The oil-change fights back

[Keeping Up]

Right, two simple jobs today; change the engine oil, and change the gearbox oil.

 

The engine oil-change goes like clockwork, hurrah.

 

Ah now here's a problem though, the bowl that I usually put under the gearbox drain plug has cracked. Never mind I'll use this one; oh damn it looks a bit small. Never mind, if I just half-undo the drain plug I can drop half the oil into the bowl, then I can hand-tighten the plug to stop the flow while I empty the bowl. (can you see what it is yet, kiddies?)

 

I successfully loosen the drain plug, and slowly empty about three-quarters of the oil into the bowl which is now almost full. Next I reach under the gearbox to hand-tighten the plug. Do you recognise the sound of a drain plug falling into a bowl of old oil? Allan does.

 

[ditchcrawler]

Right, two simple jobs today; change the engine oil, and change the gearbox oil.

 

The engine oil-change goes like clockwork, hurrah.

 

Ah now here's a problem though, the bowl that I usually put under the gearbox drain plug has cracked. Never mind I'll use this one; oh damn it looks a bit small. Never mind, if I just half-undo the drain plug I can drop half the oil into the bowl, then I can hand-tighten the plug to stop the flow while I empty the bowl. (can you see what it is yet, kiddies?)

 

I successfully loosen the drain plug, and slowly empty about three-quarters of the oil into the bowl which is now almost full. Next I reach under the gearbox to hand-tighten the plug. Do you recognise the sound of a drain plug falling into a bowl of old oil? Allan does.

 

Sounds as bad as me, Change engine oil and didn't spill a drop. Tried to change filter and filter wrench punctured the underside of the filter letting the nice black stuff out everywhere.

[cheshire~rose]

Someone is busy with the kitty litter as I type I suspect

 

oh dear - your gearbox does give you more problems that just about anything else on that boat I think Allan!

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

Black-hand Allan Jones strikes again.

 

Richard

 

 

Dammit, I'm not me again!

Edited April 8, 2010 by Mrs Tawny Owl

[casper ghost]

That's nothing, when I topped up my oil I started the engine without replacing the oil filler cap. Oil chucked all over the cabin side ...

[Heffalump]

All this talk of spilled waste fossil fuel has gotten Richard into flower power mode, it seems!

[blackelle123]

That's nothing, when I topped up my oil I started the engine without replacing the oil filler cap. Oil chucked all over the cabin side ...

ohh!! I did that with the car, husband said it was a blonde thing! Whats your excuse. he he!

[NB Alnwick]

Right, two simple jobs today; change the engine oil, and change the gearbox oil.

 

The engine oil-change goes like clockwork, hurrah.

 

Ah now here's a problem though, the bowl that I usually put under the gearbox drain plug has cracked. Never mind I'll use this one; oh damn it looks a bit small. Never mind, if I just half-undo the drain plug I can drop half the oil into the bowl, then I can hand-tighten the plug to stop the flow while I empty the bowl. (can you see what it is yet, kiddies?)

 

I successfully loosen the drain plug, and slowly empty about three-quarters of the oil into the bowl which is now almost full. Next I reach under the gearbox to hand-tighten the plug. Do you recognise the sound of a drain plug falling into a bowl of old oil? Allan does.

 

 

You have a drain plug? You are lucky!

[DHutch]

Not sure if you have seen this photo before, but this was the oil change before the last one.

- It all went swimmingly well until i saw a thin line of the black hot oil slowly emerging around the base of the bucket on the concreate.

- Serves me right for using plastic oily bucket from the next door house (also jcb placment students) without checking it for splits and holes.

 

4liters of hot engine oil with a pint of engine flush. Very runny, very black, very messy. Just glad is wasnt my drive really!

 

 

Daniel

[Naughty Cal]

Sounds as bad as me, Change engine oil and didn't spill a drop. Tried to change filter and filter wrench punctured the underside of the filter letting the nice black stuff out everywhere.

 

OH did a similar one.

 

Changed oil none spilt, bagged oil filter undid filter dropped into bag, hole in bottom of bag

 

ohh!! I did that with the car, husband said it was a blonde thing! Whats your excuse. he he!

 

OH did same with my car. Drove it to supermarket, then took it for a steam clean when he realised what he had done

[blackelle123]

OH did a similar one.

 

Changed oil none spilt, bagged oil filter undid filter dropped into bag, hole in bottom of bag

 

 

 

OH did same with my car. Drove it to supermarket, then took it for a steam clean when he realised what he had done

I drove the kids to the sea-side and back - whoops! The car was it a horrible state and couldn't get it clean ready for work on the Monday. When I drove into the underground car-park, it was smoking! Didn't know what to do, didn't want to be late for work, so I just left it.

Half an hour later, the whole office block had to be evacuated - due to the fire alarm going off and the fire brigade being called - humble pie or what!!!!

