Simple Oil Change, Right?
 

I know this belongs in pictures, but I think you will all get a kick out of this if I put it here first.

Backstory:

My coolant light flashed yesterday and I realized that I needed to add new coolant. I looked at my odometer and realized that I was due for an oil change, and that a transmission change probably couldnt hurt too. These are all simple things that a basic car owner should know how to do. This was my first time doing this on a Mustang, so dont flog me saying that im an idiot and that I dont know what im doing. You dont know the half of it.

As most of you know I purchased a '96 Cobra recently, and to my knowledge, I thought that the owner had taken good care of it. It was in good physical shape and everything, so I thought hell, this was an nicely pampered vehicle. Removing the radiator coolant was a breeze, no problems there. I removed the transmission fluid and realized that i had almost a full gallon (4 quarts) of transmission fluid in my transmission.

No big deal, I thought. Surely this is just a small hitch in the road and there isnt anything to worry about.

Boy was I wrong.

I go to change the oil and I remove the nut from the oil pan and begin to drain the oil. Now, everyone, lets remember that V8 Mustangs take, and need, only 6, thats S-I-X, quarts of motor oil. I had a 7.5 Quart drain pan so I shouldnt have any problem draining the oil right? Wrong. I begin to drain the pan and to my suprise it fills the whole way up, all the way to the top of the pan, and there was still more oil coming out. I plug the drain to stop the oil from spreading and attempt to drain the oil that was in there.

Recap: 1 V8 Engine, 7.5 Quarts of Oil so far.

I drain the pan halfway and put it underneath to catch the rest of the oil coming from the oil pan. I get approximately another half to three quarters of oil from the rest of the pan.

This makes 8 Quarts of oil in my engine. Think anything else could go wrong? If you said yes, you're right.

Lets move to the oil filter. Now, what do we all know about oil filters. Thats right, they also hold some oil even after you drain the oil pan. So I get the wrench used to remove the oil filter. The wrench begins to crush the oil filter (my fault here, I didnt realize it was on backwards). What makes matters worse is that I have about 3-4" of space where I can get torque on the filter. So I turn and it budges about an eigth of a turn. And then the unthinkable happens...

The filter refuses to turn anymore. Whoever owned my car last decided it would be a great idea to WAY OVERTIGHTEN the goddamn filter into place. There isnt any way to get the filter to turn with the wrench. Making matters worse, the wrench is bent. Nick (the fox body authority) gets underneath the car to see what he can do to get the wrench to move. In the process, he hits the oil pan and puts a TON of oil EVERYWHERE on the ground underneath my car.

PICTURE TIME!!

Before (yes that is the Shambles right there):
http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/.../Beginning.jpg

After the oil spill:
http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/...ning/spill.jpg

Now, what can we learn from this first off.

YOU DONT PUT 8 QUARTS OF OIL IN YOUR ENGINE

Now the new problem, how to remove the oil filter. Simple really. You get a screwdriver and you drive as many holes through the thing as you possibly can so that you can turn it. All in all, about 3/4 to a full quart of oil came out of my engine.

Thats right folks 9 Bloody ****ing Quarts of oil, in my engine.

The good part of the story is, I got the Oil filter off. The bad part of the story is, it took almost TWO AND A HALF HOURS to change, or bathe as you will see later, the oil. I didnt get done all of this until 2AM.

How you dont want to see your filter after removal:

http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/...ing/filter.jpg

Now, This pic is my sexy body. I am covered (even though the light doesnt show it) in oil down to my waist. The oil is even in my hair. I had to lay in the **** to get that goddamn filter off.

http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/...hamblesoil.jpg

So what have we learned today kiddies?

1. RTFM!!!! READ THE ****ING OWNERS MANUAL!! Topping off your engine with, not just 8, but 9 (!!) quarts of oil makes it not only a complete pain in the ass for those of us who might purchase your car down the road, but it creates a really big problem for the car itself. 6 Quarts is enough.

2. Overtightening is BAD!!! Hand tighten and a slight twist after putting on your oil filter will work. You dont have to kill it.

