First oil change - Not my best day

[JeffreyNMemphis]

Hello Pelicans,

I decided to get started doing my own maintenance on my new-to-me 1985 Carrera. I have an oil leak, so I order oil return tubes and an oil pressure switch and an O-ring from Pelican along with all the books. Oil return tubes arrived, but not the books. Ok, I can change the oil without books (so I think).

I started out by cleaning the engine, thinking that it would be helpful if I could see where the oil is leaking from. One can of gunk citrus, a toothbrush and lots of rags. That was pretty satisfying till I accidentally cut my face on something.

The manual says to tighten the oil drain plug to 95 ftlbs., which I later learned was a mis-print. The previous owner must not have gotten the bulletin, cause I struggled with all my might to loosen the oil tank drain plug. Finally got it off, most of the oil made it into the drain pan. I mopped up the rest with rags. Next, I unbolted the drain plug from the engine case and thought "the picture in the book didn't mention a spring", I ran back to look at the owners manual and realized that I had taken out the wrong bolt. In a panic, I called Pelican and asked when my copy of Wayne's book was going to arrive! Glenn assured me that if I put that bolt back on everything would turn out ok... He had never heard of this 17mm bolt with spring and cap before, so I took a picture.



I picked up the bolt, metal piece, spring and cap to put to go back into the engine case and the cap fell off and dropped into my oil drain pan (which is one of those one that is sealed with a hole too small for the drain plug to fall in, but not the cap of whatever it was I had mistakenly taken out. I got my biggest spaghetti pot and starting pouring the oil from the draining pan and glanced over to see the little cap thing sitting next to a rag. It had not fallen into the oil after all... So, now I have one more mess to clean up from the spaghetti pot that was not necessary.

I put that bolt/piece/spring/cap back on and then found the correct drain plug and let the rest of the oil out. Tightened that bolt with torque wrench to 30nm. Put nine quarts of oil in and started it up. Waited ten minutes and checked the dipstick and didn't see any oil on it. I added a quart, and it registered the lowest mark, so I added another one. It measured to the middle so I put half of the twelth quart; I thought that the extra drain plug incident might have released more than 11 quarts. I drove it around the neighborhood and then checked the dipstick, got another cut over my eye brow from the deck lid when reaching for the dipstick. The dipstick now registers an inch over full and I can't find my oil cap. I search the engine compartment, all around my work area, the yard, the street. Then jump into my Honda minivan and drive where I went through the neighborhood hoping to find the oil cap.

By now I am very greasy looking. Must have been kind of suspicious to the cops who pulled me over, greasy looking guy driving a brand new minivan. I get a ticket for expired license tag and have a nice day from the police.

Can't find the oil cap anywhere, oil is hot enough to burn a hand, so I pack up the tools and call it a day. Tommorow morning I will let a quart out of the engine case. Next I have to figure out where I can get an oil cap.

I am going to sleep now. Tommorow has to be a better day...

[spencejm]

I can somwhat relate. On my first oil change on my SC I put the sump plate back on wrong. That caused the oil to not get picked up so the crankcase started filling up, the oil didn't go throught the cooler, the crankcase over pressurized, the temp got way too high and I was puking oil all over the place. When I pulled back in the garage I thought the thing was going to burn to the ground there was so much smoke. Real smart pulling it into the garage, huh? I could have burnt down the house as well!

I have learned that the car HAS to be at normal operating temp and running at idle to get an accurate reading on the dipstick. Just running it for a couple of minutes won't do the trick. You'll over fill it every time.

Good luck on finding the cap. It's probably in the engine bay somewhere.

Hope tomorrow goes better for you!

Joe
1982 911SC Targa

[jtfreels]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, its not all going to be that bad.
I'd answered your PM about 6:15 with advice on the drain pan

Don't do much else without reading alot first, I've got a second copy of 101 projects if you want to borrow it.

Sleep well.

Jay

[azasadny]

Better luck tomorrow, we've all had days like this and they pass...

[GothingNC]

Do you have an oil extractor to pull out the excess oil from the tank?

[2002M3Drew]

The worst part about garage catastrophies is the thought of, "Why didn't I just take this to the mechanic in the first place?" This is usually followed by my mental costs analysis...time analysis...realization I've ruined a perfectly good day and now have an immobilized car to boot! uuurrrggghhh

[Goth]

Oh man You had me rollin on the floor... That's because I have done so many things like that. Especially the thingy that wasn't in the oil.

