I started to pour oil into the crankcase! I knew it! I should have gone with my better judgment and used a funnel. I had one lying around, but it was a bit dirty and I couldn’t be bothered cleaning it. I figured I could somehow tilt the gallon container at such an angle with precise timing that I would not spill any oil. I have done this before with the 1-quart containers. Boy, was I wrong. Not only is the gallon jug awkward, but it also has a wider opening. I started to tilt the jug and not even midway oil started to dribble down the lip of the container and down onto the engine. It was at this point I hesitated and with a sudden motion I righted the jug and BAM! Yep, oil splashed out and hit the front of the engine, the part between the oil cap and the plastic thing in front of the engine that looks like a belt might be inside. It wasn’t much but it looked like a lot! Since the engine top is sloped downward toward the manifold, much of the oil actually dripped down onto the first manifold and the heat shield where it dripped farther down onto the connection joint where the exhaust pipe and manifold meet and then onto the ground. So the exhaust wasn’t really affected. Some oil dripped on the other side where the upper radiator hose is and settled near the base of the distributor, some down onto the alternator. Needless to say I was MAD, mad, mad, mad at myself. What an idiot! What ticked me off is that all this could have been prevented had I just used a funnel. The oil change was a cinch, and the IPD drain plug posed no problems in screwing into the drain hole (thanks, brickboard, for the warning about the IPD oil drain plug’s thread!). The Mann filter was easy to loosen, and it was fairly easy to put one on without any tools. But what should have been an easy and quick job turned into a self-loathing job tat took most of the morning and afternoon! Much of the job was cleaning up! Grrrrrr! I’m still mad! I have some questions if y’all don’t mind.

1. Is oil bad on rubber hoses? Reason I asked is that some got onto the lower radiator hose and the long hose that crosses over the front of the engine. I was afraid to use GUNK engine degreaser to clean them because it warns of using the spray on rubber. I used dishwashing soap instead and then used a moist towel to clean the oil off the rubber hoses. Is dishwashing soap fine on rubber hoses?

2. I used GUNK engine degreaser on the metal parts though. I tried to spray some GUNK on the affected manifold and down into the heat shield. Then I gently poured water using a flower watering can. Was this a good idea or should I just have let the engine heat burn off the oil. I’m thinking all this GUNK and water might seep into something behind the heat shield that I’m not able to see.

3. I also poured water onto the engine, near that plastic case where the timing belt is(?). Could water seep into the case?

Man, what a day! Next oil change will be synthetic. I’m gonna buy a funnel later on and also more GUNK with the needle so I can reach more into the heat shield. I’d sure love to hear some of y’alls silly DIY mishaps. I’m not the only idiot, am I?

Edit to add that my engine looks a lot cleaner now! :o)