud as when it first started. Still does the louder part while driving but usually it only does it when I'm driving and I let completely off the gas then it will get louder until I resume pressing the gas whether I’m coasting or coming in for a stop. PLEASE HELP I don’t want to go into a mechanic and get ripped off I’m a college student and cannot afford much but I don’t want to wait for it to go away if its a problematic issue.

Used 0W20 Full Synthetic Oil

2009 Toyota Scion xD (i am a college student and buying this car was one of my worse decisions of my life financially) :-(

Hope this is enough info.

And thank you sooo much in advance!
Wednesday, June 13th, 2012 AT 3:53 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
JBRAWLEY1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Well, found out. Water pump pulley was stuck im assuming from the oil and broke the belt. Yay! Big money now
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Wednesday, June 13th, 2012 AT 5:24 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
It should not be the oil tht caused the problem. Just coincidence that it occurred after the oil change.
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Wednesday, June 13th, 2012 AT 5:57 PM

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