Usual Oil Change Mess

[SMSW]

I was living on base at RAF Lakenheath in the late 70s. I had purchased a 1975 Austin Allegro and it was due for an oil change. I went over to the closest auto parts store in Bury St. Edmonds and picked up an oil filter. All was in order to drain the oil. I'd done this on cars for years. No big deal.

I went to remove the oil filter. It's hand tight, right? Nope. And I didn't have an oil filter wrench, so I went knocking on doors of all these neighbors I hadn't met yet. "Hi! I live down the street and do you have an oil filter wrench I can borrow." No one. Finally, one guy said, just put a screw driver through the side of the filter and twist it off. Great!

So I did that. The filter did come off.

I went to put the new filter on...and it wasn't even close to the old filter. It was much smaller and wouldn't even cover the holes where it met with the engine. Now, this was the only car I had...and it is now undriveable. I went back to this guy that I'd never met before and said I was in a bind. I followed YOUR advice...maybe not quite that strong, but... And back in those days, the stores in England closed at 4pm. Time was running out. "Can you take me to the auto parts store before it closes????"

So we got a chance to get to know each other as we spent 45 min going to Bury St. Edmonds and another 45 minutes going home.

Chris

This is why I don't like irreversible procedures.

 

[Sadlsor]

This is why I don't like irreversible procedures.

Isn't that like most of life?
It's irreversible, too.
At least i keep thinking i might do some things differently, if I had the chance... but maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't.
But I surely would avoid a couple of the times I kicked over those oil drain pans...

 

[Big_Jim59]

Isn't that like most of life?
It's irreversible, too.
At least i keep thinking i might do some things differently, if I had the chance... but maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't.
But I surely would avoid a couple of the times I kicked over those oil drain pans...

It's one of the hardest most bitter lessons of getting older. For a long time you think "I've got time to change course, do something different, take up a better profession or maybe change course" and then one day you run out of time. I too would try not to kick the oil pan this time around but with the state of my feet and balance I would more than likely stumble while transporting the open pan across the shop.

 

[Tdinova]

It's a 'Right of Passage'

Your now a biker

 

[Igofar]

Never have to move the bike around from stand to stand, full swing for tools, never a drop of oil on the ground, center stand, or exhaust pipes.

 

[Big_Jim59]

Never have to move the bike around from stand to stand, full swing for tools, never a drop of oil on the ground, center stand, or exhaust pipes.

Very cool. You got an oil change pit? If I get down that low I might never get back up again.

 

[Igofar]

No oil change pit, just a table lift.
However, with that said, I changed oil on fleets of these on the ground, on the center stand.

 

[MotorBikeMike]

All my oil changes start with a very large flat piece of Cardboard about 3' x 3' - If things go well I can use the same piece of cardboard for a long time. Works for cars and motorcycles both. On the rare occasion that things get ugly, the cleanup is much easier and the cardboard goes in the trash.

It won't help much if you forget to put the fill cap back on and go for a ride........but who would do that?

 

[Igofar]

All my oil changes start with a very large flat piece of Cardboard about 3' x 3' - If things go well I can use the same piece of cardboard for a long time. Works for cars and motorcycles both. On the rare occasion that things get ugly, the cleanup is much easier and the cardboard goes in the trash.

It won't help much if you forget to put the fill cap back on and go for a ride........but who would do that?

The guy Bob got his Arizona bike from
And then he rode it home, replaced the plug, re-filled the oil, then rode it for several months with a terrible bottom end knock!

 

[ST1100Y]

... just a table lift.

Ditto...
And a nice collection pan like this...




So with the bike on the table lift, comfortably sitting on my rolling stool, eye to eye with the oil pan, putting the drain bolt back in... I managed to knock the old filter off the raised section...

The hot, black Tsunami splashed right into my face... eww...

 

[the Ferret]

What can go wrong when changing the oil?
1. oil dribbles on the center stand from the filter and spreads on the floor.
2. drop the drain plug into the oil pan (or the crush washer)
3. forget to put the crush washer on the drain plug (and find it in the oil pan when you empty it into a bottle to take to recyclers.
4. old oil spills on floor when emptying it into bottle in #3.
5. Drop the half full old oil filter.
6. forget to put the drain plug in before you add new oil.
7. use the wrong oil to fill the crankcase - that was the oil for your car....
8. remove the drain plug to replace the crush washer w/ finger over the hole and drop the drain plug and watch it roll under your workbench - out of reach.
9. stumble and drop the pan full of old oil.
10. kick over the full new container of oil - after you took the cap off and punctured the foil.
11. overtighten drain plug and strip threads
12. crush the oil filter because it was on too tight.
13. watch as old oil dribbles up your arm and stains your shirt.

Did I miss anything?

Well, I once fired up the bike to make sure the oil light went out but forgot to put in the fill plug. Want to know how many feet a bike will spray oil out of the oil fill hole while running?