300 HR service mess - fluid spill!

[lhfarm]

I'm just now doing the 300 hour service on my TC40DA, so you can tell I've not been able to use it much in the past 5 years. I read all the threads here, drove the 2 hours to the dealer (hour there and an hour back) purchased all the supplies and purchased a bunch of funnels.

It is a beautiful day here in central Indiana. 70 and sunny. I thought it would be a good day to be crawling under a tractor. So started the tractor to warm it and removed the wood splitter for easy access to the rear. Took 2 5 gallon pails and lined them with trash bags. Set one under each drain plug. I think the guy who did the 50 hour service has knuckles that drag the ground given the force needed to remove the plugs. Otherwise had little trouble getting the fluid to pour into the buckets.

That is when I made my error. That was going so well, I thought I'd work on the filters. While changing the front filter, I failed to notice that the back pail had gotten full every quickly and was starting to overflow. The damage was done by the time I got the plug in. It had slowed to a small trickle by then.

Not sure how much fluid went on the floor. I suspect not more than a quart or so, but enough that it took a roll of paper towels to get it up. I finished with the filters and put a little over 7 gal in. Started the tractor and drove it out of the barn. Checked at it was just at the top of the full mark on the dip stick.

So I have about an hour changing the fluid and going on 2 hours cleaning up the mess. That part of the barn floor hasn't been this clean since it was built. I haven't enjoyed the clean up and don't want to and won't repeat that mistake.

Did I make a mistake of draining both locations at the same time? Thinking about it, I assume the rear would be under the most pressure. In any case, I wanted to share my mistake, in hopes others won't have to do clean up work.

 

[yooper1]

Don't feel bad...I can and do spill about 1 quart of used oil every time I change oil on my cars & trucks.

I think I am literally feeble / dumb / clumsy

And yes, I mean EVERY time...

Now I automatically place 4 of the oil soak up pads on the floor or ground first and then put the drain pan on top of them.

Maybe that is why when the wind blows and I am outside, I hear whistling coming from the down wind ear as the wind blows in one side and out the other

 

[V1Rotate]

I just changed all the fluids in my TC29 and managed to spill only a little. I think what saved me was the fact that I wasn't sure how much was going come out of each drain so I did one at a time and I used a drain pan like you would use for changing the oil in your car. As the drain pan got to be more than half full, I would put the plug back in and empty the pan into a 5 gal bucket. This process still made a mess, I don't think there is an easy way.

 

[sweep]

Rubbermaid or Newell?? makes shallow 10-12-15 size gallon pans that are perfect for changing oil. Fits perfectly under the tractor-at least my tc45a.

A friend got one from his work in the food industry and I used it and it works great.

It does take 2 people to drain the oil from the pan to 5 gallon buckets for recycling because it's akward with that much oil in it.

 

[ragkar]

Cat liter will soak up spilled oil.

 

[NWOH_Grizz]

Got tired of cleaning up the garage floor after changing the oil on my 6.0 PSD Ford, so got one of those metal shallow, flat, drain pan thingies. Has a lip all the way around about 3/4" tall. Put my oil-catching pan on top of that, do my oil change, not a drop on the floor now. A quick wipe of the flat floor pan, and its ready for the next oil change.

 

[lhfarm]

Thanks for the ideas. I still have more fluid to change (front-end), so I'll be able to try some of the suggestions. I did get at least part of the floor scrubbed and swept a good part of the rest of the barn.

 

[Porkie]

A barn doesn't have any character unless it's got stains everywhere! I have a full size hydraulic lift and a service station type oil drain receptacle that probably holds 10 gallons and I still manage to make a mess!

It seems like I always have some fecue grass on the floor around the lift from working on rotary cutters, finish mowers or my ZTR so i just sweep that stuff over to soak up any oil I spilled.

Fun doin' your own maintenance!!!!

Sam

 

[Tractorlover]

I'm just now doing the 300 hour service on my TC40DA, so you can tell I've not been able to use it much in the past 5 years. I read all the threads here, drove the 2 hours to the dealer (hour there and an hour back) purchased all the supplies and purchased a bunch of funnels.

