# 2001 Silverado 1500 belly damage by pothole **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, transmissions, oil\ **Created:** [October 2, 2023, 11:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180 "2023-10-02T11:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![soonerfan905](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/soonerfan905/32/36490_2.png) [@soonerfan905](https://community.cartalk.com/u/soonerfan905)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/1 "2023-10-02T11:31:49Z")
Hit a big pothole a few days ago. Hope the pics are visible, a couple of bolt holes are visible. No fluid loss at all, and I checked often and drove a lot the last few days as well. I don’t understand that really, I would have thought I’d be dripping fluid. Running fine, not hot or anything. Any thoughts and/or advice on what to do first is appreciated, ![IMG_0977](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/7/5741b5421a415e658450d810fa123150ce2e0669.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/2 "2023-10-02T14:36:42Z")
If it’s not leaking, consider yourself lucky and drive on. Tester ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/3 "2023-10-02T22:05:14Z")
Something wrong with that picture. It looks like a bent cast part which isn’t lined up and the damage broke a small bolt off. Or something that requires a closer look by the average mechanic. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/4 "2023-10-02T22:10:12Z")
I think OP is asking if the 2 large bolt holes with no bolts should have bolts? If there were 2 big bolts there that got sheared off are gone, wouldn’t something then fall down? ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/5 "2023-10-02T22:55:35Z")
I don’t see anything wrong. If you are referring to the 2 black round items pointing down on either side, those are rubber plugs with drain holes that go in access holes for bolts that are recessed in the bell housing. ---
**Author:** ![soonerfan905](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/soonerfan905/32/36490_2.png) [@soonerfan905](https://community.cartalk.com/u/soonerfan905)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/6 "2023-10-02T23:07:05Z")
I’m gonna get under there and clean it up here in a bit, appreciate the comments…very helpful and I feel better about driving it like this for a while longer at least. Usually, my cat-like reflexes would have instinctively kicked in and I would have avoided that pothole. But my wife says any reflexes I do have are more “ sloth-like” and that “Stevie Wonder would have missed that hole”. I love that woman… ![IMG_0975](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/3/33f58bb944a6600740d834cc992f3cc1b397458d.jpeg) (I guess CarTalk has a limit on pics for new members. I’ll see if this one posts.) ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/7 "2023-10-02T23:11:03Z")
How can the bottom of the engine be damaged by a pothole? Isn’t the frame/crossmember lower than the oil pan? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/8 "2023-10-02T23:12:16Z")
I was thinking we were looking at the bottom of the front diff? Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/9 "2023-10-02T23:23:56Z")
> [@soonerfan905](#): > > “Stevie Wonder would have missed that hole”. Reminds me of the Saturday Night Live skit where Eddie Murphy attempts to instruct Stevie Wonder how to impersonate Stevie Wonder … lol … ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/10 "2023-10-02T23:35:15Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > I was thinking we were looking at the bottom of the front diff? No, the pic had to have been taken with the guy lying on the ground under the transmission and looking forward. The 2 black rubber plugs going up and down are at the rear of the oil pan. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/11 "2023-10-02T23:45:21Z")
[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/a/3/a3c81e47f40b4c08e818abb1742c5b3a521c9c61.jpeg "Extreme jump and crash, Chevrolet - Silverlake 2011") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8W85WjayKQ) If it ain’t leakin’, drive on. Tester ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/12 "2023-10-03T00:53:46Z")
We used to have several 1500 Silverados of that generation in our fleet There’s nothing broken off or missing Do you happen to have the 4.3-liter V6? Yes, that’s how it looks when it’s bolted up, as far as I remember Nothing has shifted ---
**Author:** ![soonerfan905](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/soonerfan905/32/36490_2.png) [@soonerfan905](https://community.cartalk.com/u/soonerfan905)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 5:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/13 "2023-10-03T05:48:09Z")
Awesome thank you! Yes, V6 4.3l ---
**Author:** ![soonerfan905](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/soonerfan905/32/36490_2.png) [@soonerfan905](https://community.cartalk.com/u/soonerfan905)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 6:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/15 "2023-10-03T06:11:27Z")
A cup, the pothole, and the State Tree of Oklahoma. ![IMG_1389](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/0/d009c4fa11dad5f12906c30e1f4e58079793d8e8.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/16 "2023-10-03T15:18:42Z")
> [@soonerfan905](#): > > the State Tree of Oklahoma. That’s hilarious! 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 5:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/17 "2023-10-04T05:41:46Z")
You might want to have your alignment checked now… ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/18 "2023-10-04T14:36:19Z")
Oklahoma state tree is a construction barricade? Like SD state tree is a telephone pole? Or is it ND? ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-silverado-1500-belly-damage-by-pothole/193180/19 "2023-10-04T16:06:38Z")
It was ND when I lived in Grand Forks. State bird was a mosquito.