ShadeTree Mechanics

[HotRodPC]

Never thought of that, but I always have the fill cap off anyway. One of the first things I do is take the fill cap off and put it in the dash board. Sounds stupid huh??? Have you changed your oil and forgot to put oil back in it??? I haven't but I know 2 people who did. And one guy didn't have an idiot light to tell him he had no oil pressure. It wasn't until he got 2 blocks form home and heard all the ticking and realized he forgot to put oil in. He shut it off immediatly. Walked home. Got his oil and walked back and pourted it in. Turned the key and guess what??? Seized Motor. I put my fill cap on the dash board as a reminder I don't have oil in the motor. So the key doesn't get turned as long as the fill cap is on the dash. That is a rule in my household too. My wife and daughter knew, if there is a oil cap on the dash don't start it. I could have drained the oil and went to the auto parts in a differant vehicle, or the wife might have wanted to move the car onto the grass to wash it. Whatever the reason, don't start the car if the oil cap is on the dash.

 

[bucket]

In my non-scientific opinion, it won't drain any faster with the oil cap off. The pcv and breather system will take care of that.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I let it drain for about 30 minutes either way...

 

[HotRodPC]

I think I agree bucket. Also the crankcase has lots of air it can draw from. That's what I mean, I never thouht of that. But nevertheless, the oil cap to the dash is the first thing I do before I even drain the oil and while there, is when I write down my mileage for my maintenance log that is then transfered to my Excel spreadsheet on the computer when I get all done.

 

[Irishman999]

My oil changes go as followed, I put the Mustang in a car rotisserie and turn it upside down to drain the oil out of the filler tube. I than pack heating pads all around the oil pan and let it sit upside down for 5 hours until every drop of oil has evacuated the block.

Next I pump 120 gpm's of detergent solution through the motor for another 5 hours until No oil is seen in the solution.

Next I flush the block with with 30 quarts of synthetic oil.

For the filter I custom make my own filters using panda hide as the filter element and tig weld the case back together. The end cap is also pressed on after its done having the threads custom machined out of solid platinum. With the filter in this state its off to the paint shop where it gets a fresh coat of paint and good wetsand/buffing afterwards.

Next I fill the motor to the optimal level using more synthetic oil but instead use ever single oil additive man has ever created. I basically delude the additives with oil.

The optimal oil level is marked inside the engine so I snake a small flexible camera through the top of the engine into the block to ensure the oil live is EXACTLY where its supposed to be.

When I am done I buy a 5x10 piece of white wool carpet to park the car on and check for leaks.

Pretty simple, probably the same thing you guy do.

 

[HotRodPC]

Yeah well, when own a Ford, thats how about how them Ford owners do it too.

 

[Irishman999]

Yeah well, when own a Ford, thats how about how them Ford owners do it too.

If it was a GM I might have to use Unicorn hide, thats not something easy to find.

 

[Irishman999]

I really like the oil cap idea, thats a good idea. Its basically like putting a red tag on the steering wheel saying "dont start". I have herd a couple hilarious stories about oil changes going horribly wrong. One was a guy at the ford dealer ship that my Dad was working at, some guy forgot to put the drain plug in and was blown away that the ford power stroke held 35 quarts of oil . At the same dealership another dude failed to put oil BACK IN and locked up a Mustangs engine. By far the best was in high school auto shop when some kid removed the wrong drain plug and dumped a TON of nasty ass smelling 90 weight all over the shop floor.

I dont over do my oil changes, I just pull the plug until the oil stops flowing and while there is a small stream I put the plug immediately back in. Than I pull the filter and fill the new one all the way to the top with fresh oil. After checking to be sure the old gasket isnt stuck to the engine I coat the new filters seal with oil and spin it back on. Climb out and immediatly fill the engine 1 quart overfilled and start it. After it runs a while I shut it off and check the oil, than I move the car to another spot to check for drips (so i dont confuse small drips for ones from the oil change).

 

[HotRodPC]

Naww, you could actually weld the hood shut on your GM vehicles, but it is a good idea to change the oil so they do put hinges on the hood for a reason. Every now and then, you even have to flush the Coolant so again, another reason for having hinges on the hood.

 

[HotRodPC]

I really like the oil cap idea, thats a good idea. Its basically like putting a red tag on the steering wheel saying "dont start". I have herd a couple hilarious stories about oil changes going horribly wrong. One was a guy at the ford dealer ship that my Dad was working at, some guy forgot to put the drain plug in and was blown away that the ford power stroke held 35 quarts of oil . At the same dealership another dude failed to put oil BACK IN and locked up a Mustangs engine. By far the best was in high school auto shop when some kid removed the wrong drain plug and dumped a TON of nasty ass smelling 90 weight all over the shop floor.

I dont over do my oil changes, I just pull the plug until the oil stops flowing and while there is a small stream I put the plug immediately back in. Than I pull the filter and fill the new one all the way to the top with fresh oil. After checking to be sure the old gasket isnt stuck to the engine I coat the new filters seal with oil and spin it back on. Climb out and immediatly fill the engine 1 quart overfilled and start it. After it runs a while I shut it off and check the oil, than I move the car to another spot to check for drips (so i dont confuse small drips for ones from the oil change).

