Remember the Exxon Valdez?.....that was a small oil spill....

mshriner · 03-19-2009, 11:12 PM

So I head into the auto parts store to pick up some oil. I see a shiny new plastic 16 gallon oil catcher. I think wow that should be better than the open tubs I'm currently using......while in the back of my mind thinking.....I bought something like this a few years before and overflowed it due to the sheer speed with which hot oil pours out of the 911. Well I ignore this thought thinking this is different because it has two drain holes instead of just 1 like the one from years ago that didn't work so I'll give it a try.

Aaaaaahggggh. It quickly overflowed and made a mess of my driveway. All the prius drivers slow as they pass the driveway. They won't use as much in petroleum products as I just spilled on my driveway in their lifetime. (of course saying Prius drivers and slow is kind of redundant) Children and dogs run for cover as I maniacally spread out the kitty litter stuff to clean up the spill.

So my nice 30 minutes of prepping the car for the AX this weekend turns into 2+ hours of mopping up my mess. Very frustrating to repeat the same stupidity! Just had to share as I wind down for the evening.

Matt

slodave · slodave's Garage

You can't go wrong with a 5 gallon container.

sc_rufctr · 03-19-2009, 11:29 PM

Don't be so hard on yourself... One guy started filling his oil tank with brand new oil but had forgot to replace the sump plug on the engine...

He said to himself. Gee this is taking a lot of oil... He only realised what he had done after seeing an ever expanding puddle of oil appear under his car...

So it could always be worse.

therotman · 03-19-2009, 11:34 PM

a 16 gallon bucket overflowed?!

I think you just drained your gas tank.

Reaper930 · 03-19-2009, 11:38 PM

Hahahahahaha, I needed this laugh....hahahhaha - I think was he was saying is that he didn't exceed the oil capacity but he did superflow/overflow the inlet to the 16 gallon storage unit of the discard tank.

village idiot · village idiot's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Don't be so hard on yourself... One guy started filling his oil tank with brand new oil but had forgot to replace the sump plug on the engine...

He said to himself. Gee this is taking a lot of oil... He only realised what he had done after seeing an ever expanding puddle of oil appear under his car...

So it could always be worse.

My brother did that years ago with his 911

kidrock · 03-20-2009, 02:07 AM

I have a 5 gallon enclosed container, but the breather hole just isn't enough to handle the massive flow from these beasts. Takes a bit of finesse.

T77911S · 03-20-2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Don't be so hard on yourself... One guy started filling his oil tank with brand new oil but had forgot to replace the sump plug on the engine...

He said to himself. Gee this is taking a lot of oil... He only realised what he had done after seeing an ever expanding puddle of oil appear under his car...

So it could always be worse.

my brother did that too a long time ago.

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

I was really proud of myself doing my first oil change on Talbot early last year. Used a 2.5 gal pail some fertilizer had come in to catch it coming out of the tank. Didn't spill a drop, even getting the messy sump plate down, until I went to put the used oil in the bottles the new oil came in. Had the funnel all set up in the first bottle and I proceeded to knock the funnel and bottle over as the oil just washes out of the pail in a giant wave action.
I now do a double pour, out of the pail into the 5 gallon container with the too small drain hole, then into the bottles.
Oh, you don't ever want to use a milk carton with a snap on lid to carry the oil to the recycling facility either. (That Taurus wagon we used to own probably still smells like oil in the back seat.)

T77911S · 03-20-2009, 05:33 AM

i have an enclosed drain pan similar to the one you bought. i bought mine a looong time ago. i remeber looking at the newer ones and thinking they were not as good as the one i have. mine has about a 1 inch opening in the middle and a screw cap to close it. i have never had mine overflow, even with the drain partially clogged and hot oil coming out. i like it very much. put the cap on, take it to the dump and open the drain spot on the edge and pour it out.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Many years ago our local PCA region had a German dinner event. After the food and a few beers the guys sat around swapping stories in the back yard. One of the members was a great story teller. He had all of us almost crying with laughter relating the story of his first oil change on his 911. He put his 5 quart oil pan under the oil tank and took out the plug. Of course the hot oil ran out of the garage, down the driveway and down the gutter in front of his house.

T77911S · 03-20-2009, 05:41 AM

when i had my 914-6, to drain the oil tank, you had to unbolt these 2 oil lines. i took it to a shop one time to have the oil changed. i warned the guy about doing this. he had the car on the lift and the pan under it. he dissconnected the oil line and ALL the oil went all over him and the floor. i felt sooo bad for the guy.

i never had any problems with oil in the 914-6. i bet i have dumped more oil on the ground than i care to think about with the 911. i had the motor out timing the cams. little did i know as i was turning the motor over, oil was pumping out and on the ground. i was going to re check the valve adjudtment after i just did it because one was noisy. so i was going to drain the oil into a gallon jug, one i had just used to put oil in. i opened the drain plug and before i could get the other jug oil was all over the floor. just a few of many of my oil spills.

The Gaijin · 03-20-2009, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidrock

I have a 5 gallon enclosed container, but the breather hole just isn't enough to handle the massive flow from these beasts. Takes a bit of finesse.

Dooh! Made a big mess with one of those. Even with the spout open, to let air out - the hole on top is just not big enough!! Uggg..

mthomas58 · 03-20-2009, 06:17 AM

I use one of these mortar mixing tubs from Home Depot.

David in VA · 03-20-2009, 07:05 AM

I did the exact same thing the first time I used one of these:

I made the hole bigger with a hole saw and problem was solved. To dispose I put the used oil into the 5 quart containers the new oil came in and take to the auto parts store for recycling.

vanwyk4257 · vanwyk4257's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in VA

I did the exact same thing the first time I used one of these:

I made the hole bigger with a hole saw and problem was solved. To dispose I put the used oil into the 5 quart containers the new oil came in and take to the auto parts store for recycling.

+1, I know use an open tub for draining the oil and then pour it into one of these for recycling.

mshriner · 03-20-2009, 07:53 AM

Thanks guys. The tub above was the first one I bought that failed.....I took a knife to it and opened a six inch hole!....that seemed to work. I'll be doing the same with the new one.

MatthewBrum · 03-20-2009, 08:19 AM

This may be a stupid question but did you take the cap off the drain so the air can escape while filling? I have a 2-port drain pan and have not had a problem. But I also have a drain on the bottom of my case, not sure if you have to remove the enitre strainer plate.

mshriner · 03-20-2009, 08:31 AM

I took the caps off the two holes on the top of the pan. But I did not take the one off the side? ( the one for dumping the oil into recyling containers). If I think back to college and 'shot gunning' a beer that may have made a difference......

OhioMark · 03-20-2009, 08:39 AM

Exxon Valdez: That's what we called a former Formula Vee (FV) that we
use to race. If you're familiar with Vee's, you know they'll
leak from every possible place, including the tranny and
the 1200 VW motors had the same designer as the 911's,
so therefore the tie-in. If you follow a Vee too closely during
a race, you get an oil bath and better have enough tear-off's
for your helmet... Peace-out!

Mark