Learn from my mistakes, the Otters will thank you!

[Pawnshop]

OK, I did my first ever mutlifuel oil change yesterday, and learned a few lessons.

1. Around here Tractor Supply is the cheapest place to buy 5gal of Rotella.
2. TSC sells a really cool 12" metal funnel for catching the used oil.
3. An M35A2 with 11.00s on it is almost too short to put that same 12" funnel and a GI 5gal fuel can under the drain plug, almost.
4. The metal funnel comes with an accessory brass screen that may be deployed in the bottom to catch debris (RESIST THE URGE to deploy said screen)
5. When the oil comes out of a warm motor it comes out at a very high rate!
6. The oil dump is higher than the rate that little screen will flow (especially with the drain plug in the bottom, because it's against the laws of nature to NOT drop the plug into the oil catching device)
7. The best course of action when lying under a Deuce that is dumping hot oil into an overflowing funnel is to RETREAT and hope for the best!
8. A rolling creeper makes for a quick escape from the flaming oil attack.

Although I AM grateful that the screen kept the plug from going into the can of hot oil, and I am grateful that the screen caught the copper flakes that came out of my oil pan (bearing wear), the mess was not worth it! Next year I will have a shorter and wider 6+ gal oil catching device (with no screen) and I will have a wrench that is modified to catch the drain plug so it does not end up in the abyss.

And before I get the "worthless no photo" thing: I am not posting photographic evidence of my "learning", I plead the 5th from here on out!

Sam

 

[uoa]

HaHa! Thanks for sharing, thats good to know! Was it on a driveway or off road, I have spilled about a gallon of oil onto my driveway, thats no fun to clean up.

 

[powerhouseduece]

Hmm..... Is it just me or does every newby have the same trouble? When I did my first oil change my story sound very similar to yours sam. I just used a open 5 gal. bucket and when I took the drain plug out of a warm motor, all I heard was that "tall-tail" plunk of the drain plug hit the bottom of the bucket.

How much of a mess did it make when you took the filters off? I still got a 4 foot oil slick in my drivewat from that!

Lessons well learned!!

 

[m16ty]

Use two buckets next time. Take the lid off one and after your oil has drained into it use your funnel and pour the oil out of the open top bucket into the one with the lid . Even with the screen out I doubt the funnel can handle it as fast as it runs out.

 

[Pawnshop]

I have been doing oil changes for about 20 years now and still have not learned how to NOT make a mess! Usually it is a few ounces in the driveway, this one was in the back yard of my shop on rough blacktop, that was very poorly laid, so it is pretty much soaking through, I think I lost about 2 gal. I have not taken the filters off yet, that is today's job, I was hoping an overnight drain would minimize the mess there.

I will post an update on the filter change tonight. An MAYBE a photo (if I am feeling saucy)

 

[Pawnshop]

Use two buckets next time. Take the lid off one and after your oil has drained into it use your funnel and pour the oil out of the open top bucket into the one with the lid . Even with the screen out I doubt the funnel can handle it as fast as it runs out.

This funnel has a bigger hole than the drain plug, that is the worst part, I should have been able to figure out the flow rate part BEFORE I opened the floodgates!

 

[emmado22]

I agree 100%, thats how it happened when I changed my oil the first time. I now use 2 each 5 gallon buckets......

 

[Ozarker]

On my first one, I had a five gallon bucket and a six gallon oil change drain pan. The five gallon bucket was fine. The hole in the oil change drain pan could not accommodate the oil flow and overran the lip, leading to a hasty accommodation and the deployment of reserves - a sack of kitty litter/oil absorbant.

 

[tsmall07]

How much of a mess did it make when you took the filters off? I still got a 4 foot oil slick in my drivewat from that!

Any tips on doing the filters without causing an environmental catastrophe for someone who is about to do this for the first time?

 

[powerhouseduece]

Any tips on doing the filters without causing an environmental catastrophe for someone who is about to do this for the first time?

Don't run the truck before you change the filters! That way the oil has a good chance to drain back into the pan.

Also, keep plenty of stay-dry close by and Im thinking of investing in one of them BIG transmission catch trays! I think that there a 4'x4'x6"

 

[Hammer]

Using a large screen in the funnel is the best route. Easy to retrieve the plug later, and still catches the large debris.

