Oil change - what did I do?

laddsc · 10-26-2005, 06:44 PM

You would think this was my first oil change by this mistake but here it goes.

I emptied the oil resevoir with no issues. Crawled under the car and pulled the plug for what I thought was the oil but it turned out to be a spring loaded plug just in front of the oil drain. Left it out, found the real plug and drained the oil. Thought I must have opened the tranny fluid (although I have read it is a 17mm allen) so I left it open and began the refill with only a gallon bucket left under the open hole. Much to my surprise, I had just dumped about 6 quarts of oil on my floor.

Got the spring loaded parts back in - in the correct order - and finished filling. Now for the big question, what is that spring loaded plug. It is obviously oil. Any possible damage? I am such an idiot and man, what a mess.

code7rpd · 10-26-2005, 06:54 PM

It sounds like you opened the plug that houses the pressure relief piston and spring. As long as you put it back in the way it came out you should have no problem.

fred cook · fred cook's Garage

Sounds like you pulled the oil pressure relief valve. As long as you put it back together correctly there should not be any problems (except of course getting 6 qts of oil off the floor). At least your floor won't rust for a thousand years!

laddsc · 10-26-2005, 07:06 PM

Perfect. Thanks for the input - both of you. I hate doing crap like that but it is a big relief that I didn't screw something up. Now for the mess cleanup.

Emission · Emission's Garage

6 quarts of oil on the floor...

...Reminds me of the time I drained my oil, then put it in a 5 Gal container on the side of the house - in the dog run. Of course, the damn dog chewed off the lid, knocked it over, and I had ELEVEN quarts of oil flowing down my sidewalk!

Oh, yeah, the dumb dog had oil all over herself too.

Wife cleaned the dog (I suggested letting it suffer at this point), and I found myself at the store at 9 PM buying bags of kitty litter. Eventually, I got nearly all the oil up. Needless to say, the water still beads on the concrete there!

code7rpd · 10-26-2005, 08:30 PM

I hate major oil spills! When I was working on my 3.6 conversion I got it running and then started to work on putting in a carrera fender mounted oil cooler. I did'nt finish it right away as I was called into work. I worked for 38 hours and was to tired to drive home so a co-worker gave me a lift home. He was a car nut like me and after i told him about the conversion he wanted to check it out. So we get to my place I show him the car and tell him that the exhaust sounds awesome. I proceed to start the car, forgetting the oil lines in the fender were disconnected , and let it idle for about three seconds before I suddenly remember that the oil cooler is off. It was about that time that I saw about six quarts of oil flood garage floor! I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep so off to store I went for oil absorbent - took me three hours to clean up since some of the oil seeped under my scissor lift. Now I know to disconnect the battery in a similar situation so I don't have to deal with this again!

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

RTFB......get the book. Sorry....absolutely no absolution from me.

imcarthur · imcarthur's Garage

Don't feel bad. I took out the pressure release valve on my first oil change thinking it was the drain. Not good when car parts shoot into 10 liters of hot oil.

Ian