1st time changing oil, wow!

Paul Crowther · 10-15-2003, 03:33 PM

Well, I changed my 911 oil myself for the first time, and thought I had all the scenarios worked out. I had enough oil, new drain plug sealing rings, a 15 qt. drain pan, even found a way to keep the car level and still get enough room to work underneath.

While I was ready for the gusher of oil to come out after removing the oil tank plug, my drain pan hole wasn't expecting so much oil in so little time! The oil poured into the drain pan faster than it could flow from the catch basin to the reservoir below. It actually overflowed because it couldn't drain down fast enough!
I lost about a quart of oil over the top. What a mess.

So, first-timers, make sure the drain pan is big enough, but also make sure it can handle the DUMP of oil that will take place when you unscrew the last few threads of your drain plug.

It'll be better next time. I'm drilling the hole out real big!

Paul

Eugene at Pelican Parts · 10-15-2003, 03:41 PM

I just use a bucket. Discard the chicken first.

cantdrv55 · 10-15-2003, 03:44 PM

Thanks for the warning. I'm gonna return the 15 qt drain pan I bought and replace it with a very large square or rectangular open container .

Danskman · 10-15-2003, 03:45 PM

This scenario repeats itself in garages all across America every 12 minutes and 32 seconds...

Early_S_Man · 10-15-2003, 04:24 PM

Yeah, those fancy, environmental-friendly, polyethylene closed-top containers with the little grate to catch the drain plug ought to have a large warning in RED on the side: NOT RATED FOR PORSCHE DRY-SUMP OIL DRAIN VELOCITIES!!!

I use an old enameled refrigerator pan ... about 9" deep, and 15 qt. capacity! The straight sides prevent splashing when the first oil hits the bottom at about 60 mph!

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

I cut a nice hole in the middle of my fancy pan to allow for porsche velocities.

It's fast even during oil changes

dfink · 10-15-2003, 04:36 PM

Same thing happened to me. I just put the plug back up to the hole and slowed the flow a little. Didn't get to messy and you don't have to hold it for long. Didn't even run down my arm. The pan is nice when you go to get rid of the oil. Took mine to the parts store where I got the pan. They took it for free. I didn't have any problem with the ammount of oil from the engine.

Doug Zielke · 10-15-2003, 06:26 PM

After reading about it here, I ordered and installed a Fumoto Drain Valve for the tank. No more mess or trouble.

And BTW, contrary to what some have said, the hot oil flows out with the valve almost as quickly as without.

cantdrv55 · 10-15-2003, 06:28 PM

Hey Doug,

Where'd you get the Fumoto plug?

Adman · 06:41 PM

Paul...I have attached a copy of my first oil change posted many months ago. Does it sound familiar?

Well I get the bone head of the year award for this one. I got my spankin new 14 qt. oil pan just for the occassion. You guys no...the one that is a combination resevoir and catch funnel. Well I get the car up to operating temperature and then pull it into the garage. I get my 15 mm wrench and remove the drain plug from the oil tank. Talk about hot and fast running. In my effort to get my hands out of the way I drop the plug into the pan. I am laying there watching it pour out like a mofo. Then I realize the tappered catch area is starting to fill up faster than it is going into the tank. The plug that I dropped is blocking the hole to the catch tank. The oil is hot as hell and I am trying to fish the plug out of the hole while puddle is pooling on the floor. Finally the puddle has forced me away. I just sit back and watch the balance of the oil overflow and drain on the ground. Clean up was a major pain but the whole thing made me
I was spoiled by the 5 qt oil change pan with the huge opening with the screen that caught the oil plug. Now I know better.

I later read that even if I hadnt dropped the drain plug in the pan it still would have over flowed. But you already know that

Bill Douglas · 10-15-2003, 06:38 PM

I like to drop the drain plug into the hot oil to make it more interesting.

Doug Zielke · 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cantdrv55
Hey Doug,

Where'd you get the Fumoto plug?

http://www.fumotovalve.com/

It's a quality product.
(However, *don't* install one on the sump drain....too low and vulnerable to damage.)

cantdrv55 · 10-15-2003, 08:19 PM

Thanks for the link Mr President!

dfink · 10-15-2003, 09:23 PM

A thought on the fumoto valve. You would no longer have the magnetic pickup for the small metal particles. I know there is also a pickup on the engine but most effective place I would think is the oil tank. The filter should catch most but what are the thoughts on the loss of this ability.
Crap I probably just started another cone air filter discussion.

HarryD · 10-15-2003, 10:11 PM

The ultimate answer

Doug Zielke · 10-16-2003, 05:47 AM

All the knocks on the Fumoto Valve (no magnet etc.) have been aired here before. Do a search and decide. It's certainly more useful than...err....chrome gauge bezels.

As far as the magnet is concerned, it's so tiny it's practically worthless. Mine never had much of anything on it anyway; and ferrous metals are only one part of the wear in an engine.
Need magnetisim? Someone here thought of sticking a big magnet from a hard-drive on the outside of the oil filter....how about that?

Jdub · 10-16-2003, 06:10 AM

That's aluminimumnnn Dear Leader...

Rite of passage. I use kitchen supply warehouses for stainless pans.

I also cover my hands in lotion and use rubber latex gloves (I can hear the replies already!!!). The oil drain plug goes plunk into the pan and I use my handy-dandy magnetic extension to pull it out.

John

RandyF · RandyF's Garage

Gee, I guess my cheapness saved me from that problem. Instead of buying the "environmental-friendly, polyethylene closed-top container" at my local autoparts, I bought the less expense Non "environmental-friendly" model without the top, and everything worked fine. Of course I still have to pour all that oil into another container to dispose of it correctly.

1fastredsc · 10-16-2003, 06:43 AM

Hmmm, I'm not sure which oil pan you guys are talking about but i have the 15qt autozone one. And although i ALMOST flooded my garage with oil, i was lucking enough to realize quick that i hadn't taken the cap off the air escape passage and suddenly the oil started draining really quick into the pan.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

Yup, my first change I forgot to remove the air plug and it looked liked the Exxon Valdez in my garage. Quite exciting. Seems like a rite of passage.