It was a comedy of errors at the weekend breaking every rule in my own rule book.

my motto: Always be prepared and always carry a spare. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

my partners motto: no fucking worries mate

DO: have a look around the engine, find all the numbers of consumables and order in advance so that all parts are ready for the service BEFORE you start.

Dont: poke your head in the engine compartment the day you want to do the service and quickly jot down any old number you can see.

DO: Investigate what tools you will need and have all tools ready and laid out in a neat orderly fashion

Dont: start the service then run backwards and forwards trying to find a tool to bodge the job

DO: warm the engine before removing anything then switch off the fuel

Dont: switch off the fuel, remove the diesel water trap then try to warm the engine... the engine will run for a few minutes, suck itself dry of fuel then be a right pig to get started as you have to prime it and bleed it first.

DO: remove all locks, undo taps, unscrew pump bungs before pumping out the oil

Dont: try forcing the pump to work with the bung still fitted as you may cause damage and pull a muscle

DO: make sure you absolutely have all the parts.. look under the engine for the oil filter etc

Dont: forget to look under the engine for the oil filter

DO: find a good source of parts in advance, record their numbers and opening times

Dont: try to get parts on a saturday afternoon in a one horse town

DO: save empty containers to dispose of the used oil responsibly

Dont: let your boyfriend put the old filters in a box and keep them " for just in case" in the engine room

DO: run the engine once everything is put back in place with the fuel turned back on. clear any air locks from the diesel by bleeding it. Record the engine hours in the service log book and record all consumables changed, along with their part numbers.

Check the oil level again and top up as necessary.

SO you see... its a simple as that.