Dumbest Thing You've Done While Doing An Oil Change.
- Thread starter Morcos
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All I can think of at the moment is starting to add oil without putting in the drain plug.
I plead ignorance for using Frams for years.
I plead ignorance for using Frams for years.
I decided to do an oil change while on a weekend visit to relatives. I went to an auto supply store and bought a collecting drain pan. It was not apparent to me how the oil got into the pan. In a mega brain fade event, I decided to punch a hole in it. Well, unknown to me, I punched a hole right through the bottom, and the oil went into the pan and drained right out of the bottom onto their driveway. Ten quarts from a GMC Duramax.
I was very embarassed.
I was very embarassed.
I didn't start to add oil, I added 5qts before I figured it out that I hadn't replaced the drain plug. But this happened years ago hopefully I'm wiser now.
I decided to marry my ex-wife. Weird what you think about under there, huh?
DING! DING! DING!.........WE HAVE A WINNER!
I missed two cases of "the old filter gasket stuck to the block".
1st time on my 72 Dodge pickup, oil puked onto my driveway, annoying but not expensive.
2nd time many years later on my wife's early 1983 Toyota Camry. She called me at work to ask what to do, she had head a noise and noticed the little red light was on, then pulled off the freeway when she could. Considering how loud she played the stereo, I knew the engine had serious problems.
I mentally went through what could possibly have caused those symptoms and eliminated double gasketing because I was sure I had checked, I even remembered checking when I changed the oil the day before.
I got home just before she did in the tow truck with her beloved Camry on the tow hook. I looked in the garbage can, and there was th old filter with no gasket
In 1983 Camrys were so new it took 6 weeks to get a new crankshaft, no under sized bearings were available yet. A crankshaft, main and rod bearings and one connecting rod and the engine was as good as new. It gave us 200k plus miles of trouble free driving after that. I haven't had double gasket problem since.
1st time on my 72 Dodge pickup, oil puked onto my driveway, annoying but not expensive.
2nd time many years later on my wife's early 1983 Toyota Camry. She called me at work to ask what to do, she had head a noise and noticed the little red light was on, then pulled off the freeway when she could. Considering how loud she played the stereo, I knew the engine had serious problems.
I mentally went through what could possibly have caused those symptoms and eliminated double gasketing because I was sure I had checked, I even remembered checking when I changed the oil the day before.
I got home just before she did in the tow truck with her beloved Camry on the tow hook. I looked in the garbage can, and there was th old filter with no gasket
In 1983 Camrys were so new it took 6 weeks to get a new crankshaft, no under sized bearings were available yet. A crankshaft, main and rod bearings and one connecting rod and the engine was as good as new. It gave us 200k plus miles of trouble free driving after that. I haven't had double gasket problem since.
I knew a kid who changed the oil in his Chevy Impala at his Dad's truck garage. They use a bulk dispenser- he set it on "5" and fill up the oil. When he started the car he realized the 5 meant 5 gallons, not 5 quarts when oil started running everywhere.
I tried to change the transmission oil on my E150's C6(C5?) once but didn't add a drain plug. What a mess...and I'll have to go through it again soon.
While changing the oil (oil pan gasket really) on a Cat 966 I figured I could hold the oil pan up with my feet while undoing the last bolt. I nearly got squashed and I definately got oily. When my boss saw me covered from head to toe he thought I hadn't drained any of the oil.
Steve
While changing the oil (oil pan gasket really) on a Cat 966 I figured I could hold the oil pan up with my feet while undoing the last bolt. I nearly got squashed and I definately got oily. When my boss saw me covered from head to toe he thought I hadn't drained any of the oil.
Steve
While doing some misc engine work on my Pontiac 400 I decided that while I was at it to change the oil. Several days later I finished up with the distributor and other stuff I was working on, started the engine and ran it for about 20-25 seconds until it dawned on me - I never addded any oil!
Engine was not hurt ( I had it out later for un-related reason and bearings looked fine).
it isnt motoroil but a power steering oil change.
i disconnected the line and aimed it at my oil change pan. when i starter the car the return line went flapping around like a firemans hose spewing oil all over the entire car, driveway, house, myself and even a bit in the neighbors house.
i didnt realise that the line was under pressure, i thought it would just come out like a garden hose.
i disconnected the line and aimed it at my oil change pan. when i starter the car the return line went flapping around like a firemans hose spewing oil all over the entire car, driveway, house, myself and even a bit in the neighbors house.
i didnt realise that the line was under pressure, i thought it would just come out like a garden hose.
If you haven't put the plug back in at least once you haven't changed the oil enough times
luckily, only one qt. and the pan was still down there....(think of it as a rinse, Paul)
Is it time to discuss my slight claustrophobia?
Is it time to discuss my slight claustrophobia?
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- Sep 28, 2002
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- 39,798
Well, I got nabbed by three.
60's Chevy SB with canister. Never did one before. Did not know ..was dumb (17)..left it in. Never tested for leaks. Loaned car out.
1980 Toyota chassis (big cargo box on it)
just a mess ..NP
Oil change working at a garage 68 Mustang.
A $600 short block and my job. I never got to look at this engine. The boss just told me that was the reason. He had a bunch of clearance filters that we were supposed to use.
There was a REALLY small kid in my high school autoshop class that had a REALLY big mouth, and one day he brought his mom's minivan in to change the oil. He wouldn't let anyone tell him how to do it, so we watched as he put it on the lift, and raised it 6 feet off the ground. Then he stood directly underneath the oil nut as he undid it. He was actually surprised when he got a full load of oil right in the face!
I don't know what he was trying to do, he didn't even have anything to drain the oil into.
I don't know what he was trying to do, he didn't even have anything to drain the oil into.
my then new 92' ranger. drained the manual tranny fluid instead of the motor oil. this was it's first change, at 1000mi. took it the nearest jiffy lube. they must have felt sorry for me as they re-filled it for free. it uses atf for the lube.
I was in charge of changing my moms engine oil when i was growing up. I forgot to reinstall the oil filler cap one time and by the time I found out about it the whole engine bay was completely soaked with oil. I don`t think my mom ever really trusted me after that even though she never said anything about it.Now my wife is the same way so she takes her car to the dealership.
My wife took her 2001 Civic to the dealer last monday for an oil change and they did the same thing!quote:
Originally posted by 4.8 Silverado:
I was in charge of changing my moms engine oil when i was growing up. I forgot to reinstall the oil filler cap one time and by the time I found out about it the whole engine bay was completely soaked with oil. I don`t think my mom ever really trusted me after that even though she never said anything about it.Now my wife is the same way so she takes her car to the dealership.
Didn't find out until Thurday, when I popped the hood to put in new headlight bulbs. Plus, they routinely over-fill it by 1/2 - 1 qt.
On some of my cars, the oil filter is located such that I take off my watch. Once I couldn't find my watch (mind you, it's a $20.00 WalMart special). Looked every where, then got up every morning so I could hear the thing beep at 6:00 am. Spent a week and a half going through every room in the house to hear it. Nothing.
So I bought another watch (Another $20.00!!)
Months went by and the next time I changed the oil, I found it on the radiator support. I'm surprised it didn't fall off.
So I bought another watch (Another $20.00!!)
Months went by and the next time I changed the oil, I found it on the radiator support. I'm surprised it didn't fall off.
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