Oil Change Gone Wrong. Shit.

[i am ryan]

Changed my oil last night, no biggie. Started her up, oil pressure dropped. Oil was spilling underneath the car, so I shut her off immediately. The old o-ring had stuck so the new filter didn't seal. Rookie mistake and a stupid one. Incredibly humbling.

Got the filter back on snug and topped off the oil. It started up and ran fine. Oil pressure was good so I went to bed.

Today I went to start it up and add some more oil and there's NO oil pressure showing on the gauge, but for the few seconds it was running it sounded fine.

I'm fucking terrified it's something really bad, and I'm moving in two weeks. Any ideas?

 

[05stroker]

Changed my oil last night, no biggie. Started her up, oil pressure dropped. Oil was spilling underneath the car, so I shut her off immediately. The old o-ring had stuck so the new filter didn't seal. Rookie mistake and a stupid one. Incredibly humbling.

Got the filter back on snug and topped off the oil. It started up and ran fine. Oil pressure was good so I went to bed.

Today I went to start it up and add some more oil and there's NO oil pressure showing on the gauge, but for the few seconds it was running it sounded fine.

I'm fucking terrified it's something really bad, and I'm moving in two weeks. Any ideas?

Check the plug on the oil pressure sending unit. You could have knocked it loose while changing the filter.

 

[i am ryan]

Check the plug on the oil pressure sending unit. You could have knocked it loose while changing the filter.

Just checked that. It's plugged in. Feeling like ass right now.

 

[86GT351]

Unplug the switch and plug it back in. Does the gauge work? When you turn the key foward does it move? Do you own a test light?

 

[i am ryan]

Unplug the switch and plug it back in. Does the gauge work? When you turn the key foward does it move? Do you own a test light?

Gauge works. When I turn the key to ON it bumps up a little, but when I start it it doesn't go anywhere. And no, I don't own a test light.

 

[86GT351]

If you can get a test light, you can verify the gauge does more than bump.

 

[skwerl]

Did the car slip off the jack, crushing the bottom of the oil pan? I've done that one before.

 

[86GT351]

Did the car slip off the jack, crushing the bottom of the oil pan? I've done that one before.

Ouch!

 

[86GT351]

Also.....Why are you using a Bosch Filter and not a Ford Filter? At least use Wix!

 

[i am ryan]

Doesn't matter now. It's getting towed.

Rolled under the car a little farther so I could get a grip on the plug and saw this:

So I grabbed a wrench and started it on its happy way back into the hole, until this:

Sheared right off with no resistance whatsoever.

FML.

 

[moostang09]

I did the same thing on my v6! I drove it for a day but oil pressure never changed. Went home and sure enough the old o ring was chilling on top of the new one!

 

[07graygt]

Why getting towed? There looks to be enough thread the. Just get a pair of vice grips and back it out. Throw the new one in and call it a day.

 

[i am ryan]

It's gone now. Tow guy was awesome and it was covered under warranty. Honestly, it was going to the dealer anyways for the vibrating driveshaft. That was Ford's screw up and I'm moving in two weeks. I just don't have the time or space to do that crap AND pack an entire house by myself, while also having to do freelance work outside the office and help plan my brother in laws wedding. There's a point when you just have to realize that, even if you're capable, it's better to just pay it out and get it done by someone else.

After it sheared off I just had one of those "Fuck you," moments followed by the feeling of relief knowing it's out of my hands. I'm not at a point in my life where I can spend the time tinkering. I don't regret my decision.

Thanks everyone for the help. Hopefully this serves as a warning to others at the very least about the possibility of making a stupid rookie mistake no matter how many times you've done it. Truly a humbling experience.

 

[i am ryan]

Why getting towed? There looks to be enough thread the. Just get a pair of vice grips and back it out. Throw the new one in and call it a day.

I didn't have a new one and my wife and other car have already moved 900 miles away while I Button things up at home. Towing is covered by my warranty so it was just time to let someone else do it. I've spent every weekend working on the car and I know my wife is probably sick of hearing about it. It was the right decision. Thanks for the input regardless.

 

[BruceH]

I think everyone has had an oil filter oring stay on and not notice it. I have anyway. It was the first oil change of a brand new 94 Ranger. No harm was done. Don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[07graygt]

It used to happen a lot when I worked at the Honda dealer. I think the worst is having to clean it up lol.

 

[Tron]

was a lube tech for my first year at a honda dealer, averaged about 20 oil changes a day. there were 2 times that something happened to break up my flow and i forgot to put the filter on at all. realized it of course while i was starting the car so just enough oil on the ground to feel like a dumbass lol.

 

[808muscle]

Nice you figured it out and its getting fixed. You got enough on your mind already.

I know I have left that extra ring on my cars several times over the years. Shit happens.

 

[Kalatrax]

Had a friend in high school who got a brand new Ranger from his parents, he was technically challenged yet he attempted to change his own oil. He double gasketed it and drove it until it knocked (about 30 mins). He ruined a motor with less than 1000 miles on it lol. In any event, I'm curious as to how the sending unit backed itself out....

 

[i am ryan]

Had a friend in high school who got a brand new Ranger from his parents, he was technically challenged yet he attempted to change his own oil. He double gasketed it and drove it until it knocked (about 30 mins). He ruined a motor with less than 1000 miles on it lol. In any event, I'm curious as to how the sending unit backed itself out....

30 minutes of driving with no oil pressure? I don't care if I'm 10 minutes late to work, I don't leave the driveway until it's warmed up. A lot of that's because it sounds like a 2 ton truck until then.

I actually learned from AnotherS197GT that being a couple threads out is apparently normal?

Just went and took this for you. It's supposed to be like that. It broke because you bottomed it out.