I’m a retired mechanic and I still do as much maintenance on my own vehicle as I can, oil changes, brakes, the kind of stuff that doesn’t need a computer.  I have always believed you’re never too old to learn from someone’s mistakes, especially your own, but I don’t usually publicize my own screw-ups because I can embarrass myself just fine thank you, I don’t need any help.  However, today I did something stupid that others might benefit from, so here goes nothing. 

The family mini-van was due for an oil change and I’ve been waiting for a mild day, and today was it.  Late in the evening I got out the jack, the stands and drain pan, and out came the oil and off came the filter.  I cleaned the filter pad on the engine and lubed the new filter gasket and threads and on it went, nice and tight.  Stands out, jack down, in went a jug of fresh oil and I was done, easy peasy.  I started the engine and let it idle a bit, when suddenly there was a distinct “poof” that didn’t sound right.  Engine off and out I went, to find a lake of oil under the front right were the oil filter is.  Not just a simple lake, nope, it must have come out under pressure because everything was soaked – undercarriage, suspension, brakes, steering, tire, wheel, it all was dripping in nice fresh Castrol GTX 5W30.  So, like any experienced, trained, calm person would do – I panicked!  What did I do wrong, did the parts store give me the wrong filter, did an oil line break, WHAT!  Out came the jack and stands again and up it went.  I ran out of cat litter on the oil so my nice wife walked to a nearby grocery store and brought home two big bags – thanks dear – and I covered the oil with that.  (My poor old driveway, at least it won’t rust).  I checked the new filter, nothing obvious, no holes or ruptures (I use AC/Delco).  I unscrewed it far enough to get the part number – whoa, it’s already loose and I know I tightened it up.  I compared the part number to the old filter and it was the same, so while I had the old filter in my hand I checked it over and BINGO – there’s the problem, the gasket was missing!!  The gasket on this filter is very thick, very soft and very black and it’s staked into its groove, but I guess it was stuck to the engine and with my little flashlight I didn’t see it missing when I removed the filter in the darkness.  I quickly removed the new filter and sure enough, the old gasket fell out.  One gasket sealed up just fine but two were too soft to hold the oil pressure and it was “poof” time.

I cleaned everything up with a couple cans of brake cleaner (they were on sale so I bought a couple, just in case!) and I had another jug of oil (sale again).  The new filter went back on, oil in, and now there was no leak.

If there’s a lesson to be learned from this mess guess it’s this – if you remove a part that’s supposed to have a gasket on it but it isn’t there, find it!  And I guess I should change the oil more often or not tighten the filter so much or use a better light, whatever.  Beyond that, we should all just live and learn I guess.  At least I know I have good oil pressure.