Oil & Fuel Can't Believe This Happened

[Scooby074]

Lesson learned. Always check your fluids before starting out for the day.

Standard practice for any competent equipment operator.

Hope you can get out of it without costing you too much.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Lesson learned. Always check your fluids before starting out for the day.

Standard practice for any competent equipment operator.

Hope you can get out of it without costing you too much.

That lesson was learned a long time ago.
I check all fluid levels before each use. But that doesn't protect you if the drain plug backs out.
I suppose I should check all drain plugs before each use.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

I wonder if it has a safety shutdown when oil gets so low?

Mine doesn't.

 

[Scooby074]

That lesson was learned a long time ago.
I check all fluid levels before each use. But that doesn't protect you if the drain plug backs out.
I suppose I should check all drain plugs before each use.

New (to you) machine. First thing that should have been done would be an oil change (at minimum). A check of the other drain plugs is good advice too. Then you would know where you were starting from.

On my BX, it was still tagged with the mechanics tag from its PDI at the dealer, I still went underneath and gave a quick torque on the engine and axle plugs. You never know.

Considering all the things that could have happened to a used machine in its life, a complete service and inspection at arrival is cheap insurance.

 

[94BULLITT]

Hopefully it will be covered by the insurance but under exclusions it says mechanical breakdown. http://www.ktacinsuranceagency.com/default.aspx Did both of the plugs have wrench marks on them?

 

[Monster5601]

Ahhhh man I hope it fires up after a cool down and some fresh oil.I'm always torn between not tightening the drain plugs enough on my motor and over tightening them and stripping it out.I hope you catch some luck on this one.
Brian

That is why they publish a torque specification.

 

[Deano]

That is why they publish a torque specification.

That is what I do!!

 

[257NH]

That is why they publish a torque specification.

Never seen anyone put a torque wrench on a drain plug in my lifetime.
Brian

 

[PHILIP8N]

Never seen anyone put a torque wrench on a drain plug in my lifetime.
Brian

I never have either, and in 28 years of doing my own service countless number of times, never had one come loose. Philip.

 

[sixdogs]

I never have either, and in 28 years of doing my own service countless number of times, never had one come loose. Philip.

That's because you have done it enough times to know what the torque approximates and are good at what you do.
I'm 63 and have done it twice. Once a number of years back on a very expensive car with an aluminum oil pan and an aluminum pan nut with, as I recall, an O-ring seal. Also did it on my current 2011 Toyota Tundra that has a cartridge oil filter--not a cannister--and has a torque # for the cap that has an O-ring and a torque # for the drain cap--that has an O- ring and sits inside the cap. I think the EPA geniuses thought up this cartridge oil filter thing.
I can't recall ever torquing any other oil pan but for some guys that don't have enough experience or confidence and have plenty of free time, a torque wrench give a measure of self-assurance so they won't need it the next time.