Can't remember if anyone else mentioned it,

I did that with the estelle. Checked the oil, went in. Didn't drive that day. Drove to work on Monday, noticed temp was up a bit not silly though. Got out in carpark and could smell oil. Opened the lid, "loads" of oil everywhere (probably very little), and the cap sitting neatly on the engine undershield having travelled up the M62 with me.

Have you ever done the same with a 2cv? I have..

I did something pretty similar with my first Carlton. Was home (Bracknell) from uni (Guildford) one weekend, grabbing some bits and pieces - had cleared the car out and checked/topped up various things, including topping the oil up a bit. About 1/3rd of the way there, there was some old shed in front of me, and some smoke that I just assumed was from that car's exhaust (knackered valve stem oil seals or something) - this was at the Swinley Bottom lights (A322/A332 junction for anyone who knows the area). Then at the M3 junction the smoke/smell was still there, but the old shed wasn't. Pulled over in a layby just after the junction, having realised what I'd done, and checked the oil - still enough in it to get me to the conveniently located Vauxhall dealer about another couple of miles down the road, keeping the revs as low as possible, bought a cap (plastic one, so you don't need to find a rag to take it off if you don't want to burn your hands) and on with the journey.

D'oh.

"Mike P" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Umm, no, don't think I have. Strangely, that one incident seemed to instill the discipline into me.

Difficult to lose the cap, though...

Mind you, I'd got the Acad on the ramp over at the workshop to change the exhaust crossbox (under the gearbox). New one on, all clamped up, started it to get the goop to seal - lowered the ramp and let it idle. Then I thought "Why's the oil filler flapping?"

FUCK. I'd drained the oil & removed the filter... The drain plug was still sat on the bench next to the new filter!

Heh, it goes *everywhere*. I checked the oil at a petrol station in Denham. By the time I got to the M40 at uxbridge, smoke was billowing out. I thought it was on fire.

Thankfully.

That's one I've not managed yet. I'm sure I will at some point though.

Heh. You wouldn't want it.

Not guilty in the least. Pete bought the 730 off a bloke in Oldham and I picked it up for him and delivered it.

Certainly did.

s'funny, I did it with my Carlton too. I try to put the cap where it won't let the bonnet shut now. Saved me a couple of times.

I also did it with my Astra once - checked it all over the night before and topped everything up before setting off to Scotland for a fortnight away.

Started out at 0600 the next morning only to find white smoke following us up the M5. Stopped and found the cap missing but couldn't do bugger all about it - no oil in or out of the engine, and no cap anyway.

Luckily(?) after only about an hour a stray AA Landrover came past. Since we were in the AA at the time I flagged him down. Unluckily though, Vauxhall had stopped doing the useful thing they used to do where the fuel and oil cap used the same fitting - so we had to trundle off in his Landy to the nearest garage with one. That took another hour, so by the time we actually got going it was well into rush hour. Crap.