Ok I know I should have changed the oil in the truck as soon as I got it, but it showed 80% and seemed to be have been taken care off by the previous owner so I kept putting it off. Now it was time to go a 1000 mile round trip, and it was reading 15% so I decided to go ahead and change it. And so starts a series of lessons learned.
Lesson 1: change the oil as soon as you get a "new" used vehicle. I already knew this, but didn't follow it.
The first time I change the oil in any vehicle I learn something helps me next time. This was no exception.
First off. I drag my oil drain pan under the truck and begin to loosen to bolt. Boy was it on tight. I had to use the box end of a combo wrench on the open end of the combo wrench I was using to take the drain bolt out as cheater. Finally got it move, but it wasn't comming out easy. It was still difficult to turn and continued to be. When it only a few turns loose the oil started coming out, but it was still hard to turn. It had been installed cross-threaded most likely driven in with an pneumatic driver.
So I am letting it drain with bolt still in and slide out from under truck to wipe some of the oil off my hands (and face). That's when I hear the sound of liquid poring into puddle. I look under the truck and see the oil drain pan overflowing and oil running down the driveway.
I had not removed the plug in the pan so the oil had filled up the the small bowl portion. So I crawl back under there and stick the hand I had just wiped off down in the oil and removed the plug, and opened the vent so the oil could drain into the pan. Then cover the oil with dirt and sand.
Lesson 2: Prep the pan before sliding it under the truck, not just before the oil starts coming out. Things may go wrong and you forget about removing the plug.
Well the oil finally gets down to just dripping and get the bolt out to see how bad it is. It's rough, but not too bad, about half the threads are buggered up. At least the thread in the oil pan seem to be in good shape, at least as far as I can feel. So I jump in the other car and run to the parts store to see if they have a drain plug. It's 7:50 PM on a Sunday night. I get there just as they are closing ( the guy is standing at the door watching the clock). I get in, and they don't have them in stock, but of course they can order one. It will be there in 3 days. Nope.
Lesson 3: Don't start the oil change on an unfamiliar vehicle on a Sunday evening.
So I decide I'm going try to get bolt back in, and if can't I'll have to run to a dealership and hope they have a bolt and complete in the morning. I was able to get the bolt back in straight and it went in fairly smoothly, and tightened down. Good. Now for the oil filter.
The oil filter is accessible, but there is plate under the engine and it covers the area the oil filter screws in. If i loosen the oil filter it will just spill into the plate. But wait, under the oil filter is a drain trough. It looks like the oil will drain from the filter into the trough. Neat idea. So move the pan to under the filter and try to loosen it. It's pretty snug so out comes the channel locks. A moment later the filter is loose and I start removing it. The trough may work if you are on level ground. I was tilted to right side so a little oil come out the trough, but most comes out from the other side of the plate, and down the driveway. out come more dirt and sand. Oh and it's starting to get dark.
Lesson 4: Level this truck side to side when changing the oil. hmm I think I know where i can get some levelers.
Lesson 5: See lesson 3. Start the task long before evening.
Ok I get it oil filter out and realize the white filter was not a Motorcraft filter like I thought. The trucks Carfax showed maintenance at a Ford dealership not long before I bought it. So I assumed the white filter was a Motorcraft when I looked at before buying the truck. It was a Federated oil filter. Never heard of them. A quick online search and I find they are the budget oil filter in the budget oil filter category.
Lesson 6: See Lesson 1.
The new oil filter goes on with a problem, so it's time to add new oil. I have a few quarts left over from the last time I change oil in the car and other truck (all three use 5w-20), and got a another 5 quart jug. Here is where luck was with me. It took all 7 quarts to get to show on dip stick (remember I'm not level and leaning away from the dip stick so I only wanted enough to show on the dip stick). I was expecting a bit over 5 since that what the other truck takes. I think about this truck is a 5.0L the other is a 4.2L. The fill port on this truck is at an angle, so the small funnel I have didn't stay by itself. I had to hold it straight while trying to pour from the 5 quart jug. I missed a little. More dirt and sand.
Lesson 7: get some one quart bottles, and use the funnel to fill them, and then use the smaller bottles to fill the truck.
Anyway I filled it up and didn't notice any leaking around the plug or filter. When I left for work this morning I didn't see any leaks. When I stopped for coffee this morning the oil level was fine (between the holes), and when I got work the oil level was still fine. When I left work there was no signs of leaking. Still I am going to get a new plug, clean drain pan to replace plug as soon as can. I am also going to get another 7 quarts.
Lesson 8: If you ignore lesson 1 and lesson 3, don't wait until the weekend before a vacation to change the oil.
Lesson 9: lets hope there isn't a lesson 9, and I have learned enough from this.
oh and just for record. I use Mobil 1 oil, and Fram filters for synthetic oil. I know everyone has their favorites and those are mine and have served me well over the years.
