Oil changes

[rusty ol ranger]

Why is something so simple such a pain in the ass?

Changing the oil on the ranger this afternoon. First my gut musta got bigger cause the airdam wouldnt allow me under...so i jacked it up a inch or 2 on the frame. Then i pull the plug let it drain, go to tighten plug and ratchet slips from my hand right into the oil drain pan.

So now im pissed, covered in dripping nasty water from running down the muddy ass dirt road, and grimey oil grease mixed with god knows what from years of oil leakage.

Fish ratchet and socket from pan, get up and realize im out of rags. Great. So my old coat becomes a substitute.

Go after the filter...of course ford has to put stuff in ridiculious spots and the only filter wrench i could find was the POS with the pivot head that wont grab shit. Finally get it to grab....realize im tightening it.

Say some more cuss words...start going the other way, finally after 10 tries i get it to grip and loosen...spin it off by hand...as im fishing it out from position it slips from my oily ass hand....SPLASH right into the damn oil drain pan....oil goes everywhere.

Get pissed again. Cuss a few times...punch tire....which made my hand sore. Of course hand i need to put filter back on.

Grab new filter, oil the gasket, couldnt find the threads....dropped it into splashed oil that my coat and arm has absorbed most of by now as i was fighting to find the threads.

Put new filter on finally....grabbed the aforemention turd filter wrench....go to snug it up...of course it slips and i wack my knuckles on the frame. Get pissed...lob filter wrench across barn...of course it wacks my quad and cracks the taillight.

Just needed to rant....and ask why do we do this to ourselves? Why not pay the guy at the quick change a measly 10 bucks over what we paid for this overpriced oil and filter to avoid the headache?

F it.

 

[4.0blue98]

Been there, done that. Ask that same question every time. Usually my trick knee pops out a few times too.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Been there, the Rangers and Explorers are pretty simple since the 2.3L has the oil filter right on the side of the block, sploders are 5.0L so oil filter is right there in front (but drains right on the sway bar for some dumb reason...) but still easy to drop the filter in the pan, did that last time... on the 2.3L if you hold your tongue right you can put the filter on from the top, I hand tighten so no tools on that step... On the F350 I get the 5 gallon steel bucket out to put under the oil pan (it's like 14 qt) that just fits, that one is easy

 

[racsan]

I usually change my oil outside in the grass so none gets spilled on the asphalt driveway or concrete in the garage. Only bad thing it’s usually windy and that makes for a mess, hot oil blowing everywhere.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Why is something so simple such a pain in the ass?

Changing the oil on the ranger this afternoon. First my gut musta got bigger cause the airdam wouldnt allow me under...so i jacked it up a inch or 2 on the frame. Then i pull the plug let it drain, go to tighten plug and ratchet slips from my hand right into the oil drain pan.

So now im pissed, covered in dripping nasty water from running down the muddy ass dirt road, and grimey oil grease mixed with god knows what from years of oil leakage.

Fish ratchet and socket from pan, get up and realize im out of rags. Great. So my old coat becomes a substitute.

Go after the filter...of course ford has to put stuff in ridiculious spots and the only filter wrench i could find was the POS with the pivot head that wont grab shit. Finally get it to grab....realize im tightening it.

Say some more cuss words...start going the other way, finally after 10 tries i get it to grip and loosen...spin it off by hand...as im fishing it out from position it slips from my oily ass hand....SPLASH right into the damn oil drain pan....oil goes everywhere.

Get pissed again. Cuss a few times...punch tire....which made my hand sore. Of course hand i need to put filter back on.

Grab new filter, oil the gasket, couldnt find the threads....dropped it into splashed oil that my coat and arm has absorbed most of by now as i was fighting to find the threads.

Put new filter on finally....grabbed the aforemention turd filter wrench....go to snug it up...of course it slips and i wack my knuckles on the frame. Get pissed...lob filter wrench across barn...of course it wacks my quad and cracks the taillight.

Just needed to rant....and ask why do we do this to ourselves? Why not pay the guy at the quick change a measly 10 bucks over what we paid for this overpriced oil and filter to avoid the headache?

F it.

Your truck hates you because you bought it with a 2.9. The answer is to swap in a 3.0. Then your truck will love you and won't make oil changes such a fight.

 

[snoranger]

I’ll take “how to make your already underpowered Ranger even worse” for $1000 Alex.

The answer is to swap in a 3.0.

 

[oldgeek]

First my gut musta got bigger cause the airdam wouldnt allow me under.

The real reason is Global Warming.

 

[4x4junkie]

I always hand-tighten the filter moderately tight. Rarely have I needed to use a filter wrench on it (sometimes it takes a little effort to get off by hand, but after a couple seconds it usually lets go).

