oil change mistake

[deerefan]

I was changing the oil in my 97 F150 and made a dumb mistake. In my rush, I did not check the old oil filter to make sure the gasket came off with it. I installed the new filter (motorcraft), filled it with 6 qts of oil, checked the level and fired it up. I picked up my tools, took about 2 minutes, climbed in the truck and noticed the oil pressure gauge had not moved and the oil light was on. I immediately killed the truck. Never once did I hear any knocking or valve train noise while it was running but the gauge registered no oil pressure. I traced the problem to the oil filter housing where the old oil ring was still present, causing oil to blow out between the filter and housing. Would this cause me to not have oil pressure or for just the gauge to tell me I didn't? Does it get its reading from the oil filter housing? The motor is a 4.6 just in case. Thanks guys.

 

[JDL538]

I did the same thing on my new, to me an 06 vette last year. I caught it fast but it scared the crap out of me. It didn't hurt anything though.
I have been changing oil myself for more than 45 years and never seen that happen.

 

[Storm56]

I once did the same thing on a 4.3 V-6 Chev. Changed oil, started it up, oil pressure came up. Washed up and hopped in the truck and headed for town. Went about 1 mile when I notcied the low oil pressure. Pulled over found the problem, caught a ride home to get what I needed, changed filter, added oil and away I went. Never had any trouble with the motor either. Good thing it was not my wife or I guarantee the motor would have been toast, she never checks the gauges.

 

[Bird]

I did that in 1957 on a Chevy truck working in my dad's service station. Only lost about a quart of oil before I got it shut off, but you sure check those gaskets from then on.:laughing:

 

[ModMech]

I think everyone who has changed oil more than twice has done this at some point, you didn't hurt anything, not at all.

PS: You do not have an oil pressure "gauge", yes I know there is a gauge-looking thingy with a needle on your dash. You have what is slyly refered to as an "idiot gauge", it either shows oil pressure, or it does not. Therefore, you most likely has a couple PSI of oil in the system but not enough to cause the "gauge" to show.

 

[deerefan]

I think everyone who has changed oil more than twice has done this at some point, you didn't hurt anything, not at all.

PS: You do not have an oil pressure "gauge", yes I know there is a gauge-looking thingy with a needle on your dash. You have what is slyly refered to as an "idiot gauge", it either shows oil pressure, or it does not. Therefore, you most likely has a couple PSI of oil in the system but not enough to cause the "gauge" to show.

Thats good news. Being the motor is relatively new, i would hate to replace it due to my error. You are right about the gauge. I wish it showed psi.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think you are fine also. You were changing the oil so you had just warmed it up and distributed oil throughout the motor. There was still a film on it even-though you drained it.

I do about 75 to 100 oil changed a year and have not done this one. I always check to make sure I get the gasket. Never left the drain plug out either but have done plenty of stupid stuff like put 12 QTS in a 5 QT system. Do not know what I was thinking. Just opened up a case and started pouring in QT after QT. Figured it out before I started it when my buddy said, wow, how much oil does that car hold. I said Shat!

Chris

 

[schoolsout]

Last time I changed the oil in my ride, I forgot to put the drain plug back in...luckily I had the catch pan under it still...$50 mistake.

 

[MoKelly]

Worst I have done (so far) is to not put the washer back with the drain plug. I finished up and was moving the old oil from the drain pan to containers and found the washer. Not fun but I only have done it once.

MoKelly

 

[Bird]

I saw a neighbor once start to pour the second quart of oil into his lawn tractor before he realized he had not put the drain plug back in.

We had a service station employee who once drained the transmssion on a 1955-56 Oldsmobile, added 5 qts. of oil to the crankcase, and then didn't understand why the car wouldn't back out of the bay.

I changed oil & filter in our 1977 Dodge 3/4 ton pickup one weekend and the next day our younger daughter told me she had to add 2 quarts of oil. I went to check it and found the oil was just so clean that she hadn't seen it on the dipstick so it was 2 quarts overfilled.:laughing: She was not happy about having to crawl under that truck that night and drain that oil out.