My very own brother done something very stupid, and he regrets it to this day. He changed his oil. All good. RIGHT??? WRONG !!! He backs out his driveway and sees all this oil in the driveway. As he drives off, thought damn, I spilled alot of oil, and it sure looked clean. But he didn't think much of it cuz he checked the dipstick and his oil level was fine. He gets 2 miles from the house and his motor shut off. He calls me up and says hey my car shut off and now the starter is screwed up too. I asked how is the started screwed up? He said it just clicks. He said he tried rolling down a little hill to push start it and couldn't get it going fast enough. So I go over to his car expecting to push start him, so not to damage his 2001 Mustang GT, I took a tow strap. Told him to use 2nd gear, and I'd get him going about 25 then let the clutch out. We did this like 2x and the wheels just skided. I asked, him WTH, have you checked your oil lately, this seems like the motor is seized. He says, I just changed my oil before I left the house so the oil is good. I pulled the dipstick and said what oil??? Bone dry. He's like WTF??? So I tow his car home and I see all the oil in the driveway, and all the way down the street, you can see his trail. I said, dude, I hate to tell you this, your motor is seized, you lost all your oil. You must have the wrong oil filter. So he calls Auto Zone and reams their ass and says they are buying him a new engine. He gets under the car and looks at the oil filter model #. Then I ask to see the old filter to compare it. He digs it out of the trash and hands it to me. I said Oh **** man. I already know what happend bro. Look at this filter. He said what? I don't see anything wrong with it. I told him look close, do you see a gasket on it? He says, what gasket???? I said yeah, thats your problem right there. What gasket. You double gasketed the new filter, the old gasket folded inward and allowed all the new oil to be pumped out. Took the new fitler off, sure enough. 2 gaskets.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

When I first move to Texas near Amarillo in 99, I had a 1987 Buick GN.

Out there, to aid in rain run off, there are these huge dips at the intersections and I hit one at about 45 and ripped the oil filter mounting clean off. Didn't know it until I heard the engine change pitch and I saw the oil pressure gauge said "0". Shut the engine off and coasted to the side of the road. It had run for at least a minute with no oil.

Got it towed home, found what happened, got the part at a junkyard and got it installed.

Amazingly, it started right up with no knocks, good pressure and I continued to drive that rusted out pile another year. Shows the durability of a 3.8 Buick, turbo or not.

 

[Irishman999]

That very mishap happens alot, Ever single oil change i have checked the old filter and only 1 time has the gasket stuck to the block. Just that one mistake could have been the end of my engine.

 

[nxtlevl]

My oil changes go as followed, I put the Mustang in a car rotisserie and turn it upside down to drain the oil out of the filler tube. I than pack heating pads all around the oil pan and let it sit upside down for 5 hours until every drop of oil has evacuated the block.

Next I pump 120 gpm's of detergent solution through the motor for another 5 hours until No oil is seen in the solution.

Next I flush the block with with 30 quarts of synthetic oil.

For the filter I custom make my own filters using panda hide as the filter element and tig weld the case back together. The end cap is also pressed on after its done having the threads custom machined out of solid platinum. With the filter in this state its off to the paint shop where it gets a fresh coat of paint and good wetsand/buffing afterwards.

Next I fill the motor to the optimal level using more synthetic oil but instead use ever single oil additive man has ever created. I basically delude the additives with oil.

The optimal oil level is marked inside the engine so I snake a small flexible camera through the top of the engine into the block to ensure the oil live is EXACTLY where its supposed to be.

When I am done I buy a 5x10 piece of white wool carpet to park the car on and check for leaks.

Pretty simple, probably the same thing you guy do.

 

[HotRodPC]

BTW, this car only had 55,000 miles on it, and wasn't even paid off yet. So he build a new engine for it and woudln't wait for me to help and got pissed off at me. 2 months later he gets it running. He brings it to me all proud that he build this motor by hisself. It sounded good. I asked what all he did to it. He said had the heads done cause the cams were bad too. New crank, and honed it and rerung it. I was actually shocked that the pistons were still good, but they were and it was just the crank that go screwed up. So he's got the hood up showing me this sensor that he broke and had to get replaced etc. I started hearing this wierd rattle. I grabbed the linkage and gave it a little gas. It sounded good at idel, but rev to about 1500 rpm I could hear what sounded like a faint rod knock on at least 2 rods. I asked, did you get his motor hot tanked and magnafluxed? He said no, just took it to the car wash and cleaned it. I said Oh **** !!!! Man, I don't want to be the bearer of more bad news for you. Take this up there to Burt, (my machinsit) and let him listen to it. I rode up there with him in the car. He asks, wtf do you mean the bearer of bad news. I told hm, I am pretty sure you have a rod knock already. He says, I can't have, I only got 300 miles on it, its not even broke in yet. I told him, I know, and why I don't want to be the one that tells you. So Burt listens to it, and immediatly says, did I hot tank this block or did I just do your heads? My bro said you just did my heads and told me where to buy a crank kit. He said, well I hate to tell you this, but that sounds like a rod knock to me and its probably cuz you didn't hot tank the block and get all the shavings out of the block and you just ran all the junk threw your new bearings and chewed them up. I felt so fuggin bad for my bro. So he took it out again, pulled the main cops off and sure as **** you could see where particles chewed on the bearings. Pulled the rod caps and found 2 journals toasted. Crank was already 10/10 and could be cleaned up at 20/30. So he bought a new crank and had the block hottanked. I don't think you guys wanna hear Part 3 of this long story. Or do you??? All cuz he was hard headed, impatient and didn't want to listen to me.

 

[bucket]

I'd like to read part three