Edited April 9, 2010 by blackelle123

[Guest]

Sounds as bad as me, Change engine oil and didn't spill a drop. Tried to change filter and filter wrench punctured the underside of the filter letting the nice black stuff out everywhere.

Been there. Now use an old leather trouser belt wrapped round filter and a steel bar to wind it up. Free and effective (though my trousers won't stay up.)

Catch that escaping filter on a short piece of UPVC house guttering with a stop end on, held under fliter as you unscrew it by hand (idea nicked off another member.) Tip the oil and fliter into the waste container when caught.

[Grace and Favour]

Black-hand Allan Jones strikes again.

 

Richard

 

 

Dammit, I'm not me again!

I thought you were known as 'Greasy Joe'?

[Christine]

A few years ago son helped me with an oil change on a Fiesta. He put in a pint of engine oil flush and then found that the sump nut had been cross threaded by garage and couldn't be shifted. Ha Ha! "Lets take out the oil filter and run the engine for a second to get oil and flush out" says he. Old sheet and bucket positioned to catch the oil.

 

Unfortunately the jacked up front wheels spun and flung the oil like a spirograph all over the fence, neighbours fence, car, shared drive, cat and us.

 

Best laugh in years.

[ditchcrawler]

Been there. Now use an old leather trouser belt wrapped round filter and a steel bar to wind it up. Free and effective (though my trousers won't stay up.)

Catch that escaping filter on a short piece of UPVC house guttering with a stop end on, held under fliter as you unscrew it by hand (idea nicked off another member.) Tip the oil and fliter into the waste container when caught.

It was me you nicked it off. I normally use a 3 legged filter wrench with a socket spanner, but the cheapo one with a length of chain that goes round the filter came to hand first, now in the bin.

[Guest]

It was me you nicked it off. I normally use a 3 legged filter wrench with a socket spanner, but the cheapo one with a length of chain that goes round the filter came to hand first, now in the bin.

The gutter trick? Well if it was thank you, it has saved me endless mopping up. I have passed the idea on to others too. Hope you didn't have a patent on it? :-)

 

My son always uses the three legged (or "Manx" as I like to call it) type wrench. They are very good, but he always forgets to bring it home for me. I am far too mean to buy one.

[ditchcrawler]

The gutter trick? Well if it was thank you, it has saved me endless mopping up. I have passed the idea on to others too. Hope you didn't have a patent on it? :-)

 

My son always uses the three legged (or "Manx" as I like to call it) type wrench. They are very good, but he always forgets to bring it home for me. I am far too mean to buy one.

I posted a link to it on my web site some time ago and I am more than happy if I have saved some boater getting a bilge full of oil. I my case as I had not cracked the filter I had not put the gutter under it. Never again.

For anyone else who wants the info see http://www.harnser.info/html/cleaner_oil_changes.html

[RLWP]

One of these?

 

 

I haven't seen one of those before. I have one of those fabric straps-on-a-half-inch-drive things that works OK

 

Richard

 

Amazon

[Guest]

I posted a link to it on my web site some time ago and I am more than happy if I have saved some boater getting a bilge full of oil. I my case as I had not cracked the filter I had not put the gutter under it. Never again.

For anyone else who wants the info see http://www.harnser.info/html/cleaner_oil_changes.html

Yes I remember the pictures now. Ideas like these are superb, and there are too few of them today. As a kid I used to trawl through "Practical Boat Owner" every month and it had loads of tips like this. People today have too much money.

 

One of these?

 

 

I haven't seen one of those before. I have one of those fabric straps-on-a-half-inch-drive things that works OK

 

Richard

 

Amazon

Those are the ones. Superb. A trouser belt is good though ;-)

[Keeping Up]

I thought you were known as 'Greasy Joe'?

That only applies to my culinary skills.

 

Been there. Now use an old leather trouser belt wrapped round filter and a steel bar to wind it up. Free and effective (though my trousers won't stay up.)

I can also confirm that a leather trouser belt works well as a temporary fanbelt for an Austin 7 - and that if you've won a rally in that condition, your trousers tend to fall down as you go up on to the stage to receive your trophy!

[DHutch]

I use a rubber type strap wrench, does the job very well as long as the outside of the filter isnt too oilly.

 

 

 

Daniel

[springy]

Bit of rope, wrap two or three turns round the filter (like a pull start cord before

everything had recoil starters) & then pull. Worked fine on a lister LPWS where

the mounting bed effectively prevented me getting anything else anywhere near.

 

I do have a "propper" strap type which fits a standard 1/2" drive ratchet but

couldn't get it in.

 

springy

[RLWP]

Doesn't it spin off like a top if you do that?

 

Messy

 

Richard

[springy]

Only if you pull too hard.

 

Many things get messy if you pull too hard !

 

springy