# Stupid human tricks - riding mower oil change



## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

For the first time in 50+ years of doing my own oil changes I left the drain valve (yes, mower has a twist and pull valve, not a drain plug) open when I added the new oil. Strange location at friend's farm, didn't have all my tools, totally gassed from spending a few hours breaking out concrete with a digging bar and shovel to replace a fence post, etc, etc. So 2 qts of new went into the pan containing 2 qts of used oil... and the pan was just barely bigger than 2 qts. What a mess. At least it wasn't 10 qts of Mobil 1 that I put in my Corvette! Had to run out for a big bag of oil-dri and a bottle of degreaser. 2 hours later I finished my "10-minute" job.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Almost as bad as launching the boat with no bung plug. If it is the the worse thing you ever do you are far ahead in the game.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

That is that dreaded C R S disease, happens more often after that big 60, is behind you. 

You learn to become O / C, over things and double check everything. 

:devil3:


ED


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Yup, I was thinking about the old age aspect. One thing I notice in myself is the tendency to get locked into a procedure. I still figure stuff out really quickly and all but once I get going I don't usually deviate much, perhaps even when it is indicated that I should. As you say, Ed, I need to slow down and double check stuff... and I need to be a little more flexible to change up what needs changed.


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## F250 (Feb 13, 2018)

Along similar lines, it took me a couple of times to get past the temptation to dump my container of water drained from the kitchen sink p-trap BACK into the sink above the open drain!!


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

F250 said:


> Along similar lines, it took me a couple of times to get past the temptation to dump my container of water drained from the kitchen sink p-trap BACK into the sink above the open drain!!


\
F250.... I was just going to post that...glad I'm not the only idiot...:wink2:


Or almost install a panel garage door without an exit or springs ready to set.


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## F250 (Feb 13, 2018)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> \
> F250.... I was just going to post that...glad I'm not the only idiot...:wink2:
> ...



You're certainly not the only one. In fact, I really have to work to remember it every time I work on a p-trap, which is really rare, but I'm getting ready to do 4 sinks this coming weekend!


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

LOL... Once upon a time was doing a little copper plumbing work using the toilet paper trick to keep water from dripping onto the soldering area. Then I stupidly ran the kitchen sink faucet whose cartridge instantly clogged. I was going to run the TP out the hose bib... but I forgot. That was when I was a relatively young pup so can't use the old age excuse.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Wear a raincoat! 



F250 said:


> You're certainly not the only one. In fact, I really have to work to remember it every time I work on a p-trap, which is really rare, but I'm getting ready to do 4 sinks this coming weekend!


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

Colbyt said:


> Almost as bad as launching the boat with no bung plug. If it is the the worse thing you ever do you are far ahead in the game.


OMG we did that to NVRBOT at the lake once. Luckily I saw it going down and my Rango was able to pull it back out before the engine went under:


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Reminds me of an incident that happened years ago before my buddies and I had our own homes.

Whenever we had to work on the vehicles, we would go one buddies parent's house because his tools were there.

One Friday we are all over there to do a couple oil changes. His folks were out of town for the weekend.

Our buddy said we had to do it in the street since his dad had just resurfaced the asphalt driveway. However he figured he would do his in the driveway since he was "more careful".

Well, he places the drain pan under his vehicle. It is one of those that is a shallow funnel shape sloped towards a center hole with an air vent on the rim. 

He pulls the drain plug except he forgot to open the air vent. 

You guessed it, oil all over that newly surfaced asphalt.

After sopping up the oil with kitty litter, he tried cleaning the residue with de-greaser. This just made it more obvious as now there is a dull spot where the oil was.

Fortunately there was surfacing material leftover. We tried to re-coat the affected area but it was still very noticeable. We ended up helping him re-coat the whole driveway.

We later found out his parents knew we had re-coated the driveway. They figured something happened but elected not to say anything since we did do the whole re-coat.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

What is remarkable is how vehicle manufacturers engineer in messy oil changes. Vertically (I mean upward) or horizontally mounted oil filters... Horizontally mounted oil pan drain plugs that shoot the oil an unknown distance... Oil filter mounts and oil pan drain plugs that dump oil on the frame or exhaust pipe before it can get to the drain pan. The Husqvarna mower I just worked on that has a horizontal oil filter and the manual says to fill the new one with oil before installing (LOL). I have learned that no matter how easy a job it might seem and how confident you are it's best to put down a big piece of cardboard or somesuch under the car when you do it.... but that can sometimes be hard when you are away from your own workspace.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

raylo32 said:


> At least it wasn't 10 qts of Mobil 1 that I put in my Corvette!



You ever drive off without the targa top latched down? They say you will never do that twice.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

No, I haven't. But enough folks have done it that they have a special thing for that, called the Flying Roof Club.



SPS-1 said:


> You ever drive off without the targa top latched down? They say you will never do that twice.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

A lady fried of ours drove into her garage TWICE....... with bicycles mounted on her car roof.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Fried?

ED


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Ha ha. Ed, you need to go read MTN's signature again!



de-nagorg said:


> Fried?
> 
> ED


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

raylo32 said:


> Ha ha. Ed, you need to go read MTN's signature again!


Oh , I know, but still can't resist .:devil3:

ED


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

My mom ran into the side of the garage opening once. Had to replace the entire framework and the gable end rafter had to be doubled up because it cracked. No reason was ever given for it. To this day she pretends it never happened, if I ask her about it she immediately changes the subject/runs to the bathroom/has to make a phone call lol


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Take the directions with you and follow the steps.

Never slow down, it creates more problems.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> A lady fried of ours drove into her garage TWICE....... with bicycles mounted on her car roof.


A buddy of mine did that with his kayaks on racks on his pickup.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Never did any of the scenarios discribed here. But CRS? I think I invented it!


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

ChuckTin said:


> Never did any of the scenarios discribed here. But CRS? I think I invented it!



Chuck... Luckily I don't have your problem.......

in fact, my memory is so good that I can't even remember the last time that I forgot something.
.
.

..

.
.
.
.
What's CRS mean...?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Can't
Remember
Stuff.

Alternate, Can't Remember S###.

ED


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Tomorrow remind me again what this means!




de-nagorg said:


> Can't
> Remember
> Stuff.
> 
> ...


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

The alternative to CRS is TPS, Trivial Pursuit Syndrome... It's almost as annoying because you end up looking like a nerd in every conversation


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

I do not. Anything _I_ pursue is not, ipso facto, trivial.
A. E. Neuman, esq.


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