punched myself in the face changing oil...

[BennyL]

so i think i had the worst oil change experience of my life today. i decided to change the oil on a 2001 buick century that we have sitting around. this oil change was a complete disaster.

a) the drain bolt was on so tight, i literally punched myself in the face loosening it. i was pulling so hard on the wrench, that when it popped loose, i hit myself right in the face. knocked my #@$%! glasses off!

b) the oil filter on that car is so freakin' stupidly placed. i had to bend my arm in ways i never knew possible to get the oil filter off.

c) to top it all off, when i opened the 4.4L jug of oil to dip my finger in to lube the oil filter gasket, i left the jug open on the floor. and of course, i kicked it while putting the oil filter back on. so i ended up with half the oil on the floor in my garage. biggest mess i've even made. not to mention i had to get a friend hop me over to buy more oil before i could finish.

jeez, what a disaster!

 

[Vilan]

Nothing that most of us haven't done at one time or another. At least now you've passed the oil changer's hazing ritual. As a member of Omega Iota Lambda, I'm proud to welcome you to the OIL Fraternity!

More frat events to follow...

 

[Merkava_4]

Get the following tools:

KD 3324 Filter Wrench

Snap-on XBM1315A Drain Plug Wrench

 

[Rlc2500HD]

Much better than my exp last week. Changing a spark plug, it of course broke, went in to get the rest hand slipped off wrench and into metal inner fender cutting it to the bone and slicing a tendon.

 

[Merkava_4]

^ ^ ^
That must've tickled a little bit.

 

[Wrehch]

Don't feel to bad, at least you didn't draw blood. Years ago when I worked at a International truck dealer the shop foreman had the detail/cleanup guy do a oil change on a dump truck. The Cat engine has a 1 1/2 inch drain plug. I remember walking back in from lunch and seeing a trail of blood that started at the dump truck. You could see where he came out from under the truck, leaned on the step pouring blood onto the fuel tank, wandered through the shop and into the bathroom. He had been pulling on the 1 1/2 inch wrench and when it let go his face was in the way. He ended up with 14 stitches. Ouch!!!

 

[Touring5]

Must be something about Buicks...

I have a '87 Century with the 3.8L V-6. Once I was trying to loosen the drain plug when it finally broke free and I smacked my hand on a part of the frame. I removed the bolt and started the draining and crawled out from under the car. I looked at my still aching left hand and it was covered with black, greasy crud. I wiped off the junk only to find I had put a three-quarter inch gash in my pinkie finger - once I wiped it off it bagan to bleed pretty good. I've discovered since that I also cracked the bone in that finger - it's still tender 15 years after the incident. What I discovered was that the part of the frame I hit lookes to have been sheared in production and has a very sharp edge (which is what my little finger hit). Also, when reaching in to loosen the filter there is a sheet metal screw protruding in the same area - but I know to keep hands/arms clear of that little danger. It's not the hardest car to change oil, but one of the most dangerous.

BTW: The engine runs like a charm and provides (almost) too much power for a smaller mid-size car. Still running great for a 20-year old car.

 

[Drew99GT]

Been ther done that on the wrench letting go suddenly. My car has an exhaust manifold heat shield right next to the drain plug. About the 2nd or third time I change the oil on it, the plug was a bit tight, so I really got on the ratchet. Ding, the plug broke loose and my finger went right into the lip on the heat shield. Bloddy, oily mess.

I've also #@$%! near sliced a finger off in the same manner using a box cutter to cut a zip tie. Holding the knife with four fingers with pressure and stabilizing it with my thumb, ding, once it cut through the zip tie, the blade went right into my thumb down to the bone. What a lovely feeling.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

OP sounds like an ad for Fumoto. My Pop told me a story about HIS Pop hauling hay to the barn loft with a rope and a pulley set up at the edge of the loft. GrandPa (a much younger man then, this was mid 1920's) would pull the rope like a pack mule dragging a barge on the river, raise the hay, and when it was to the level of the loft, my Pop would haul it in. One day, pulling the rope, it broke with the hay near the top level, which put GrandPa near the opening at the other side of the loft. When it broke, his mitts smashed him in the face, broke his nose and he fell backwards 15 feet to the barnyard below. Except for the broken nose, he was ok, but Pop said he never such vocal creativity even in the Navy after the Japs whacked and sank the carrier he was on. My GrandPa musta had some mouth on him, eh? It runs in the family.

