M3, Manhole cover, Smashed sump, WITH PICS

[dusty23]

Well though i'd share my misery with you lot, (no rust pictures unfortunately) and see if pursuing the council is actually worth it.

So yesterday driving along 20-25 MPH and this is the actual speed!

Man hole cover which I have driven over before, no way to avoid as there were cars parked either side(photo's were taken today).

Then massive bang metal on the ground kind of noise, smoke out of the bonnet(hopefully oil burning on something) pulled in as soon as could(30m maybe) engine off straight away, I reckon maybe 4-6 secs while engine was on after the smash, I know I should have switched it off straight away! wasn't thinking correctly.

Any way here's some pic's, it really does stick out of the road as trucks go down there and have created dips either side.

Does anyway have any experience fucking the council for this?

Will post a pic of the actual sump later haven't taken one yet.

[JF008]

It does look unreasonably raised! I hope the law is on your side. A sump must be cheaper then any legal actions surely? Best of luck.

[beemerbird]

I watched something on TV last night about a chap who used the freedom of information act to find that his local council were aware of (in his case) a particular pothole. They had done nothing to rectify the problem for some time, and the chap successfully sued them for the 3K in repair work his car required after damage caused by the pothole.

Don't know if that'll help.

[Speedtouch]

http://www.potholes.co.uk/

[dusty23]

Thanks all, I've been on the potholes website, filling out the form for the council now

[JF008]

Keep us posted with updates please, nice motor by the way

[Gert_8]

Sorry to read that. What's the damage to the engine?

[harry_p]

Ouch!

I would go back with a long piece of wood or something to lay flat on the cover because from your photos it's hard to see how sunken the ground around it is. To be that bad it must have been in some state of disrepair for a long while.

Usually with potholes they have to have been reported at least 24h prior to your claim a councils can't be expected to constantly examine every stretch of road in the country on a daily basis, but something like that must have been neglected for quite some time so you may be able to argue a case even if it hasn't specifically been reported.

[dusty23]

Sorry to read that. What's the damage to the engine?

Yeah pretty gutted, its been sat up all winter was just taking to friend for some photo's!

Not sure on the damage to the engine yet, its at a friends garage at the mo, so will see after the weekend just sourcing parts at the moment.

[Gert_8]

Hmm that's a pretty annoying thing. I hope the engine is okay, it sounds like it didn't run for too long after the manhole.

[dusty23]

Ouch!

I would go back with a long piece of wood or something to lay flat on the cover because from your photos it's hard to see how sunken the ground around it is. To be that bad it must have been in some state of disrepair for a long while.

Usually with potholes they have to have been reported at least 24h prior to your claim a councils can't be expected to constantly examine every stretch of road in the country on a daily basis, but something like that must have been neglected for quite some time so you may be able to argue a case even if it hasn't specifically been reported.

Good, shout it is really sunken,

Its been like that for at least 2 years, theres one even worse around the corner, Tower hamlets council, absolute fuckers!

[dusty23]

Hmm that's a pretty annoying thing. I hope the engine is okay, it sounds like it didn't run for too long after the manhole.

We will see! don't know until the bottom gets stripped out to see if there is any damage to the shells or crank, fingers crossed.

[harry_p]

I would imagine it'll be fine, particularly as you were unlikely to be screaming the nuts off it when it happened given the type of road!

But, while the sump is off anyway, it could well be worth sticking some new shells in.

I would also be inspecting the oil pickup very carefully to make sure it's not bent or cracked.

[jimbom30cab]

Bugger, if it was only 6 seconds your engine will be absolutly fine, there is enough oil in the all the bearings to run for 6 seconds without any heat being generated which will cause any damage.

Maybe worth considering a little rise in height ???

[hennared323i]

Speed humps or tables are allowed to be 100mm high when laid new. That manhole cover does not look that high. if your engine is OK then I suspect a new sump and front springs will be the most cost effective solution.

If you have lowered the car then chasing the council may well be futile.

[hennared323i]

And it may not be a council problem, looks like the manhole is leaking at one of its connections causing localise subsidence which will be a Thames Water issue

[dusty23]

I would imagine it'll be fine, particularly as you were unlikely to be screaming the nuts off it when it happened given the type of road!

But, while the sump is off anyway, it could well be worth sticking some new shells in.

I would also be inspecting the oil pickup very carefully to make sure it's not bent or cracked.

Will check the shells, how much are they btw? will check oil pick up also.

[dusty23]

Speed humps or tables are allowed to be 100mm high when laid new. That manhole cover does not look that high. if your engine is OK then I suspect a new sump and front springs will be the most cost effective solution.

If you have lowered the car then chasing the council may well be futile.

