Changing your own oil?

Having spent most of my years working in the family's auto repair shop, I have always done most of my own repairs and always my own oil changes. Well, actually, I can't say that I always do my own oil changes as there have been times where I just had the mechanic do it when there was something being repired anyway.

With the harsh weather about to hit, I had the oil changed at a tire store while I was getting new tires mounted. One of the by-products of combustion is water and it will get into your oil, so by the time you approach the change interval, you may have quite a bit of moisture in there. Add the sub-zero temps and you will understand why that moisture is not a good thing.

Today, now that the bitter cold has passed, I decided to service the van to see if all is well. New tires air pressure...check. Undercarriage inspection....check. Lights....check. Fluid levels...check....wait a minute....wtf! My oil level was very low. I looked for leaks, none found. Checked tailpipe for signs of burning, nothing there. Maybe they used the wrong viscosity of oil? Something isn't right.

So, I decided to do another oil change to make sure of what oil is being used. Dropped the filter and drained the oil.....about 2.5 quarts!!! I had only driven this van about 120 miles since the servicing and there are no signs of leakage or burning. Conclusion, tire monkeys shorted me a lot of oil.

Finished oil change and fired it up....no smoke...no noise. Pulled plugs to inspect for oil control...dry. DON"T TRUST MONKEYS. Do your own or use a trusted mechanic for your oil changes. This one could have ended up costing me a motor before spring.

I wonder how many engine the monkies have blown?

Robert,

One of two things.........

Either they didn't put enough oil in, duh right?! lol

OR, maybe your van did what mine did, all of a sudden started burning a lot of oil. At about 80k miles my van started burning a ton of oil...thought it was weird to start all of a sudden, with no obvious signs of lack of performance either. It literally started burning about a Qt. for every 1k miles.........something to keep your eye on.   

But yea I don't trust most mechanics, esp. the oil change, Jiffy Lube type places.
And like you I've always done my own maint......due to lack of trust and because I'm capable.   

I've always run synthetic plus Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer. It paid off big time about a month ago. My drain plug "fell" out, I spewed oil, oil light came on, I drove another 1/2 mile, no damage.

Apparently, someone is going around unscrewing drain plugs just enough that they'll rattle out while you drive. Some folks just need a life.

REALCLEAN wrote:I've always run synthetic plus Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer.  It paid off big time about a month ago.  My drain plug "fell" out, I spewed oil, oil light came on, I drove another 1/2 mile, no damage.

Apparently, someone is going around unscrewing drain plugs just enough that they'll rattle out while you drive.  Some folks just need a life.

I'd be looking for your enemy!!.....because there's really nothing in it for the average person to lay under a car in the middle of the night loosing drain plugs.   

Or looking at who changed the oil last?........that more likely is the cause, and didn't get the plug tight!! Glad you didn't blow the ENGINE!!   

Man that really suck Knoxville glad you caught that in time.

REALCLEAN wrote:I've always run synthetic plus Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer.  It paid off big time about a month ago.  My drain plug "fell" out, I spewed oil, oil light came on, I drove another 1/2 mile, no damage.

Apparently, someone is going around unscrewing drain plugs just enough that they'll rattle out while you drive.  Some folks just need a life.

I used to see that a lot when the oil change centers started using air tools to install the drain plugs. Sure, it would save a few seconds to do so, but it also tended to strip the threads. We have had customers come in with drain plugs so badly stripped that they only had one thread left holding them on.

I would be more suspect of the guy who changed your oil than a goofball going around loosening plugs. Darn good thing you caught it in time, there are a lot of Lucas success stories out there....it saved an old Jeep of mine once.

Davey Cracker wrote:Robert,

One of two things.........

Either they didn't put enough oil in, duh right?! lol

OR, maybe your van did what mine did, all of a sudden started burning a lot of oil. At about 80k miles my van started burning a ton of oil...thought it was weird to start all of a sudden, with no obvious signs of lack of performance either. It literally started burning about a Qt. for every 1k miles.........something to keep your eye on.   

But yea I don't trust most mechanics, esp. the oil change, Jiffy Lube type places.
And like you I've always done my own maint......due to lack of trust and because I'm capable.   

I haven't ruled it out Davey, it is up around 65k now, but with a lot of idling time. That is why I pulled plugs, but it still could be burning it off in a fine mist. I will be watching closely, be sure of that.

I change my own oil. Always have. I'm pretty OCD about every machine I own. I even take apart my vacuums and clean them each month. No way I'm not putting a plug on tight.

It's happened to several people here in town this past year, and its all vans and trucks, easy to get under. Engines have locked up on a some who didn't know to stop and kill the engine.

Lucas oil saved me. Stuff is worth every penny.

REALCLEAN wrote:I change my own oil.  Always have.  I'm pretty OCD about every machine I own.  I even take apart my vacuums and clean them each month.  No way I'm not putting a plug on tight.

It's happened to several people here in town this past year, and its all vans and trucks, easy to get under.  Engines have locked up on a some who didn't know to stop and kill the engine.

Lucas oil saved me.  Stuff is worth every penny.

I would be looking to give someone a 2 inch necktie then! We used to have a kid that went around and locked people's hubs on their trucks at night causing a lot of failed bearings. He finally got caught by a neighbor's pit bull......may the same thing happen to your kid.

I just hope that it isn't a rival looking to shut you down, they do exist out there.

REALCLEAN wrote:I change my own oil.  Always have.  I'm pretty OCD about every machine I own.  I even take apart my vacuums and clean them each month.  No way I'm not putting a plug on tight.

It's happened to several people here in town this past year, and its all vans and trucks, easy to get under.  Engines have locked up on a some who didn't know to stop and kill the engine.

Lucas oil saved me.  Stuff is worth every penny.

Is there a remote possibility that it is one of the guys who works/owns a shop? Maybe trying to drum up business by blowing people's motors?

No idea. It's mostly been in west part of Knoxville where I live. Police think its just teen vandals.

Might I suggest replacing your drain plug with something that requires a special socket? I know that Subaru always had some funky shaped drain plugs to prevent tampering.