3. Oil is NOT fun to lie in. It took me about 6 HOURS to get the oil out of my hair.

Now that I have made a really long post, im going to finally leave work, go home and get some sleep, considering that I only slept an hour and thirty minutes last night.

Heh heh heh... Nice.

Chris:

1 - I buy my Mobil 1 at Walmart - $18.00

2 - Then get a K&N oil filter at Pep Boys - $12.00

3 - I take it to a local quick-lube place (a really nice one) and they charge me $16.90 labor to do the job. I just give them my oil and filter.

Some of my friends make fun of me, but you just reminded me why my $16 is so well spent.

What a crappy day you had.

I always use trusty motorcraft 5w-20 and motorcraft FL820S oil filter, then go home, jack up the drivers side of the car up and begin my oil change! Takes about 15 minutes and I am happy to know that the job gets done right!

I bought my own K&N filter...and I dont need no stinkin Mobil 1....

I have Royal Purple!!

(hint hint, guess whats coming up in the near future for you MT customers....thats right, Royal Purple 5w-20 Oil, ATF Transmission Fluid, and a Radiator coolant bottle thingy. And the coolant bottle thingy works!)

my owners manual says 5qts MAX but damn almost twice that, your lucky your engine didnt blow up from too much oil!!!

I hope that Cobra is worth it.

I dont even bother with oil changes anymore, i take it into the express lube. 30 bucks, new oil, new filter, and i dont even have to find a way to dispose of the oil.

Dude, why didnt you post up how to change oil :wave:

I think he should open a oil change and lube shop:

"SHAMBLES OIL and LUBE - you wait while we remove 8"

or

"SHAMBLES 6 HOUR OIL and LUBE - take a load off and wait at the pool, while Chris sits in one too"

i dont mess with those quick change places i know of personal freinds whos cares engines were ruined because of lack of oil or plugs put on loose. i would rather do it myself and i know its right every time.

The quick shop I use is connected to a very large new car dealer. They sell 12 - 15 brands and the quick shop does all the changes for the dealer which inlcudes the likes of Lexus and Mercedes. Been using them for many years.

Nothing wrong with that. but i am a grease monkey at heart i do every thing i can to my own car change its oils,tires,install my own mods,detail it,etc.... i like to take pride in the fact that i am my own Driver,pit crew, mechanic,and detailer.

But i am just one of those guys.

I just wait till im off of work then drive my car on a rack, usually the alignment rack. Oil and filter is all taken care of for disposal. I like working at a dealership.
:icon_king
Oh, BTW, royal purple is garbage for the price, you can spend half the money and get the same thing with mobile 1. If you are going to spend that money, spend it on amsoil.

Sucks to hear about what happened with your car. Was it an idiot who changed it or the previous owner?

Previous owner. Funny thing is the car had been driven under 5k miles over the past year. So why the oil was up to 9qt is beyond me.

LOL...wheres the monkey and the football?

Royal purple is garbage...? Ive read that its one of the best? I personally use Mobil 1, Engine & Tranny but the differential actually has Royal purple. I was thinkin about trying Redline on my next oil change? I guess theres so many good synthetics out there its more of a personnal choice?

Rp is one of the best. the thing that sucsk about it is the price. i ran in in my f150 in everything tranny (4r70w),rear end and motor (4.6) was great. never had a problem besides when the blew the tranny wioth a 150 wet shot out of the hole.

I dont know what price we are going to be carrying it at, but I was able to get my oil for my tranny, engine, and the additive for a little under $50.

Dustin, I wish I could be like you. But, with little feet running around the driveway and a wife thinking I am gonna screw something up, believe, the way I do some of my maint. serves me the best.

hmmm..ford charged me $5 for labor when i bought my own oil and filter

yeah i do mine in my garage in about 10 minutes and thats with letting the pan drain for a couple of minutes...lol

I've heard of putting 7 quarts in the 4v's to prevent starvation under hard driving.. but 9 is just rediculous!