Does that include manholes? it can be raised 10cm over the top of the road surface, thats madness!, Its not lowered btw, standard M3 springs and suspension

[dusty23]

Bugger, if it was only 6 seconds your engine will be absolutly fine, there is enough oil in the all the bearings to run for 6 seconds without any heat being generated which will cause any damage.

Maybe worth considering a little rise in height ???

Hopefully!

Its on standard M3 springs and suspension, not lowered at all.

[dusty23]

And it may not be a council problem, looks like the manhole is leaking at one of its connections causing localise subsidence which will be a Thames Water issue

Can I claim off them?

I'm not a scrounging claimer btw!

I just feel in this instance its justified.

[kam-325i]

Speed humps or tables are allowed to be 100mm high when laid new. That manhole cover does not look that high. if your engine is OK then I suspect a new sump and front springs will be the most cost effective solution.

If you have lowered the car then chasing the council may well be futile.

Does that include manholes?

No, It does not include "Manhole" covers.
Manholes have to be installed level with the surrounding surface.

[appletree]

Are you sure it's got standard springs, I would have thought you would need stiffer springs when swapping from an S14 to an S50? Or maybe that's your issue

[kieran325]

Is it Matt's old car ?

[dusty23]

Are you sure it's got standard springs, I would have thought you would need stiffer springs when swapping from an S14 to an S50? Or maybe that's your issue

Thats quite right, about 50kg which would make a bit of difference, I think the front spring may be uprated as matt built this car and I don think he would overlook something like that.

However its not particularly low and matt loving the OEM would probably of matched ride heights

[dusty23]

Is it Matt's old car ?

Yes thats the one and a cracking job he did on it too

[jmc330i]

The M30/S38 converted M3s (Hartge/Alpina) used standard springs for an aircon equipped E30 M3. The main problem with the S50 conversion is the M50 sump sits lower than an E30 sump, meaning even on a standard height car it's much more vulnerable.

My car ran slightly lowered M3 suspension with about 2.25"-2.5" clearance between sump and ground.

[dusty23]

Will have to check what the clearance but its definitely more than 2.5 inches.

Might have to invest in a sump guard, any recommendations?

[hennared323i]

Speed humps or tables are allowed to be 100mm high when laid new. That manhole cover does not look that high. if your engine is OK then I suspect a new sump and front springs will be the most cost effective solution.

If you have lowered the car then chasing the council may well be futile.

Does that include manholes?

No, It does not include "Manhole" covers.
Manholes have to be installed level with the surrounding surface.

Correct, however the surrounding surface has lowered post installation, whose problem is that?

Back along I did some work in west ham, curiously the under Tarmac structure varied from natural overburden to 6" of reinforced concrete along a linear 3.3 km of the works

To the op:

If your car is totally standard and in compliant with Uk regs then there is a chance you can go after someone for the damage.

Who that is, I do not know.

[hennared323i]

Completely off topic did you know that Tower Hamlets runs speshull courses for the denizens of canary wharf to "connect" with the general public?

[dusty23]

Haha really that's brilliant.

[suedenim]

Ouch!

I would go back with a long piece of wood or something to lay flat on the cover because from your photos it's hard to see how sunken the ground around it is. To be that bad it must have been in some state of disrepair for a long while.

Usually with potholes they have to have been reported at least 24h prior to your claim a councils can't be expected to constantly examine every stretch of road in the country on a daily basis, but something like that must have been neglected for quite some time so you may be able to argue a case even if it hasn't specifically been reported.

Good, shout it is really sunken,

Its been like that for at least 2 years, theres one even worse around the corner, Tower hamlets council, absolute *******!

As harry p says, you need a datum and a ruler to show the real extent. That is truly horrific on the crown of the road.
I don't know why they bother speed humps as the potholes are more than capable of slowing traffic.

[mcbonio]

Lovely chariot Dusty, sorry to hear about your sump, sadly it happens. You could go down the sue council route but even if they are in the wrong they like to play the long game by which most folk get over it and forget out it.

Love the big wide trail of oil too.! O =====================

[dusty23]

I'll go tomorrow with a piece of wood and a ruler.

I spoke to the council earlier and apparently it takes about 40 days to get an answer!

I would hold and then charge them for a new sump. But I think I'll just go down the second hand route for now.

[capnmchl]

Probably worth dipping your fingers in some lines of contacts to see if you do have a claim. The issue is not only the manhole cover but the actual state of the road.

I also hope you informed the appropriate authorities that you've left both an environmental disaster and a hazard to other road users on the road

[capnmchl]

I don't know why they bother speed humps as the potholes are more than capable of slowing traffic.

I'm pretty sure there was a councillor in Swindon a few years ago who said that it wasn't worth filling potholes in as they did a better job at controlling traffic than speed cameras and speed bumps did.