It is a beautiful day here in central Indiana. 70 and sunny. I thought it would be a good day to be crawling under a tractor. So started the tractor to warm it and removed the wood splitter for easy access to the rear. Took 2 5 gallon pails and lined them with trash bags. Set one under each drain plug. I think the guy who did the 50 hour service has knuckles that drag the ground given the force needed to remove the plugs. Otherwise had little trouble getting the fluid to pour into the buckets.

That is when I made my error. That was going so well, I thought I'd work on the filters. While changing the front filter, I failed to notice that the back pail had gotten full every quickly and was starting to overflow. The damage was done by the time I got the plug in. It had slowed to a small trickle by then.

Not sure how much fluid went on the floor. I suspect not more than a quart or so, but enough that it took a roll of paper towels to get it up. I finished with the filters and put a little over 7 gal in. Started the tractor and drove it out of the barn. Checked at it was just at the top of the full mark on the dip stick.

So I have about an hour changing the fluid and going on 2 hours cleaning up the mess. That part of the barn floor hasn't been this clean since it was built. I haven't enjoyed the clean up and don't want to and won't repeat that mistake.

Did I make a mistake of draining both locations at the same time? Thinking about it, I assume the rear would be under the most pressure. In any case, I wanted to share my mistake, in hopes others won't have to do clean up work.

Wow how did that happen

 

[mojoinco]

1. I save large pieces of cardboard. Easier to work on than a creeper, and you can pull everything out when you are done. Grampa passed that one on to me at the same time he told me you should have more oil in the bucket than on you. He was a heavy equipment mechanic. I believed him. Sometimes I still wear more than I should. Oh, when the cardboard is too oil soaked, throw it in the trash.

2. In addition to kitty litter, sawdust.

3. 5 gallon buckets are free from painters and 3~5 gallon buckets at your local bakery (including super markets). I have some that are only for oil changes. Don't need to clean them. And old GI type gas cans are perfect for oil return cans. Who cares if they have rust? And they are 5 gallons, which is all some places will take at once.

 

[jinman]

Did I make a mistake of draining both locations at the same time? Thinking about it, I assume the rear would be under the most pressure. In any case, I wanted to share my mistake, in hopes others won't have to do clean up work.

You know, I've done this so many times I wouldn't even think to tell somebody to drain only one at a time, but that's exactly what I do. Sorry you learned this lesson the hard way.

 

[Ford850]

I use cardboard on the floor for all my fluid changes too. I nailed a couple 1x4's between two of the pole barn posts, one is a foot and the other is three feet off the floor. That's my holding bin for cardboard and all medium to large boxes are flattened and stored there. Easy to grab when needed, and once soaked they go to the burn pile. But even with the cardboard, a quart of spilled oil would have been too much for it.

 

[jinman]

I use cardboard on the floor for all my fluid changes too. I nailed a couple 1x4's between two of the pole barn posts, one is a foot and the other is three feet off the floor. That's my holding bin for cardboard and all medium to large boxes are flattened and stored there. Easy to grab when needed, and once soaked they go to the burn pile. But even with the cardboard, a quart of spilled oil would have been too much for it.

I have a whole stack of "redneck creepers" too. What would we homeboys do without cardboard boxes?:laughing:

 

[RickB]

I have a whole stack of "redneck creepers" too. What would we homeboys do without cardboard boxes?:laughing:

They are called 'Rough Terrain Creepers" around here. Rednecks don't use creepers at all.

 

[JC-jetro]

I replaced the carpet in our living room and chopped it up to 2x2 or 2x4 feet, it serves as very "low profile" creeper and "oil sucker upper" when needed for me.

How about them apples !!

JC,


PS, Jim, That should out perform "redneck creeper".

 

[lhfarm]

You know, I've done this so many times I wouldn't even think to tell somebody to drain only one at a time, but that's exactly what I do. Sorry you learned this lesson the hard way.

Well it is one of those lessons I'm not likely to forget and I did get the barn floor cleaned before winter. But I also posted here in hopes that someone looking to do the service might find it and avoid the mess.

Before I retired, I use to collect all the computer system boxes from around work. Had a steady supply. I'll be looking for another source. All my old jeeps seem to have leaks and the cardboard gets a good workout.

 

[mojoinco]

I used to line my garage floor with mattress and refrigerator boxes. That worked where it didn't snow (too much water from melting snow). It made the shop just a bit warmer and a lot nicer on your legs and feet.