# 2014 Kia Optima - Did I just ruin this engine! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** kia\ **Created:** [December 24, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258 "2019-12-24T12:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@crowder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/crowder)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/1 "2019-12-24T12:01:25Z")
I went to add oil to where you add the oil I had my funnel and everything ready , as I began to pour the oil the plastic lid on the oil I was adding fell off bounced around a little bit and I can’t find it anywhere. Have I ruined my car ? I have started it since no problem everything sounded good, ok. Is it safe to drive? Could that plastic lid like get into a part of the engine that would tear up my car? I’m afraid to tell my husband. Please give me some advice. Thank you, Kelly ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/2 "2019-12-24T14:12:31Z")
> [@crowder](#): > > I’m afraid to tell my husband. Please give me some advice. Thank you, Kelly Well , first of all keeping this a secret is really not a wise move. At least let him put another set of eyes on the vehicle with a good flash light . This is not a web problem because your vehicle needs to be seen in person. If it did go in the engine with the oil then it could cause a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/3 "2019-12-24T20:21:07Z")
OK, lemme get this straight… you lost the cap from the oil bottle? And you were using a funnel to put oil in the engine? But you still have the oil cap from the engine and put it back on? If you can answer Yes to all 3, don’t worry. An oil bottle cap can’t pass through a funnel so it had to fall into the engine compartment and not into the engine itself. Eventually it will fall out the bottom, or it will stay where it is. either way, no worries. ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/4 "2019-12-24T21:35:28Z")
There shouldn’t be any harm for the reasons @Mustangman cited. I also agree with @VOLVO_V70. If your husband is such an ogre that he can’t understand a simple, honest mistake then you have problems this forum can’t address. Personally, I’d be thrilled if my wife bothered to check her car’s oil, much less added any. Fess up and let him help you look for the cap. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/5 "2019-12-24T23:57:14Z")
The little plastic ring on a quart oil bottle fell into the oil fill hole on my truck’s engine one time, and never caused any problems. If I thought the entire cap might have fallen in I’d just remove the valve cover for a look-see. So one idea, ask your shop to do that, shouldn’t be overly expensive. Might fix a small valve cover oil leak in the process. Note: On some vehicles it’s possible to cause some damage by jamming the funnel too hard into the fill hole, so good idea to be careful w/that. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/6 "2019-12-26T00:51:54Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > An oil bottle cap can’t pass through a funnel I mostly agree with you If the funnel is big enough, though . . . I think if op put the car on jack stands, she and/or hubby would find the cap, probably laying on top of one of the plastic splash pans . . . ---
**Author:** ![PhantomPatriot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/phantompatriot/32/20713_2.png) [@PhantomPatriot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PhantomPatriot)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-kia-optima-did-i-just-ruin-this-engine/155258/7 "2019-12-26T03:21:34Z")
I wouldn’t worry. As long as you put the cap back on the engine oil fill port, you’re fine. Do try to find that cap, though. 😉