It can happen to the best of us

[JHZR2]

I guess you could question the nature of why this happened - simple mistake as it is.

I use a torque wrench on my drain plug. Not really necessary, IMO, but it requires me to take another step, which effectively verifies that I put everything together properly, since Ive torqued the cartridge filter top and the drain plug.

I learned myself in the opposite way... When I first had my first w123 MB diesel, I was learning how to do the oil change. For whatever reason I loosened the bolts on the cartridge filter, but then determined it was too late/dark to do. The next morning, I went out and decided to start the car to let it idle a bit first, so to get a warm/hot oil change. I asked my 13 year old brother to watch the car while I did a few other things.

Well, after a little bit, oil started draining out of the filter top... and make a big mess/puddle. The car had a vacuum operated shutoff, and the car had low vacuum in the shutoff system at the time, so turning off didnt help. My poor brother didnt know what to do! By the time they got me, probably a gallon of oil was on the driveway, spilled out of the filter top! Fortunately the car has a manual shutoff on the injection pump!

 

[65cuda]

A while back I changed the oil on my minivan and wasn't paying much attention because I was talking to the son. Changed filter and oil and fired it up to run it off the ramps and noticed the boy bending down to look underneath and then yelling to turn it off. Found out that the old gasket had stuck to the engine and blew out when I started it. I had always preached to the boy to always check the old filter when you take it off to make sure the gasket comes off with it. Had it happen a couple of changes later but caught it this time. Both times were with Motorcraft filters. Think I'll be changing brands now.
Also had a friend that was changing the oil on his van and found that he didn't have enough oil so left the hood up and took the other car to go get the oil. His wife came out closed the hood and took off. The little mistake cost them another engine.

 

[andyd]

Ive been lucky, so far. But I have left the fillercap off a couple of times. Whatta mess. Once was about 3hrs into my return from NC. I had topped off the oil and left the cap off. I almost had a stroke when the low oil level went off in E.BF VA. Luckily, the LOL lights at a qt low, and the filler cap was right where I left it on the fender.

 

[Bambam]

Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
I first time I changed my own oil, it was on my truck. I drained the oil, then I tried to get the oil filter off. NO GO!

I had to walk to the auto parts store and buy a oil filter rench.


Next time it happens, just hammer a philips head screw driver into the filter and twist off. A bit messy but works for those hard ones.


Did that on my buddies 68 Camaro,tore the entire filter to shreds! Had to push it 1/4 mile to a gas station,up on a lift and the mechanic used a chisel to get the filter base off!!!

 

[CharBaby]

Once when I was very young, I added 5 qts of oil without reinstalling the drain plug and all 5 qts were wasted all over the garage floor. Needless to say, it never happened again.

 

[Jerryb]

Years ago my father drove his 383 Ci Dodge to my house. I checked his oil and the dipstick was dry. His mechanic did an oil change. I added 5 qts of oil. He had driven from NY to Phila. and back with no oil. That was some engine.

 

[Cutehumor]

I've never made an oil change mistake in the 11 years I have changed oil. I always go through the steps in my head after I change oil that I did everything. I always check the oil to make sure it's full before I start the car. the only mistake I made once was that when I drained the oil, the oil pan was a little off, I got used oil on the ground. It wasn't much though.

 

[ViragoBry]

If I ever have a problem with my Mazda, I'm betting it won't be due to a lack of oil pressure in the top end. I left my oil filler cap off once after an oil change, and after only 15 seconds of running, I opened the hood to find everything soaked in oil. It's a mistake you only make once.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch

I always verbally, out loud, say "Oil filter on, plug in, oil in" every change I do, my car or friends' car. It has prevented me from making a huge mistake over the past 20 years.


Montgomery Ward had floor mat liners that said "OIL IN? LUGS TIGHT?"

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
I first time I changed my own oil, it was on my truck. I drained the oil, then I tried to get the oil filter off. NO GO!

I had to walk to the auto parts store and buy a oil filter rench.


Next time it happens, just hammer a philips head screw driver into the filter and twist off. A bit messy but works for those hard ones.


have had to do that multiple times over the years. tried and true method, works everytime

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I've never made an oil change mistake in the 11 years I have changed oil. I always go through the steps in my head after I change oil that I did everything. I always check the oil to make sure it's full before I start the car. the only mistake I made once was that when I drained the oil, the oil pan was a little off, I got used oil on the ground. It wasn't much though.


can honestly say the same thing, have not at this point left a drain plug out, or forget to put oil in.

Now that I said that it will happen next oci i assume

 

[huffmuds9320]

One time I forgot to put the drain plug back on because it fell into the drain pan. Poured Mobil 1 in and didn't realize it until I wondered why the drain pan was so full. I try not to let the drain plug fall into the pan.

 

[psudaytona]

My problem seems to come from keeping a hand on the drain plug.

My uncle is the one who taught me how to do an oil change and pretty much EVERY time I will be loosening the plug by hand and a second or 2 after the oil starts flowing....*plop*. Leads me into searching around the oil for the plug like an overgrown Double Dare contestant.

Well, this past time I was under there telling myself, "you are NOT going to drop that plug this time!". Unscrwed it, got the normal sport of oil on my hand but I was still holding it and held it until the pan was empty!

As I was screwing it back in by hand(remember that hand is still covered in oil?). I said, "Hey uncle pat, I didnt drop the..." *plop*. Lost my grip as I was threading the plug....
Its become like a tradition now.

 

[Cutehumor]

I think one thing that helps me out. I do extended oil changes, so I'll have less opportunites to strip an oil plug, get used oil on my hands (skin cancer risk), and make a goof up. Plus, reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

 

[BrianWC]

Well, the SAAB is NOT the vehicle for extended oil changes.

 

[firemachine69]

I'm sure the CRV would be a good candidate, however.

 

[kingrob]

I've never had an epic fail yet KOW but there was one time when I first started driving that I forgot to replace the cap on the crankcase.

Tying in to the thread about excessive consumption, my old Chevy burned a quart every couple of hundred miles or so, so I was always topping off. I carried a case of Wolf's Head 20w50 in the trunk for this purpose alone.

I kept noticing intermittent puffs of smoke coming from under the hood and pulled over to find the oil cap missing. Thankfully I was only about a block away from Western Auto.

 

[01rangerxl]

It happens. I double gasketed the filter on an Expedition once, but I caught it right away.

When I worked at JL I was draining the oil on a Trailblazer I6...those take 7 quarts or so IIRC. The pan was nearly empty and the new filter was on, so it had basically no oil. As I'm about to put the drain plug back, a service writer comes over and just starts the [censored] thing with no warning! I'm sure the customers loved hearing me yell "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!"

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: firemachine69
I'm sure the CRV would be a good candidate, however.


Yeah, well, on it I mainly fret over the time between changes. My wife racks up in town miles mostly and maybe 1 out of town family trip a month. So I usually just look at my oil change record (scribbled in sharpie on my garage wall) and decide it's been too long and the oil needs changing. The mileage is rarely more than 5k... We bought it new in the summer of 2002 and it just now rolled over 100k miles. And that's only b/c I drove it the first 9 months we had it and racked up 36k miles.

 

[kaboom10]

I spent forever getting an oil filter off an exec's car once. I failed trying to get an old cartridge filter back on an old plymouth. The rest of them came off and went on like they should.