Oil change

looch · Feb 20, 2002

We had an apprentice mechanic at the dealership that used to install oil filters with his channel locks. No one noticed until he pierced one and the engine seized two days later.

Another incident was with an over-zealous new car owner. He pulled out the dipstick and couldn't see the brand new oil against the brand new stick. He kept adding, and adding, and... - blew all the gaskets on that poor little 3.1 litre.

Jeff396 · Feb 20, 2002

I don't know why, but this came to mind after reading this thread. Not directly related but...

> The answer to one of life's great mysteries! I haven't
> heard anyone
> explain this as well as the all-wise Cliff Clavin on
> the sitcom Cheers.
>
> One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff was explaining the
> Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm...
> "Well, ya see Norm, it's like this... A herd of
> buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo.
> And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and
> weakest ones at the back that are killed first.
> This natural selection is good for the herd as a
> whole, because the general speed and health of the
> whole group keeps improving by the regular killing
> of the weakest members."
>
> "In much the same way, the human brain can only
> operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive
> intake of alcohol, as we all know, kills brain cells,
> but naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain
> cells first."
> "In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates
> the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and
> more efficient machine.
> That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

Jeff

looch · Feb 20, 2002

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I like it. The Buffalo Theory...very funny.

ewoss3 · Feb 21, 2002

How far did you have to go for that oil, Rob?
Bird for me it's about 1/2 mile to the closet O'reilys, plus I needed to hit the Exxon for diesel anyway. I actually get to drive it on the street about once a week, 13 acres of our property is on the other side of the creek(way to deep even for the jeep). We go to the other side to keep our beaver population annoyed and keep the local kids out by maintaining the anti-vehicle ditches. I only go back into the acreage to mow the field, all other access is by foot only for bowhunting.

Bird · Feb 21, 2002

He pulled out the dipstick and couldn't see the brand new oil against the brand new stick. He kept adding, and adding

Paul, before I let either of my daughters drive, I made them demonstrate (actually do the job alone) how to change a flat tire, and how to check the oil when they filled up with gas. Then I let my youngest daughter have my 3/4 ton Dodge pickup when she got her drivers license when she was 16. One evening, I changed the oil & filter, greased it, etc. The next evening (cold winter night), I came home from work, showered, and had just gotten out of the shower, when she arrived home. She told me when she filled up with gas and checked the oil, she had to put 3 quarts of oil in it a few minutes earlier. It was just getting dark that night and she had done the same thing; didn't see the new oil and added 3 quarts. The truck was outside in a cold north breeze, and I told her I was NOT going to get under it and get cold and dirty and that she couldn't drive it until the oil was drained and the proper amount put back in. That was one cold, dirty kid when she got through that night, but she got it done right and never forgot it./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

BHarrison · Feb 21, 2002

Ahh, but being the good teacher that he was, he taught all of you how NOT to change the oil.

bgott · Feb 21, 2002

Jeez, Bird, you can't really be from Texas! Most the people I know down here beg, borrow, steal or embezzle to buy their sixteen ( or fourteen or fifteen) year old a new car so they can impress the neighbors with how good a parent they are! And make the little turds check the oil? Not on your life! It's easier to let 'em blow it up and scream and raise hey and accuse the shop of screwing up their car! It couldn't be their kid's fault! As an ex mechanic, kids with stupid parents and "single moms" are two sub-groups of humanity I have next to no use for. I commend you for having the guts and common sense to make your kid take responsibility for her actions.

looch · Feb 21, 2002

...but she got it done right and never forgot it

I bet she hasn't. There's nothing that teaches like hands-on experience, is there?

Jeff396 · Feb 21, 2002

My sister in law finally got her first new car. It was a Chrysler TC3 or something like that. At any rate, it was the sportier version of the Omni. Now, this is when our illustrious American engines tended to push a bit of oil until they seated properly and sure enough...she ran it out of oil in very short order. This thing smoked and used oil for the rest of its life. I told my wife that if she can't check the oil and let me know when an oil change is due that we'd just get her some pile of crap to begin with and beat the rapid depreciation of a smoking exhaust.

Before we got married I had a "hot rod". I had my future wife out there draining and filling differentials, helping me install engines and transmissions and just about everything else you could think of. I think I would have had a problem with one of those Foo Foo girls./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

ewoss3 · Feb 22, 2002

I had my future wife out there draining and filling differentials, helping me install engines and transmissions and just about everything else you could think of. 

Jeff, I was lucky enough to have a father-in-law who taught both of his daughters how to properly maintain a vehicle long before they ever got to drive. Now I have a wife who can do everything except ring and pinnion setup, she built her first 351 clevland last year and it dyno'd at 391hp and 347ftlbs of tourqe now she has the fastest Bronco in the family. Guess I'll have to put that 401 in the jeep now.