It's Been One of Those Days!

[Oleozz]

My Mule gets used about every day so this morning I decided to change the oil and filter. It's not an easy machine to work on, to remove the drain plug there is a small hole in the skid plate that the socket just barely fits through and the filter is a real bugger to get off.
I worked for about a half hour trying to get the filter removed and finally I poked a hole in it with a screwdriver and turned if off with the screwdriver. I put the new filter on and was finally ready for the oil. I had bought some good synthetic oil from Diesel Power, manufactured by Texas Refinery Corp, not cheap but high quality.
I started to pour the oil and I was thinking to myself how nice the clean oil looked and how well the Mule was going to run with the synthetic oil when all of a sudden I remembered I had forgot to put the drain plug back in. I made a mad scramble to get under the Mule and I saw my synthetic oil running in with the used oil, I tried frantically to get the drain plug in but naturally with the oil running out it didn't want to go back in the hole.
I finally got the plug back in but not before losing about a quart of the good stuff. It could have been worse I guess, the oil could have run out on the floor or I could have run it without putting the plug back.
I am glad it was the Mule and not the tractor, the Kioti holds two gallons and has two drain plugs, that would have been a real mess.

 

[thcri]

I started to pour the oil and I was thinking to myself how nice the clean oil looked and how well the Mule was going to run with the synthetic oil when all of a sudden I remembered I had forgot to put the drain plug back in. I made a mad scramble to get under the Mule and I saw my synthetic oil running in with the used oil, I tried frantically to get the drain plug in but naturally with the oil running out it didn't want to go back in the hole.
I finally got the plug back in but not before losing about a quart of the good stuff. It could have been worse I guess, the oil could have run out on the floor or I could have run it without putting the plug back.
I am glad it was the Mule and not the tractor, the Kioti holds two gallons and has two drain plugs, that would have been a real mess.

I wouldn't worry to much about it. There is nothing you can do now, that is like water over the dam. I am sure many have done that here on TBN. I know I did it once many years ago but I did catch it a bit earlier than you. I actually heard it running so was able to stop pouring right away. Actually you do flush out the bottom of the pan doing that???

murph

 

[mjarrels]

When ever I spill oil on the garage floor, its always from a machine with the largest capacity!

mark

 

[knute_m]

Hey, at least you caught it.

When I was kid, there was a Phillips 66 service station just down the road. They sold gas, they did a little bit of service, and they played poker in the back room.

This place didn't have a lift. It had a pit. They placed a big funnel on pipe over a tub, and drained the oil into the tub.

One of the neighbors brought his car in for an oil change. While the oil was draining, the car owner and the grease monkey both joined in the back room card game.

The old oil was drained. The new oil was put it. The drain plug wasn't. The owner drove his car out when he finished playing cards. The car made it a couple of hundred yards.

The feud went on for years.

 

[scott_vt]

I started to pour the oil and I was thinking to myself how nice the clean oil looked and how well the Mule was going to run with the synthetic oil when all of a sudden I remembered I had forgot to put the drain plug back in. I made a mad scramble to get under the Mule and I saw my synthetic oil running in with the used oil, I tried frantically to get the drain plug in but naturally with the oil running out it didn't want to go back in the hole.
I finally got the plug back in but not before losing about a quart of the good stuff.

Afternoon Oleozz,
If thats the worst thing that happens to you then consider it a pretty good day ! Ive made some much costlier mistakes than that !

 

[WayneB]

Well I have never done anything like that! Yes I have and it only hurts for a little while. Once you are out riding on the mule it will all be in the past.

 

[Bird]

One thing about it, Oleozz, your mistake wasn't an unusual one.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. been there / done that. Just chalk it up to uh... flushing the crankcase.. (grin).

As for the difficulty in servicing. i hear ya. I've got a yerfdog CUV scout vehicle... And there is just NO easy way to change crankcase oil.. gear oil.. or the air filter.. In fact.. to service air filter.. you have to remove the front catch on the tilt bed and let it swing all the way back...

soundguy