Well here is another one of my most embarrasing moments

[Eck]

Decided I would change the oil myself in the Avalanche instead of taking it someplace to have it done.

 

After I jacked the truck up and changed the oil filter, I removed the oil drain plug. The oil drain pan " I thought" was in a good place to catch the oil, as I have done this many times in my life.

Well the oil, which looked like pure water, shot "way" over the pan splashing all over the floor, so I pushed the pan quickly under the draining oil. I now have about a 3ft circle of oil on the floor.

 

Usually, I can remove the drain plug with out getting any oil on my fingers. Well this time as I pulled away with the plug in my fingers, I hit my elbow on the cross member and dropped the drain plug into the drain pan. Now I have oil running down wrist an to my elbow, so I quickly get out from under the truck and grab a rag. After cleaning off my arm, I go to climb back under the truck and don't you know the oil is now running on the floor in the place where I first had the drain pan.

 

All in all I don't think I caught 2qts of oil in the drain pan. The other 5qts were all over the floor.

What a mess...After cleaning the garage floor, mopping it with soap and hosing it off, I decided that this IS my last time changing oil in the Avalanche myself!

I will be taking it someplace from now on.

 

Now I just know I am not the only one here who has done this...

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by Eck

[M61A1MECH]

I got tired of crawling under vehicles to change the oil, both the wife's Solara and my GMC Terrain you can access the oil filters from under the hood, so I bought one of those vacuum systems that sucks the oil out through the dipstick tube to see if it would work. Surprisingly enough it worked quite well , the one I have is a basket ball sized translucent white sphere with graduations on it, you can see the oil as it gathers inside and you can tell if you got all or most of it out by looking at the level. Works the best if the motor has been warmed up to get the oil flowing easy. Maybe not the best way to drain the oil out, but beats getting on the floor and crawling under or cleaning up a mess that I always seemed to make.

[SilvrT]

OMG Eck!! too funny but I can sure relate!! haha

[videoarizona]

Boy.. Brings back memories of my Dodge vans. Lots of clearance to work underneath, course I was a bit skinnier then, but I still had issues with the garage floor wanting the oil more than the drain pan did!

[Woody]

I got tired of crawling under vehicles to change the oil, both the wife's Solara and my GMC Terrain you can access the oil filters from under the hood, so I bought one of those vacuum systems that sucks the oil out through the dipstick tube to see if it would work. Surprisingly enough it worked quite well , the one I have is a basket ball sized translucent white sphere with graduations on it, you can see the oil as it gathers inside and you can tell if you got all or most of it out by looking at the level. Works the best if the motor has been warmed up to get the oil flowing easy. Maybe not the best way to drain the oil out, but beats getting on the floor and crawling under or cleaning up a mess that I always seemed to make.

 

my brother has one and says he will not do it any other way.

[Woody]

ECK, this should make you feel better my oldest grandson now 19 years old still young and knows everything was going to change the oil in a mini van the other day and called his dad to say the oil quit coming out but the dip stick still shows full, LOL he drained the transmission and the dealer has to refill it.

[BlueSky]

For similar reasons. I now put a plastic tarp under the vehicle to keep any spillage off the concrete driveway.

 

The husband of a lady who used to work for me drained their daughter's car's manual tranny and filled the engine. She took off for Florida with an empty tranny and a double filled engine. Didn't make it very far before it had to be towed to the dealer (new little Korean car). The dealer called him up and asked that he come out to the dealership, they had something to show him. Engine survived but another tranny from the salvage yard was installed. I told her she should confiscate her husband's tool box!!

[Yammer Dan]

Might be worse Eck is draining the oil, changing filter, pulling out drain pan, pouring in 5 qts of fresh new oil looking down and oil is running all around your feet just as you notice that oil plug sitting on the tool box!!

[djh3]

My cummins pick up is always a disaster looking for a place to happen. The capacity is more than either drain pan I have, so I either have to switch while flowing or plug it and swap. Neither of which is pretty at times. And the 2.5 qt oil filter gehish

[Freebird]

I have had very similar experiences my friend. That's why I too have a plastic tarp that I put under mine. Sometimes it's nothing more than an educated guess where that oil is actually going to fall.

[Marcarl]

Oh you guys!!!

[venturesome]

Soon after we were married, I checked the oil in my wife's car, and told her it was a quart low, and that I would put a quart in when I got time.

Well, I guess I was too slow. When I went outside, she was showing her independence, and putting the oil in by herself......... into the dipstick hole with a very small funnel!!

[Holly]

Might be worse Eck is draining the oil, changing filter, pulling out drain pan, pouring in 5 qts of fresh new oil looking down and oil is running all around your feet just as you notice that oil plug sitting on the tool box!!

 

Been there, done that, also just backed out and took off and wondered why the lifters were rattling

[bowser]

some days its just not your day. but if you got a tires plus by you, they usually have coupons to print that makes it usually not much more than doing it yourself, so let them deal with a hot motor and oil!!!

[Larry1963]

I was changing the oil on my Victory, well it comes with an (70 dollar) oil change kit. Well I drained it, changed the filter, and filled it up with all the quarts they gave me. When I checked the oil it was way to full, so I figure probably needs to be started, so I did, let it run, then checked it again, still over full, so I get on the Victory forum, much like this, and ask, and I was told that the last quart you put a little bit in at a time till just under the line on the dip stick. So I thought, I can just pull the drain plug a little bit and let a little out. I pulled that plug and I could not get it back in I had 5qt of oil on my arms, carport floor, and in the middle of trying to get the plug in and oil going everywhere, I get a text from my daughter, and I can read the first line of the text, it says. BOY WHY ARE MEN SO STUPID! I am thinking is she off in the distance watching me.

 

I also know if I do not get this cleaned up before the wife comes home she is going to ask the same question but add, I married the chief idiot.

 

I had to go to the dollar store and buy every cheap bag of kitty litter they had, the lady asked me what I was doing. I smelled like oil, and it on my shirt and I know still on my arms, I looked her in the eye and said I had a really big cat piss on my floor.

[Eck]

I had to go to the dollar store and buy every cheap bag of kitty litter they had, the lady asked me what I was doing. I smelled like oil, and it on my shirt and I know still on my arms, I looked her in the eye and said I had a really big cat piss on my floor.

 

LMAO..............ha, got tears in my eyes and cant type......ha... Dang it Im still laughin Larry1963[/mention]" @Larry1963, THANKS!!! I needed your post. Cant get the smile off my face..

[Woody]

That right there is funny I don't care who you are

[IH Truck Guy]

Could have been worse Eck.

You could have dropped your phone in the drain pan.

Sorry buddy,the Bike Hopper made me say that.

[Flyinfool]

Could have been worse Eck.

You could have dropped your phone in the drain pan.

Sorry buddy,the Bike Hopper made me say that.

 

And the Bike Hopper is blaming my Rum Balls...............

[Skid]

I just wish you would video these things for us to watch. I know it would have been funnier to see it happening...