Well, Ben, replace the glasses, get some oil-dry, call it a day. Maybe the spills are why SO MANY of us keep such a large stash of oil around, eh?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Benny

Watch the next oil change experience be as smooth as silk.

That's how it works in my backyard anyways. Always expect the unexpected when working on vehicle repairs/maintanance.

 

[Doug]

I believe this is why men live shorter lives...

 

[mstrjon32]

Some of you guys need to get yourself a set of Mechanix gloves or something similar. The amount of bloodshed while working on my cars has been reduced greatly since I purchased a pair.

 

[wileyE]

Quote:

---

Benny

Watch the next oil change experience be as smooth as silk.

That's how it works in my backyard anyways. Always expect the unexpected when working on vehicle repairs/maintanance.

---

Once was under the car with the drain tub full of oil and the old filter. Neighbors black lab sees me and comes bouncing over, stick his head into the drain pan and grabs the filter in typical "lets play throw and fetch" fashion. Oil was dripped all over the sidewalk driveway and lawn as I chased him home.

 

[CLG]

I was helping another mech when I used to work on big trucks trying to figure out how to get a bolt loose. Lets just say that he was yanking on the wrench so hard that he stripped the bolt punched himself in the face so hard he didnt realize what happened he was convinced for a good 5 min that I for no reason at all decided to punch him in the face he wanted to fight me. I just told him hes doing a #@$%! of a job without my help.
Anyways just wanted to tell you not the only one.

 

[heath1]

Quote:

---

I was helping another mech when I used to work on big trucks trying to figure out how to get a bolt loose. Lets just say that he was yanking on the wrench so hard that he stripped the bolt punched himself in the face so hard he didnt realize what happened he was convinced for a good 5 min that I for no reason at all decided to punch him in the face he wanted to fight me. I just told him hes doing a #@$%! of a job without my help.
Anyways just wanted to tell you not the only one.

---

"why did you hit me?!"

 

[SFCP]

Once I was using my loop wrench to take the filter off my 95 Lumina because I lost my cup wrench...Needless to say, a loop wrench does not fit up there and I ended up burning all the hair off the back of my hand and a good portion of my arm when the steel handle hit the starter. One heck of a ZAP... YOu've never seen me shoot out from under a car so fast in your life...!!! LOL

 

[oilboy123]

Oh shoot that is funny stuff guys. I say this from doing pretty much all of them and more.

I have punched myself, gashed myself, burned myself, crushed my fingers, had gas gush in my eyes (worked at a dealership changing a fuel tank under pressure, did not know it was under pressure, this was 20 yrs ago. Stung so badly and could not see I thought I was going to be blind)

I have had my share and I consider myself very careful. You got to pay the piper at some point. Working on cars can be very unpredictable. But it is very enjoyable to me.

I have been in San Diego for 2.5 years and have not been able to work on family and friend cars like I used to. I am going to move up that way in June. So let the party begin.

 

[mdocod]

you have to ruin a shoe in a pan of gear oil to really top it off.

 

[kool_zx3]

"Much better than my exp last week. Changing a spark plug, it of course broke, went in to get the rest hand slipped off wrench and into metal inner fender cutting it to the bone and slicing a tendon."

LOL sounds just like me, just that i cut it on a hose clamp and it was a week ago yesterday

It never hurt that much till later

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Quote:

---

Some of you guys need to get yourself a set of Mechanix gloves or something similar. The amount of bloodshed while working on my cars has been reduced greatly since I purchased a pair.

---

I agree, but not for changing oil. It's too messy. I know you can wash the gloves but still...
When changing my trans fluid, I put them on and cover with rubber cleaning gloves. I think that fluid is much hotter than my oil for some reason.
The best is when you drop the plug into the drain pan and then watch it get covered in 5 quarts of hot oil. Bust out the wand magnet and go fishing at that point.