Oil change mishap stories?

[kevin01cobra]

Any one have any stories of oil changes gone wrong? I have a recent one...

A few days ago I was changing the oil and filter in a 2004 4.6 F150. The hardest part about this oil change was getting the right filter. For some reason Ford allowed a plant in Canada to use metric threads on the filter male threads and a plant in the US to use standard. Since the previous owner had a shop do the previous filter change they used a filter without any markings. I was so caught up about making sure they were the right threads that I forgot to make sure the old gasket came off with the old filter. Once I cleaned up and started up the car I went to check the engine and was being sprayed in the face with oil that leaked from the filter onto the belt. I quickly killed the ignition only to witness oil pouring all over the driveway...
About 10 minutes of confusion and frustration did I realize I was an idiot.

 

[roushcobra2003]

This one time I was changing the oil on my truck as well as my brothers truck. I was only using 1 pan. So I went on changing my oil everything went fine. I didn't realize how much oil is in my brothers truck, so the next thing I know the pan was over flowing alittle and made a penis shape stain on my drive way.

 

[oilwell1415]

A few years ago we had a Toyota Matrix come into the shop with a check engine light after being serviced at Jiffy Lube. The code was for a cam sensor malfunction and they told her there was no possible way they caused it and go pound sand. After I inspected the car, it ended up being their fault. The funnel wouldn't stay in the fill hole, so they forced it in and bent the baffle. The new location of the baffle caused it to shear all of the teeth off of the cam sensor. After some legal stuff JL finally agreed to cover the nearly $2k bill to repair it.

 

[TJSwoboda]

Some of us will recall in late 2003, a link to a thread on an SRT-4 board that was posted and re-posted several times in which a Skittle owner told everyone how, during an oil change, he had run his engine without any oil pressure for "oh, not long at all, about 15 seconds" to get a screw or something loose.

Also, while not a true story, there's always this:

Oil Change instructions for Women:

1. Pull up to GM Dealership when the mileage reaches 3,000 miles since the last oil change.
2. Drink a cup of coffee.
3. 15 minutes later, scan debit card and leave, driving a properly maintained vehicle.
Money spent: Oil Change: $24.00 Coffee: Complementary TOTAL: $24.00

Oil Change instructions for Men:

1. Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, and use your debit card for $50.00.
2. Stop by Beer Store and buy a case of beer, (debit $24), drive home.
3. Open a beer and drink it.
4. Jack truck up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5. Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6. In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7. Place drain pan under engine.
8. Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
9. Give up and use crescent wrench.
10. Unscrew drain plug.
11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss!
12. Crawl out from under truck to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13. Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14. Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15. Give up; crawl under truck and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
16. Crawl out from under truck with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trashcan to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17. Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
18. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
19. Remember drain plug from step 11.
20. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
21. Drink beer.
22. Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
23. Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.
24. Crawl under truck getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.
25. Begin cussing fit.
26. Throw stupid crescent wrench.
27. Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit truck and left dent.
28. Beer.
29. Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
30. Beer.
31. Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
32. Beer.
33. Lower truck from jack stands.
34. Move truck back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.
35. Beer.
36. Test-drive truck.
37. Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
38. Truck gets impounded.
39. Call loving wife, make bail.
40. 12 hours later, get truck from impound yard.
Money spent: Parts: $50.00, DUI: $2,500.00, Impound fee: $75.00, Bail: $1,500.00, Beer: $20.00, TOTAL: $4,145.00
But you know the job was done right!

 

[01cobravortech]

01 Cobra taken to the Ford dealer for an oil change about 9 years. Did some "spirited driving" on the way home. Heard a clankety clack sound. After checking the dipstick, oil didn't even register on the dipstick. Car was missing about 3qts. Wasn't successful in waging my case with that dealer. But after contacting Ford, they replaced the motor through another dealer.

 

[CobraKid04]

in my 02 GT ford gave me 3 free oil changes, so i took it in. I got the car back and did some spirited driving. I got home and popped the hood to check oil. The oil cap was off and lost. There was a bit of oil sprayed on the engine. I didn't even bother to call the dealer. I just go a new cap and changed my own oil from then on.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

I watched my brother several years ago pour 5qts of fresh oil on the driveway after forgetting to put the drain plug back in.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Uh I worked in quick lube bays for like 2 years and I've seen a ton of stuff.

Lady came in with a new car and 20,00 miles on the oil cuz that's when the book said it needed it's first maint. It was a Camry and the engine was toast.

2 People drove in the pit after not paying attention.

Techs forgetting to put gear lube back in a rear end that sent an exploder spinning across a highway at 60 mph when it locked up.

