So, summer is ending and it seemed a good time to do some oil changes. First up, my 99 Ford F250SD. I like changing the oil in that truck as I can crawl underneath without having to jack it up.

I decided to do the change outside on my gravel parking lot around my garage. Stones can hurt after a while, so I went and got some cardboard to lie on, got my oil catch basin, a wrench for the drain-plu, and an oil filter wrench.

Crawled underneath. Now the oil drain plug on this truck points down and out to the driver's side at about a 45 deg angle. Knowing that hot oil can come out with quite an arc, I positioned the catch basin where it should catch the oil. I loosened the plug, turned it out with my fingers and suddenly the oil shot out. It completely missed the catch basin, hit a rock on the ground and bounced back at me.

Caught me in the head, and I couldn't get away. Gallons (seemed like gallons) of hot oil hitting me in the head. I finally managed to get out of there, stood up and felt the hot oil running out of my hair and all down the side of my face. Next thing I heard laughing. My neighbour had walked over to see what I was doing. I have no doubt I won't hear the end of that one for years. He did say I looked younger with black hair instead of my normal gray.

I went home, had a shower. Used soap three times in my hair, and then shampoo three more times. Took about that many times before the suds wern't brown any more. Then there were the oil soaked clothes to deal with and a very unhappy looking better-half guarding the washing machine.

The next day it was time to change the oil in the 428. All my jack stands were in use on another project. The drain plug is in the front of the pan, down low. I got the bright idea to put the car outside on a little hill, facing down. I put down 2x8's with some pieces of wood underneath at various points to make sort of ramps. Ramps gentle enough to still allow the car to point down the hill. I inched the car forward. Seemed to work and I could get the drain plug from the side. All good.

Drained the oil, changed the filter and then went to put the drain plug back in. And I turned it,.....and turned it,......and turned it..... damn......stripped. But which....the pan threads or the bolt threads.

Sudeenly the ramps wern't a good idea. Car was outside, in the way, precariously perched on a hill on jury-rigged ramps. I had to fix this right away. The pieces of wood to support the ramps were cross-ways in front of the car and couldn't be moved. Completely in my way to get closer to the pan for inspection purposes. I finally managed to crawl in there, and do the inspection, all the while being bitten by red ants at various intervals.

I couldn't see well, so tried different washers on the drain bolt hoping the turning was just the soft copper washer collapsing around the bolt head. But no.... naturally it was the pan threads. Got my magnet and pulled a spiral piece of steel out of the drain hole.

Back to the garage and after a bit of searching found an over-size drain plug I had bought a long time ago, but never used. Tried it, but it wouldn't go in. I had to use a regular size die on the first couple threads to help get it started. Managed to get it in, all the time wondering if it would cut new threads and little bits of metal would go all through my engine.

Everything seemed fine, so filled up engine with 9 qts of oil for the pan and 1 more in the filter. It'll be another time for tapping pan for larger bolt or heli-coil.....and with pan off engine for that. So all's well....or so I thought.

The next day, a lot of oil on the garage floor. Well, more than usual as I always seem to have some sort of minor leak with my 428. Had a look and it was the new drain plug washer.

Off to the auto-parts store and picked up a package of those combination metal/rubber washers for drain plugs. Put two on as I didn't want the tapered oversize drain bolt to go in any farther than it had to. Ever try to change a drain plug washer with a pan full of oil? Especially new expensive synthetic oil?

You have to plan it perfectly. I knew my chances of doing that were slim, so I got my old drain plug bolt and washer and figured it would hold for a minute or two while I went to search for whatever tool I expected to forget to have already under the car waiting for use. Miraculously, I only spilt about 1/4 cup of oil, and none got in my hair.

Oil changes complete.

It's days like that where a person should just not get out of bed.....

 

Is that Superduty a diesel too?

 

No...just the Triton V8...you know, the one with hardly any threads in the cylinder heads for sparkplugs. Get's 20 mpg no matter how I drive.....Imp gallons.....what would that be in US gallons?.....maybe about 17. Not too bad for a full size truck (4wd). No doubt the diesal would be better.

Only vehicle I ever bought new, and now, 11 years later. I'm still happy with it. Only complaint is that it needs constant brake work.

"ever bought new"....not quite true. I did buy a brand new vehicles two other times.....part of the divorce(s) agreement. Third time lucky,...10 years and so far, so good......

 

OK, at least it was only 6 quarts hitting you in the head

 

Ahh...now I see why you asked......LOL. Small blessings.....

 

Good story John....I laughed My Azz off this morning !!

 

lol nice, atleast it wasn't a powerstroke and 16qts of oil.