One note on catch pans, make sure that they have plenty of space left over. I HATE spilling oil trying to drag a pan out from under a vehicle because the pan is 'too full'.

And, for the cheap skates out there, used wet/dry vacuums make GREAT oil catch cans! If you take the top off, you have a large area for catching the oil, and they usually have a drain at the bottom.
They can hold 10-25 gallons, and still be fairly short (short enough to fit under a deuce oil pan).
And they usually have WHEELS for easy pulling/dragging, etc.

 

[reloader64]

Thanks for the advice. I will be changing the oil in my deuce for the first time soon, and I will take all your wisdom to heart. Save the otters!

 

[dabtl]

I have been doing oil changes for about 20 years now and still have not learned how to NOT make a mess! Usually it is a few ounces in the driveway, this one was in the back yard of my shop on rough blacktop, that was very poorly laid, so it is pretty much soaking through, I think I lost about 2 gal. I have not taken the filters off yet, that is today's job, I was hoping an overnight drain would minimize the mess there.

I will post an update on the filter change tonight. An MAYBE a photo (if I am feeling saucy)

The filters might have a couple of drips in them. That is all. They drain into the oil pan when the engine stops.

The jatonka spin on filters are a little messier, the first time, but once you learn to put a towel around them on removal that is eliminated. I prefer the spin on filters for the virtually instant oil pressure.

But, welcome to deuce maintenance problems.

 

[FreightTrain]

hee hee hee,Kinda reminds me of another boo boo.Never I repeat NEVER attempt to drain a fuel tank with 20 gallons of fuel still in it using the drain plug and a single 5 gallon jerry can.......You WILL drop the plug and it will bounce a few times and drop straight down into the jerry can.Might not happen on the first load or the 2nd load but it will happen.It is not fun laying on your back,thumb stuck in the hole,no one around,and franticly trying to find something within arms reach to put under the tank or stick in the hole.............Anyone want to buy a Superfund site with a house on it?

 

[jasonjc]

Give the oil filters 1/2 to full hour to drine before trying to remove them. Or there is a drain plug for the filter housing. And don't forget that there are two drain plugs on the eng and you need to remove both of them Another thing to do for removing the filters is to use a oil absorbent pad under them keeps it alot cleaner.

 

[Boatcarpenter]

Tried a new oil change pan today. I cut the bottom 11 inches off a plastic 55 gal. drum. As I was cutting I noticed that I was cutting at about the 15 Gal. mark on the side, so plenty of room. It ended up being 11 deep and 23 in. diameter. Worked slick as used motor oil
BC

 

[timntrucks]

yes the first time did bring some wild times

 

[DanMartin]

I have one of these on my Ford:

QuickOilDrainValve.com - the best way to change oil (this is the same as "Futomo" valves)

Should be easy to adapt one (or two) for the deuce (what size are the plugs again?).

Makes for nice changes and you can 'stop' the drain at any time quickly. I have the kind with the hose barb on the end, which is also nice for directing the flow into a canister.

...and yes, they have a safety catch to prevent unintended operation. I'm happy with mine.

 

[AceHigh]

Too much planning and prep takes the fun out of it.

 

[LanceRobson]

I use a small plastic mortar mixing pan (about 2'6"x3'x8") under the engine or fuel tank to hold the bucket and contain any mess. The pans cost $12-15 at any home center.

I use my hand for the last few turns of a drain plug. I was taught a trick many years ago of turning the the plug back in a tiny bit before letting go to re-grip it. That prevents the dreaded "ker-plunk" that comes from letting go when it has a whiskers thread left and having it fall out.

The oil only needs to be warm, not hot. The idea is to drain it while most of the bigger solids are still in suspension.

As was written above I wait a couple hours to pull the filters. I drape under them with a BIG rag like a beach towel or bed sheet. I also find that keeping a lot of downward hand pressure on the canister until the bolt is free and then quickly flipping the filter tends to help.

I like the idea of using a shop vac can. I've got one that's belly up with the buzzards circling it. I'll try it for the next oil change. If it works out I'll stick a bulkhead fitting and ball valve in it so I can control dumping it better.

The above link to the low profile ball valves is a good idea. I may order a few. If I do I'll post how it goes.

Lance