Tonight coming home from work i took a road going home. There was a sign saying road work about half a mile to a mile behind me. The road was all without concrete and was bare dirt, when there was suddenly a manhole/sewer thing sticking out and by the time I saw it my car hit it. Took a ding to the header and since then my car has been running weird. I could hear a weird noise inside the valve cover, oil is leaking from every possible spot on the valve cover, even the bolts holding it down.
My question is, can I do anything to fix my motor or any ideas to what could have been damaged? The head and header?
And can I do anything to sue the city for leaving this road hazard exposed with nothing warning of it being there or blocking off that section of the road?

Any help is appreciated right now, please no sarcasm or anything. Never been in a situation like this so I just want to figure this out.
I'll post some pictures come sunup to show the header damage and maybe some of the oil leak.

 

If I'm in the wrong part of the forums can someone direct me to the correct part? Please and thanks.

 

As far as taking action against the city, talk to a local lawyer. We're car guys, not law guys.

As far as damages, how "little" of a ding to the header are we talking? Some pictures would be extremely useful in this situation.

 

How can I post up pictures?

I've already filed a damages claim with the city of la.

 

you prolly have a crack somewhere my prediction "Oil pan"

But good luck with your case keep us updated

 

Ouch... Yeah time to lawyer up and take on the highway guys. Hope you took pictures of the road that show they neglected to give fair warning of the manhole protruding from the roadway

 

I have to go get pictures of the manhole. Last night I just wanted to get my car home because it sounded horrible. Loss of power, nasty noise from inside the valve cover. Leaking from the valve cover and head all around. I'll check my oil pan right now. How can I post up pictures to show you guys?

 

I'm in for seeing the culprit and damage.

 

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http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...40DD8225F3.mp4

 

I don't see much damage to the oil pan.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...40D998C414.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...40D69800DC.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...40D1560FB2.jpg

 

are you sure the noise is coming from valve cover? Video makes it sound like an exhaust leak.

 

Sounds like a nice exhaust leak there.
They do sound terrible.
I dont know what else you might of damaged but its time to break out the jackstands, and get her up off the ground to see what else might of gotten nicked

 

I jacked it up and found that one of the flange bolts on the header from the 4-2 snapped off. That was the main exhaust leak. I'll get another video before work right now but the leak is still there somewhere. I'm going to re-do the exhaust because I'm sure something broke and the dent in the header isn't good. Also the engine is noticeably weaker, less responsive, and seems to be leaking oil around te valve cover and near the header flanges on the head? It's weird. Not sure what's up with that, but physical damage was only the exhaust header and pipe. I'm sure the hit either tugged on or pushed the head and damaged it somehow. Not sure how or where though. Any ideas?

 

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...0ED0AA8D73.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...0ED483B237.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...0ED7D1A8A4.mp4

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...0EF8DCE103.mp4

 

I second Dirty19's opinion of an exhaust leak. Will be loud/puttering and can make a car run poorly, also may smell strong emissions odor.

As far as suing the county to pay for it. Go back to the scene where it happened and video or take pics of the manhole and the proximity of where the nearest construction signs or public markers are to the manhole.

Hopefully, the manhole will have markings on it that may match the ones in your pics of the underside of your car. You may want to take pics or video during both day and night hours to show lack of visibility or markers of the manhole cover.
You could ask a friend to video from the passenger side to achieve the view you experienced at the site of the accident..a.k.a re-trace your steps on camera. If you end up representing yourself in court, facts are all that matter and emotions are of no concern to a judge. The more evidence you can gather the better off you are. Good Luck

 

All the symptoms point to an exhaust leak then. What about the oil leak and broken valve cover bolt?

I'll start gathering evidence tonight after work and ill retrace my steps on video. That white mark on the ground was where my car hit, at least the header only. I'm not suing quite yet, just a damages claim to the office of the city clerk of la. And see if they can compensate for the exhaust to be redone.
I'll post up any other evidence I find.

 

As far as suing the city I have done the same thing with my 91 b16 swapped crx. I hit a manhole cover that was sticking up about 7 inches taller than the one in the pics and it trashed my down pipe and crunched my oil pan luckily it didn't strip any pan bolts out but I called the police and told them what happened and that I was very mad and all hey did was take a police report and that was it I didn't contact a lawyer but I also hit a pothole and trashed a rim and same thing happened so unless your going to contact a lawyer I wouldn't get my hopes up on anything being done for you but good luck with everything.

 

I 'd say you'd have a strong case. In the vids you can clearly see the back end of the cars being raised up as they go over it. The pics show the height too. Very sloppy job by the whichever department builds and maintains that particular section of road.

Here's obstacles (no pun intended) you may run into (again no pun intended) If, you have lowered your car you may be not have a claim. If you were speeding you may no have a claim.

 

^^
BMWs and mercedes are very low as well..

I would take pics of everything and file a claim with the city for parts and labor.

or

File a claim with your insurance company and submit the pictures of the road and let them fix it and they can battle the city.. only problem with this method is your insurance goes up cuz of the claim.

 

In for the result

 

I dont see how a smack on the header could damage the valve cover, or cause the oil leaks up top. It just doesnt seem plausable.... too many things like engine mounts and your suspension that can absorb the impact.
To the oil pan yes but not all the way up top.
The loss in power is because you dont have enough backpressure in the exhaust.
Fix the missing bolt and maybe the gasket and everything should return to normal.
It is a nasty bump there indeed. The city should of never left it like that.

 

I'm sending the claim to the city tomorrow morning. They should pay me for it. Hopefully. I'm keeping my insurance out of it.

I've already added the missing bolt and it has less of an exhaust leak and regained some power but the header is surely busted somehow because I smell exhaust gases while driving and I feel the power loss. Anyone have any suggestions on a good nice sounding exhaust? I currently have a 3a matrix cf muffler. Came with the car. I kinda want the buddy club spec 2 exhaust. Any suggestions since I'm in the market for a new exhaust?

 

Claim was sent this morning. Hopefully they do something. I heard mayor villaragosa was approving them all because the roads around here are so messed up.
In the meantime I'll keep scavenging the forums for ideas on a full exhaust setup for a obd1 y8.

 

LOL... Looks like a jump for a dirt bike to me...Back in the day there was a pot hole and i bent my hondasport ninjas and i should of sued the city but i did not...