Anyone else get real nervous after their first oil change at their own hands?

DerickE · May 8, 2023

Been doing my own oil changes for.... Going on 12 or 13 years now. Last week I did the first one myself on my 2019 2500. I swear every odd feeling or bump I keep second guessing myself that I did something wrong and I'm going to toast the motor. Maybe I drained the wrong stuff. Maybe I over filled the engine because I drained the wrong stuff and not actual oil. Well the trans is sealed and I checked my levels earlier when I got gas but it's still kind of funny that I'm second guessing myself so much. Anyone else suffer this same insecurity?

bluebeast1562 · May 8, 2023

Not really feel the "insecurity" you mentioned but fear is a good thing in doing something the first time, keeps you sharp, makes you double and triple check that "ABC" has been done and done correctly.

FXR99 · May 8, 2023

Ummmm NOPE ! I actually get a euphoric feeling after changing the oil in any vehicle I own ! Especially when the change was with Amsoil Signature Series full synthetic and an Amsoil synthetic media oil filter ! Total security...

KKBB · May 8, 2023

DerickE said:
Been doing my own oil changes for.... Going on 12 or 13 years now. Last week I did the first one myself on my 2019 2500. I swear every odd feeling or bump I keep second guessing myself that I did something wrong and I'm going to toast the motor. Maybe I drained the wrong stuff. Maybe I over filled the engine because I drained the wrong stuff and not actual oil. Well the trans is sealed and I checked my levels earlier when I got gas but it's still kind of funny that I'm second guessing myself so much. Anyone else suffer this same insecurity?

Nope

crash68 · May 8, 2023

DerickE said:
Maybe I drained the wrong stuff. Maybe I over filled the engine because I drained the wrong stuff and not actual oil.

This happened on another forum, a guy reported his truck wouldn't go into gear after an oil change. There's a drain plug in the 8HP transmission which the guy drained the transmission. More amazing is the engine held the 21 quarts of oil (EcoDiesel holds 10.5 quarts).

dsherman26 · May 8, 2023

Oil changes, no. Been doing that myself on various vehicles since I was 12. Changing a timing belt and water pump on an interference engine for the first time last year, that's another story. Let's just say that was a nervous moment turning the key after it was all back together.

Wild one · May 8, 2023

crash68 said:
This happened on another forum, a guy reported his truck wouldn't go into gear after an oil change. There's a drain plug in the 8HP transmission which the guy drained the transmission. More amazing is the engine held the 21 quarts of oil (EcoDiesel holds 10.5 quarts).

That brings to mind an incident from about 40 years ago. A couple of us were sitting around the shop after hours on a Friday evening drinking beer,when a co-worker decided to bring his old 72 Chevy into the shop and change oil.After he'd poured about 7 quarts into the engine and it still didn't show on the dipstick,i figured i should tell him to look under the truck.There was a hell'va sized puddle of oil under the truck by then,as he'd forgot to put the drain plug back in,but we weren't telling him,till he was damn near slipping in oil,lol.Moral of the story is don't change oil after you've had 4 or 5 beers on a friday evening :cheers:

But it's still funny thinking about it to this day :Big Laugh:

Jezebel · May 8, 2023

How you gonna second guess an oil change?

TestPilot57 · May 8, 2023

Nervous? No. Frustrated, yes.

My time is worth way more than what it costs to have an insured professional do it.

That said, I did my first oil change in probably 25 years last spring and it will hopefully be my last. What an ordeal!

yakalong · May 8, 2023

Nope just wondering if I got all the oil wiped up from under the truck since it goes all over everything.

TestPilot57 · May 8, 2023

yakalong said:
Nope just wondering if I got all the oil wiped up from under the truck since it goes all over everything.

Ain't that the pits? My Kubota tractor does the same. And it's not limited to modern engines - my son's 1960 Ford p/u with a straight 6 does the same. He told me he's thinking about setting up a remote oil filter as that's the primary culprit. I told him to wait and see if he ever even NEEDS to change the oil, since he's in the process of putting a turbo on the (presumably original) engine...

stevenP · May 8, 2023

Yes, since I dont wrench as often as I used to. Sometimes I second guess if I tightened everything up correctly. But then the alternative is just as angst producing.... to have the lowest paid tech at the local dealerships service department, changing my oil in my $80,000 plus truck. Did he put the lifting arms on the right spots, when he put it up on the lift, etc. Did they put the right amount of oil back in? Did they strip or cross thread the oil pan plug fitting?

Docwagon1776 · May 8, 2023

No. Experience has taught me to second guess allowing someone else to do it. I know I used the correct oil, correct filter, didn't torque the plug to 7 turns past stripping, didn't gorilla tighten the filter so it's a giant PITA to take off next time, and didn't break anything doing "complimentary safety checks", etc.

TestPilot57 · May 10, 2023

Docwagon1776 said:
No. Experience has taught me to second guess allowing someone else to do it. I know I used the correct oil, correct filter, didn't torque the plug to 7 turns past stripping, didn't gorilla tighten the filter so it's a giant PITA to take off next time, and didn't break anything doing "complimentary safety checks", etc.

I understand where you're coming from.

But my time has become too valuable to worry about such things on modern vehicles with a factory warranty. On my '66 GTO (no, I don't have one, but if I did) NO WAY would I let a "dealer" work on it - most, if not all, the techs weren't even alive when it was built!

Docwagon1776 · May 10, 2023

TestPilot57 said:
I understand where you're coming from.

But my time has become too valuable to worry about such things on modern vehicles with a factory warranty. On my '66 GTO (no, I don't have one, but if I did) NO WAY would I let a "dealer" work on it - most, if not all, the techs weren't even alive when it was built!

Doing it myself is a time saver. Even if they did it right every time, I can change my own oil faster than I can take it to a shop, let alone wait for them to do it and get home. I buy oil by the case online or at Costco, have about a 3 year supply of filters on hand, and enough used oil storage containers to only need to go to tox drop every year or two.

I keep a little book in each of my vehicles that I keep track of maintenance in. On the inside cover I've written down which oil it needs, quantity needed, which filter it needs, and what size wrench is needed for the pan plug. My wife's car has the filter on top, so I also have the wrench size needed for that in that book. I can do the trucks in maybe 10-15 minutes, easy. The cars take a little longer since I have to use ramps to get under them.

Tybo2018 · May 10, 2023

That's why there is YouTube. Watch a few videos on how to do basic maintenance and its really not that difficult. The hardest part in my opinion was getting the oil filter in and out. =)

kdoublep · May 10, 2023

I only get nervous when I put washer fluid in my truck lol

DerickE · May 11, 2023

Tybo2018 said:
That's why there is YouTube. Watch a few videos on how to do basic maintenance and its really not that difficult. The hardest part in my opinion was getting the oil filter in and out. =)

For me it was LOCATING the filter. Lol. Years driving and servicing my suburban, I expected it to be on the back..hadn't expected it on the front.

Phillyrube · May 11, 2023

When I was in the Navy and working s part time pump jockey job, we would change oil and filter, refill, then run the engine to ensure no leaks.

DILLIGAF · May 11, 2023

If an oil change makes you nervous, Turn in your man card.

Anyone else get real nervous after their first oil change at their own hands?

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