Increasingly poor decisions during an oil change

Just realize used diesel oil stains everything like you would not believe. My fancy drain pan no longer has yellow lids, they are nearly black now.... And my drain pan is not big enough to do all the oil in one go.... That sucked. my gravel driveway has a stain in it lol.

But I still like doing my own, cheaper to use full syn M1 for Costco, OE filters, and you get to look around the bottom side of the car/truck.

NOHOME said:

1-remove drain plug

2-realize that 0-20 weight oil comes out of engine faster than it will drain into the oil-catch gizmo.

3-vow not to ever change with engine warm again cause if you stop and think about it it makes no sense anyways

4-admire the growing stockpile of old oil that has been growing for several years cause it is a pain to load up the car and drive to the hazardous waste disposal site. Promise self to deal with that "soon".

5-have a beer and forget all about #4

5-realize that I am only saving 15- 20 bucks over the quick-lube, so berkeley it, no more home oil changes.

Too much beer after #5. 

Also, when some shiny happy person crossthreads/rounds/overtightens your drain plug, you know who to blame. 

If nothing else, the incentive to DIY oil changes is convenience.  It takes less time for me to do it than to go somewhere and wait.  And if I happen to have the time to do it at 9PM on a Tuesday, I can just do it. 

1. Pull up on to ramps.
2. carboard under car
3. pan under car
4. loosen plug
5. Jam tall funnel with high back thing against plug and into pan.
6. Get no oil anywhere
7. Smug
8. Remove filter
9. Get oil everywhere
10. Less smug
11. Throw another jug of used oil in the back of my junk truck.
12. Forget about 11 until the next oil change.

dculberson said:

RedGT said:

I know you don't all work for quick lube places so why the heck are you changing HOT oil?  Go have a beer first or something.

You at least want the oil warm so it flows quickly and so it carries more contaminants out.

That is 1950's-think, when oils didn't have the kind of detergents and such that they do today.

This is 2017.  If there's enough crud in the oil that you need to change it hot to get it all out, you don't need an oil change, you need to pull the engine and overhaul it.

For me it's always: 

1.) I really should change my oil. I'll do it when I get home.

2.) Drive past quick lube place on way home

3.) Berk it. Pull over and let them do it. 

4.) Grumble about the 20 bucks I coulda saved. 

The hot thing is a time dependant situation.  The last time you shut the engine off, it was hot, so all the junk is already in the pan.  As long as you don't start the engine and have ten minutes to let it drain, cold is fine.

To become the expert you must make all the mistakes.

-My ICU mentor

As a newbie motorcyclist I allowed someone to come up and start talking to me just as I was putting in the drain plug.  I didn't torque it down.  Filled up with oil, went for a ride, and thought I was having a flat about 10 miles later as the rear kept wanting to step out on me.  Got pulled over in time not to wreck, not to damage the engine, and even followed the oil trail back down the road and in a 1 in a billion shot, found the drain plug too!

I change my own for the usual reasons, like checking out the underside of the vehicles, being sure that it's done correctly, and using the oil and filter of my choice. 

Also I need to justify the thousands of dollars I have in my tools. Even though the oil changes are about all I ever do myself anymore.

I have a good relationship with an independent tire store here in West Volusia county, FL, and they do good work at a fair price. 

I did my first and probably last oil change on the Buick last weekend.  I wanted to check the brakes before our vacation and figured "While I was there..."

A sale at the local auto parts emporium meant a 5 quart jug of synthetic with a filter would set me back $29.99.  I usually pay $70 for a synthetic oil change so I'm up $40. actually closer to $25 because they through in a premium car wash, soda, and hot pretzel but hey I'm undertaking a manly endevor before a road trip the way my ancestors did.  I get to the register and find that the Buick filter isn't included in the sale.  Actual price $37.99 for the oil, $11.79 for the filter. It's quickly becoming a draw.  I get home, jack up Buford Buick and pull the wheels.  I have a new set of GM pads ready to go in because at 100,000 miles I'm pretty sure I'm pulling out finished pads.  Nope, front pads are about 70%, rears are almost new looking. This is the Dorian Gray of automobiles.  I shimmy under the front and remove 12, 12!! little 7mm screws and 3 push clips holding the undertray on and drain the oil. 

While it's draining I hunt for the filter cartridge and learn that not only do I not have a 32mm socket. I get in the Fiat to find out that Sears, Lowes, and 5 local auto parts stores are also lacking this necessary tool.  I get two slices of pizza ($5) and a root beer ($2.75) and order the socket from Amazon ($8.98).  I return home, add fresh oil and replace 11 7mm screws and some push clips into the undertray, lower the car and be angry that I will have clean oil but a dirty filter for my road trip.  After  picking up, putting the old oil into a container to be forgotten about and talking to the neighbor about the commotion down the block which was one of the section 8 folks being locked up for stabing her boyfriend to death i go grab the mail and in with the bills and junk is a $20 off coupon I will use the next time I enjoy a pretzel while the girl at the quiklube services my Buick.