For me... I've learned it's better to walk away rather than to rush things. Less parts get broken or lost.

Ain't nothin a good nights sleep won't help!

[SCWDP911]

Jeffrey,

On a brighter note, at least you are not trying to rewrap a Dino steering wheel in leather from cutup womens boots!

On an even brighter note, I think I have an extra oil cap out at work. Let me look in the morning and I will make sure it is still there and will fit. I am not sure what it came off of other than Porsche - it was a box of stuff I bought as a package deal. Not to assume, can anyone verify that the cap would fit his car if it will fit my 83 with a 3.0. Assuming it fits and is still there, you can have it if we can figure out where to meet up. I could probably meet you somewhere between Memphis and Brownsville.

Why don't you give me a call in the me morning. I think you have my cell number. If not, email me at savanwey@tva.gov.

You might want to increase your medical coverage a bit!

[JV911SYDNEY]

Originally posted by JeffreyNMemphis
the cap fell off and dropped into my oil drain pan...I got my biggest spaghetti pot and starting pouring the oil from the draining pan

at least you didnt do what i did...stuck my hand in the oil (yes HOT oil) in an attempt to retrieve the sump plug!!!

[morganb]

Well sorry to hear about your troubles but really that was hilarious. I am still laughing as I type this. I hope it all works out OK for you.

[tiwebber]

What a great story - tommorow will be better. I would have loved to see the look your face when the officer stolled up (and your face too).

My first oil change went soooo smooth - or so I thought. After I returned home from my "top up the oil run" I found a stream of oil running down my driveway. I looked to the end of the driveway and my son and his friend (both 4 years old) had dumped the oil pan and were covered and standing beside them was my wife. 9 quarts is alot of oil. Big trouble...

[imcarthur]

Haha.

My first also involved a 'drain' plug with a spring. It's actually a pressure release valve as my panicked search revealed . . .

Don't give up. DIY is supposed to involve a huge mess, quick runs to the local auto store & blood.

Ian

[Buckterrier]

Jeffery,
If it's of any consequence, reading your post will help a Newbie like me with my first change, (coming up very soon). Wait til you're old and your reading glasses keep falling down as you're trying to thread a nut in dim light and a tight space!!

V-8 I've got a bunch of black leather for seats. Let me know if you'd rather try some of it vs. womans boots, (unless that's your thing LOL

[widgeon13]

Sorry, you had such a tough day w/ oil change.

I only fill to the mid point (between min and max). I have found filling to the full mark, the oil goes down quickly to the halfway mark and since it's a dry sump system, the engine gets the proper lubrication at that point anyway. Don't need to be exactly on the full mark (getting too anal)

[Hugh R]

Too funny! Can't say I've done that, but I did cross thread a sparkplug the first time I tuned up the 911, and ended up pulling the engine to tap it out. Fortunately my brother who used to be a machinist helped be out, otherwise I'm sure I'd have had to take the engine to a machine shop to have them fix my buggering it up even worse.

[JeffreyNMemphis]

Do you have an oil extractor to pull out the excess oil from the tank?

This give me an idea! I think I may have a small hose to ciphen out a quart from the oil tank instead of unbolting the engine case. I should have more control and use a quart bottle to collect my excess.

Thanks

[Greek55]

I have had many firsts with my car. All the firsts only happen once. I could have saved money having somebody else do it for me because I have screwed up many things, but once it is done right by me its great and the next time I do it perfect. Last week I punched a hole in the rear condenser. Last month I cracked the shifter housing because I was putting something in backwards. I can go on and on.

[bkreigsr]

have you seen the new Valvoline commercial?
no, oil and water don't mix
yes, oil and blood do mix. (fortunately for guys like us)

hang in there, the cap is probably in the engine bay somewhere.

[JeffreyNMemphis]

Cost of Autozone kit to ciphen excess oil: $0.99.
Cost of one less mess to clean up: priceless.

[Rot 911]

Jeffery, you are becoming one with your car! We all have those kind of days. What you did is nothing compared to the time I rebuilt my 3.2 engine and bolted everything back in, but left off the starter ring gear!