DIY oil change - murphey's law
I am not a total [beep], but sometimes I feel like one. Or maybe I am an [beep].
I want to change my own oil for several reasons, but one of my main reasons was that I wanted to verify that my oil level indicator in the car was working properly. Reason that I need to know: My indicator has always shown my level at the "top" bar. I read threads about Porsche's burning oil and many have to add oil, so I have been slightly suspicious of my indicator. I want to prove that 9 quarts came out when I drained the oil.
My background: This is my first Porsche; I am age 47; I have been working on cars since I was 15 and have an average mechanical aptitude. I have always been interested in saving money so I have changed out parts on cars till I was in my late 20's. I quit working on cars other than doing simple stuff like changing brakes and oil.
Fast forward.
I read OCBen's DIY oil change and assembled all of the ingredients for a proper oil change. One of my new items I had to purchase was a larger oil reservoir. I think my old one might have worked, but it would have been a challenge emptying it with oil up to the brim. So I bought a new one - but this one was fancier. It was a rectangular totally closed container that laid on it's side with a hole which would allow the oil to spill into the container. The idea is good, however the oil draining from the sump easily exceeds the flow of the oil into the reservoir. I don't have to tell you what happened next.
Anyway, as oil is spilling and running everywhere, I quickly grab my old oil pan and place it on top of this piece of $hit oil pan and capture what didn't already spill out.
So I clean up what I can, regroup and complete the draining part and filter change.
This is when I get nervous. I located the car on my steepest part of the driveway, so it would be level on the ramps. However the car was not quite level. The car was leaning a little towards the front (the front was lower). So I am not sure if I left any old oil in the engine; hence I am not sure how much to put in. I captured 6 quarts and I know I spilled some so I put in another quart. I decide that I can run the motor to pull it off the ramps since I have minimum 7 quarts. I start the engine with a slight pause on oil press. Oil press comes up and I drive off the ramps into my garage to seek a level surface. I wait the 30 minutes and check the level (which is low). I add a 1/2 qt, start it up for 10-30 secs, and wait another 30 minutes. I repeated this step until I got to the proper level.
Anyway, I will search the auto parts stores and find a larger oil change pan for my next oil change. Unfortunately - things don't always go "according to plan".
I want to change my own oil for several reasons, but one of my main reasons was that I wanted to verify that my oil level indicator in the car was working properly. Reason that I need to know: My indicator has always shown my level at the "top" bar. I read threads about Porsche's burning oil and many have to add oil, so I have been slightly suspicious of my indicator. I want to prove that 9 quarts came out when I drained the oil.
My background: This is my first Porsche; I am age 47; I have been working on cars since I was 15 and have an average mechanical aptitude. I have always been interested in saving money so I have changed out parts on cars till I was in my late 20's. I quit working on cars other than doing simple stuff like changing brakes and oil.
Fast forward.
I read OCBen's DIY oil change and assembled all of the ingredients for a proper oil change. One of my new items I had to purchase was a larger oil reservoir. I think my old one might have worked, but it would have been a challenge emptying it with oil up to the brim. So I bought a new one - but this one was fancier. It was a rectangular totally closed container that laid on it's side with a hole which would allow the oil to spill into the container. The idea is good, however the oil draining from the sump easily exceeds the flow of the oil into the reservoir. I don't have to tell you what happened next.
Anyway, as oil is spilling and running everywhere, I quickly grab my old oil pan and place it on top of this piece of $hit oil pan and capture what didn't already spill out.
So I clean up what I can, regroup and complete the draining part and filter change.
This is when I get nervous. I located the car on my steepest part of the driveway, so it would be level on the ramps. However the car was not quite level. The car was leaning a little towards the front (the front was lower). So I am not sure if I left any old oil in the engine; hence I am not sure how much to put in. I captured 6 quarts and I know I spilled some so I put in another quart. I decide that I can run the motor to pull it off the ramps since I have minimum 7 quarts. I start the engine with a slight pause on oil press. Oil press comes up and I drive off the ramps into my garage to seek a level surface. I wait the 30 minutes and check the level (which is low). I add a 1/2 qt, start it up for 10-30 secs, and wait another 30 minutes. I repeated this step until I got to the proper level.
Anyway, I will search the auto parts stores and find a larger oil change pan for my next oil change. Unfortunately - things don't always go "according to plan".
I can imagine the panic. 
