Rant: That time a simple oil change turned into a three hour nightmare

I was working on a 2015 Honda Civic last Saturday, just a basic oil change and filter swap. Everything was going fine until I went to loosen the drain plug and it just wouldn't budge. The last guy who worked on this car must have put it on with an impact wrench. I ended up using a breaker bar and a six point socket after my 3/8 ratchet almost stripped the head. Then when I finally got it off, the old gasket stuck to the pan and I had to scrape it off with a razor blade for twenty minutes. To top it off, the new filter I ordered was the wrong size, so I had to drive fifteen minutes to the nearest AutoZone. By the time I was done, what should have been a thirty minute job took almost three hours. Has anyone else dealt with a previous mechanic overtightening everything like this?

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1 Comment

finley_lopez981mo ago

It's always the previous guy who thinks he's building a bridge instead of changing your oil. Had a similar thing on a Corolla where the plug was so tight the breaker bar was flexing. Worst part is when you finally get it off and realize they used thread locker on a drain plug. Then you're stuck cleaning that off and hoping the threads aren't ruined. The gasket stuck to the pan is a classic too. I keep a pack of assorted crush washers in my toolbox now just for that. Three hours for a thirty minute job sounds about right when you factor in the cleanup and the parts store run.