 

[Rickv09GT500]

My son was changing the oil in his 80 something Honda in my garage and didnt realize he had not tightened the plug. When he started the car the old plug just popped out and all 4 or 5 qts of the oil in the car spilled out on my garage floor. That was the one time I was glad my wife had a cat. Kitty litter is great for absorbing oil on concrete.

 

[MurderedOut]

This one time I was changing the oil on my truck as well as my brothers truck. I was only using 1 pan. So I went on changing my oil everything went fine. I didn't realize how much oil is in my brothers truck, so the next thing I know the pan was over flowing alittle and made a penis shape stain on my drive way.

:lol::lol:

 

[97svtman]

im a toyota tech had a 99 corolla come in today with LITERALLY ONE DROP of oil in it. It sounded like crap. Informed manager who told me to perform the oil change and ship it the, customer knew it had oil problems haha.

 

[T-Bolt]

My S10, worst car to change oil on ever. It was also the first car I changed the oil on ever. Removed plug, shot past edge of pan, hit ramp instead. The kicker: because some IDIOT routed the exhaust RIGHT NEXT TO the oil filter, you could not get an oil filter wrench on that piece of shit. Once I did the K&N filter (which has a 1" nut on the end, negating the need for an oil filter wrench, and also the only reason why I use them), smooth sailing.

The X5 on the other hand is a breeze. The oil filter kit comes with a new gasket for the drain plug, and the filter itself is simply a filter (no metal case) which slides into a permanent oil filter housing mounted on the top side of the engine.

 

[32ValveRom]

Any one have any stories of oil changes gone wrong?.

YEAH. My dumbass started the engine and forgot to put on the oil filter:nonono:

 

[kevin01cobra]

Some of your stories are priceless!
This all started when my brother wanted a tune up for his F150 so he went to Firestone. The invoice said $120 for 8 spark plugs and $280 for labor... When I asked them why they said: the number 4 spark plug is extremely hard to get to since you have to move such big lines such as the "mighty vacuum line". We picked it up before they got to it. I clocked myself at about 7 minutes to pull the number 4 plug.
Still can't believe he tried to take it to Firestone...

 

[Black306]

Not exactly oil change specific, but it is related.

This guy I talked to asked if I knew about a product that can really clean inside an engine like a motor flush. Reason is that he put a bottle of modified liquid glass in with the oil by mistake. You know, the stuff the government had put in engines for the clunker trade ins to lock up the motor. After a few minutes of idling, insisting that he did not rev the engine or drive the car....as if that would make much of a difference, the engine started making a knocking noise. After trying to drain/refill the oil and changing the filter, the noise was still there. I told him the modified liquid glass got into the oil passages and is now blocking the oil from properly circulating and/or the bearings/rings are toast. He kept insisting I did not know what I was talking about and decided to go and try finding this magical product.

 

[crankin]

while my 05 f150 was in for the 60k mile service, i told them not to change the oil i just did it that morning. well they followed the instructions half way, they drained it but failed to put any new oil back in. Luckily i checked my oil-less dip stick before leaving. This is the same dealership that replaced 6 of 8 spark plugs soon there after.

 

[UncleSAm]

it was a nice day and as soon as i took the bolt out and the first drop of oil hit the pan a huge gust of wind blew the pan and didnt stop blowing till most of the oil was on the drive way and in my face as i stuck my finger in the hole (thats what she said) and i yelled for my gf. seconds later she come walking out with kitty litter and my dad walks out rollling cause he watched it happen.

 

[RedRocketMike]

My awful mishap. I save the synthetic out of my cobra to ad to my 350,000 mile accord. First attempt to save the oil, I put a funnel into a empty 5quart jug. I had to jack the cobra WAY to high up to get this to fit under the car. The jack was in the center, and in the way. So now I'm sort of holding the jug at a slight angle. I'm holding onto the drain plug regulating the oil flow, the funnel can't take it at full speed. I drop the drain plug accidentally and it falls into the funnel, clogging the funnel. It quickly overfills and starts pouring out the top and I'm jamming my finger in the hole to stop the flow, f me. I got the plug out with my other hand and lost more oil switching finger to plug. After cleaning up I did what I should of done the first time. Spend 15 mintutes cleaning my catch pan so I could keep the used oil clean.

 

[thomas91169]

I watched my brother several years ago pour 5qts of fresh oil on the driveway after forgetting to put the drain plug back in.

Im guilty of this. Actually the first time I ever did it myself I did just that, 5qts right through the motor and onto the garage floor. Wont ever make that mistake again.

 

[snakerider]

Funny stories guys keep em coming.