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

Thebusdriver · May 15, 2023

Changed my oil for the second time on my Ram 1500 last week. Little nervous at first so I checked the dipstick a lot. She runs like a top though. It doesn’t save me a ton of money but I enjoy working on my truck. It’s a very satisfying hit of dopamine!

lobo · May 15, 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?

You are better off doing your own oil changes as then you know it is done right. A lot of the people at the dealers are not mechanics but rather low paid people hired off the street and many do not care if your oil change is done right. After you do it a few times you will get over your nervousness. I had a new car in 2020 and 2 free oil changes and both times it was over filled by a half inch on the dip stick.

jpin9b · May 15, 2023

I got nervous but for a reason that I haven't heard anybody mention yet.

I've always changed my own oil. I normally get a little dab of oil on my finger, run it around the rubber seal on the new filter and twist the filter on as tight as I can, hand tight. Easy. No problem.

However, this is my first RAM and Cummins motor. It's a pain to get to the filter so I'm not able to reach in through the wheel well and hand tighten like I'm used to doing so I ended up tightening with my filter wrench and adapter, being careful not to over tighten but making sure the filter was on tight enough.

FXR99 · May 15, 2023

Scientology this flame boy !!!

Cmeant · May 15, 2023

This is a little off-thread, but when I was helping my son change the oil on his 05 Corolla, I told him that with my first ever new car, a ‘96 Civic Cx (no air, no radio, no power windows or steering), dealer oil changes used to be $16.88 (Ontario, Canada), and they washed the car too. Often, when I needed a car wash, I’d just get the oil change with the car wash b/c I loved having a fresh oil change and it was only like $6.88 more than a car wash!

BlackSheepRebel · May 15, 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?

I try to think about all the things that could go wrong (cause anxiety) and triple check that stuff as I go or I would feel the same… but in reality, I was too busy cursing the assembly line gorilla who screwed the original filter on to think about much else.

RGC440 · May 15, 2023

No more likely doing it yourself. I had a new 2010 Camaro with 15000 miles. Into selling dealer for oil change, and they let me drive it off the lot with no oil at all. I wanted to smack one of the service writers. He told me "No problem the engine has a 100,000 mile guaranty"

Rick

Gettintired · May 15, 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?

Shakin all over

BigMike518 · May 15, 2023

Insecure about my oil change, maybe when I was 16!! I’m more apprehensive about the shop/dealer doing it. The last dealer oil change, I noticed a drip and checked it out. The filter was loose and leaking.

gilbertobv · May 15, 2023

Many years ago my father taught me how to make an oil change. Then I was 10 or 11 years old. I used to do it, but when I grew and I could pay a service center to do it I stopped getting my hands dirty. Now I’m almost 60 years old and, really, I feel a great satisfaction to do it by myself and remember those happy moments with my old man. No get nervous about it, he was a great teacher.

chopperdog45 · May 15, 2023

I don't get nervous about it. I have been doing all my own service/repairs on all of my vehicles (except for a warranty job) for decades. For me, it is not only about the money saved, but it is sort of relaxing for me to wrench on my own vehicles. Plus, I have more of a vested interest in making sure I do a great job than the dealer's service dept does.

REDNECK28871 · May 15, 2023

Are you serious!? If your that paranoid take it to WALMART! Hell even they cant *****
it up!

Hardracer · May 15, 2023

Hell ,I've been doing my oil changes for years..no squirts about it,just do it and check afterwards that you did it right.....until this last change last week...found dam manifold broken bolt deal...so pissed.2010 and finally broke a bolt.145k on the clock to boot!

Speedy Mike · May 15, 2023

I AGREE WITH BLUE BEAST 1562. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS MAKERS OF CARS
SINCE I WAS 16 /I STILL DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING.

Tc3509 · May 16, 2023

I think i would have more insecurities if i trust someone else to do it - bad experiences taking my truck for ANY kind of servise

Lsujker · May 16, 2023

Tc3509 said:
I think i would have more insecurities if i trust someone else to do it - bad experiences taking my truck for ANY kind of servise

100%. I get nervous when others do service on my vehicles. Dealerships especially.

Shiva · May 16, 2023

Thebusdriver said:
Changed my oil for the second time on my Ram 1500 last week. Little nervous at first so I checked the dipstick a lot. She runs like a top though. It doesn’t save me a ton of money but I enjoy working on my truck. It’s a very satisfying hit of dopamine!

No oil under the truck on the ground?
Then I guess it won't evaporate into space.

REDinAZ · May 16, 2023

Thebusdriver said:
Changed my oil for the second time on my Ram 1500 last week. Little nervous at first so I checked the dipstick a lot. She runs like a top though. It doesn’t save me a ton of money but I enjoy working on my truck. It’s a very satisfying hit of dopamine!

if you're moving an oil catch pan around I find pulling the pan drain plug, heavy drain, then re install (only tight to where it stops the dripping). move pan over, oil filter pull, install new one and clean up. then move pan and go BACK and pull the drain plug one more time and quite a bit more oil will drain out. I'll usually get out from under the truck and do checks on things all around the vehicle while that last amount of oil slows down to nothing more than an intermittent drip.

truck2014 · May 16, 2023

FXR99 said:
Scientology this flame boy !!!
View attachment 521300

You definitely drank the Koolaid !!!!!!

Compu-Doc · May 16, 2023

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

What I've been doing is placing a piece of plastic over the front axel directly below the oil filter and a tarp on the ground
Between the two it keeps the oil off the truck and the ground

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

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