I do my own oil changes because "quick-change" shops hire too much incompetent labor too often (even new-car dealerships are known to screw up a simple oil change on occasion). Nowadays who knows if a quick change place would even know what weight oil to put into a 33-year old truck (I can't see 0W-16 or even 0W-20 doing much good for a 2.9L).

One thing I hate though is the dumbass sideways drain plug on the 2.9L oil pan... WTF Ford!? I have to find an old piece of cardboard or something to direct the oil downward into the drain pan so it doesn't spew all over the passenger side radius arm, tire, and ground.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

With the Bronco every other oil change is free from the dealer we got it from.

I got four free oil changes with my F-150 when I got it (I work at said dealer)

It has been kind of nice to not even have it on my radar. Oh the wife is getting the oil changed in her car, darn it I have to drive the Ranger to work today (so she can have my F-150 with the car seat)

 

[Garth Libre]

I would never consider going to a quick oil change place. Years ago I had a friend who I helped getting his old car road worthy. I showed him a few things he could do himself and gave him basic instructions on where to go for more complicated things. Suffice to say, he was a horrible d.i.y. mechanic but at least he knew he knew next to nothing. Guess what job he had just a few years prior. Yup, he worked at a quick oil change place doing oil changes. I don't blame him - he knew he was a klutz at mechanics and he knew enough to know he was likely to mess up any mechanical job on a car, but - he worked for a year or two changing oil on customer cars. That's why I would tell anyone to steer clear of a quick oil change place where they have one trained mechanic and a bunch of untrained butchers actually doing most of the actual work. An oil change is easy to do and even easier to mess up and destroy a car. I've done many oil changes but I consider it a job that actually requires more skill than many believe and lots of ways to kill an engine.

 

[Josh B]

Oil change is just one of the necessary evils of owning a vehicle. On Semi's alone I'm in at least the 1000 changes range, and it has been decades since I've touched one of them.

For my own vehicle I have a Snap-On oil filter wrench just like the one you mentioned but maybe a better design and build, but it is rather old and still has its days when it doesn't want to co-operate. And the ratchet is a worn out extra length Thorsen 3/8" that has a flip floppy head and a ratchet that misses gears a lot, but at least the extra length is helpful when it does take a grip.

I don't have to raise the truck but it still can be a tight fit. Using a 5/16 plywood scrap from over 20 years ago I slip under there and sometimes come out cussing just like anybody, but I know that once it's done, me and the truck both will be feeling better

Onward, through the oil!

 

[Josh B]

I would never consider going to a quick oil change place. Years ago I had a friend who I helped getting his old car road worthy. I showed him a few things he could do himself and gave him basic instructions on where to go for more complicated things. Suffice to say, he was a horrible d.i.y. mechanic but at least he knew he knew next to nothing. Guess what job he had just a few years prior. Yup, he worked at a quick oil change place doing oil changes. I don't blame him - he knew he was a klutz at mechanics and he knew enough to know he was likely to mess up any mechanical job on a car, but - he worked for a year or two changing oil on customer cars. That's why I would tell anyone to steer clear of a quick oil change place where they have one trained mechanic and a bunch of untrained butchers actually doing most of the actual work. An oil change is easy to do and even easier to mess up and destroy a car. I've done many oil changes but I consider it a job that actually requires more skill than many believe and lots of ways to kill an engine.

Amen to that dude, it's rated right up there with "dishwasher".

Not counting flats I have entrusted my vehicle to someone else to repair no more times than I can count on one hand, and I have regretted it Every Single Time :/

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Honestly i think most my frustration stemmed from the fact i justt didnt feel like doing it yesterday. But since the turd cobalt is out of commission i was more less forced into it.

 

[Blmpkn]

I've started being one of those people who dealer-services the daily since I bought the '21. 70$ for oil, a tire rotation, washer fill, and general inspection, can't beat it. I also accrue ford points for the services throughout the year.. so the next time I go in it'll be free.. and I'm relatively sure they'll even come pick it up and then drop it off when theyre done.

 

[RobbieD]

First my gut musta got bigger cause the airdam wouldnt allow me under...

Not at all; your springs are starting to get weak.

go to tighten plug and ratchet slips from my hand right into the oil drain pan.

The ratchet knew it needed oiling.

and realize im out of rags. Great. So my old coat becomes a substitute.

Time for a new coat anyway, right? Now you have a good excuse to buy one.

Cuss a few times...punch tire....which made my hand sore.

Confirmed that the tire's inflation is good. And, as long as you can still pick your nose, no harm, no foul.

Get pissed...lob filter wrench across barn...of course it wacks my quad and cracks the taillight.

The tailight was probably already broken, and you would have never known about it if the wrench didn't land close by.


Vent away. I've had plenty of "those days", too. Cussing at it does help (a lot!), and beyond that, all you can really do is laugh about it once you've gotten it all done.

Hang tough!