"uofime-2" (uofime-2)
10/19/2015 at 16:52 • Filed to: None
0
0|
"uofime-2" (uofime-2)
10/19/2015 at 16:52 • Filed to: None | 0
| 0 |
It’s a simple job, changing the oil on a motorcycle, but the world always makes a better idiot and thus even the simplest task can be screwed up, I am that idiot, this is my tale.
It had been longer than I care to admit since the oil in my 250 Ninja had been changed and it is getting late in the year so I resolved it would go undone no longer. To that end last week I gave up finding the parts locally and just ordered the filter and appropriate oil from Dennis Kirk.
I was busy most of the weekend but on Sunday afternoon I resolved it was time to get it done. The bike really didn’t want to start, but just as the battery was about to give up turning it over it fired up. I dared not turn it off, so I left it running in the parking lot as I ran up to my third floor apt for my jacket and helmet, since clearly it needed a good ride to recharge the battery.
I was low on gas so I headed to the nearest station to fill it up. A couple minutes into the ride I realized I’d forgotten to put the new registration sticker on it. Just a short ride, shouldn’t be a problem right? Not long after a cop pulls out of a side street behind me. There a light coming up where I was planing to make a left to go into that station I was heading for, but that’s probably not a good idea with the cop behind me. So a change of plans, right it is, there’s a station a bit further that way anyway.
I make it to the station, fill it up and say screw it, its a beautiful day, I’m going for a ride, I’ll change the oil afterwards.
By the time I get back it is a bit late so I have to rush a bit. Toss the oil pan under it, knock the drain loose. At this point I regret riding it so long because the damn drain bolt is too hot to grab and too loose to use the ratchet on, but I struggle through. Then knock the filter canister plug loose, this is of course equally hot and has a bazillion threads (10-15). The oil pan is already a tight fit and of course I can’t actually get the canister assembly out with it under there, but I really don’t want to drip since strictly speaking I’m not supposed to be working in the apt parking lot (for this exact reason most likely).
With a bit of wiggling I get the pan and filter out together with no drips I might add. I take the assembly up to my apt to check the directions and rebuild the assembly with the new o-rings and filter. Once that’s done I bring it back down and hurriedly stick it and the plug back in and start adding my new oil. Fill it up, tilt bike, check sight gauge, repeat several times, start bike to prime the filter, repeat filling process and call it done.
It is getting dark now so I cover the bike back up happy to be able to take the bike for a ride tomorrow(today) after work since it will be gorgeous.
Get inside and realize I left the top hat for the canister assembly in my sink. The guild online has very specific warnings about not forgetting parts of the assembly and I’ve gone ahead and done it anyway.
To try to salvage the situation I decide I’ll try to get it done at lunch today. I then make a complete mess cleaning out my oil pan so I can re use the 20$ worth of unused oil I just put in the bike. At lunch today I rush home, start the bike then rush upstairs to change into dirty cloths. I come down break the drain loose and since its cooler use my hand to twist it off. As I get it off I yank my hand out to avoid the oil but pull it straight into the exhaust pipe conveniently located right next to it.
I pull my hand out of there to see how bad I’ve burned myself then look back to realize I knocked the oil pan out of the way and am dumping that oil I wanted to save all over the parking lot! So I get that back under there and go to my trunk and pull gobbs of shop towels to try to contain the oil, then dig around to find a garbage bag for them ( I keep both of these in my trunk, because this is not my first rodeo). Now it has drained enough so I pull that canister, once again wrestle it, the filter wasn’t damaged so I just put the hat on and put everything back together.
All the while I’m looking around like a crack addict hoping my neighbors don’t come around and see the mess I’ve made. When I put the oil back in I realize I’ve dumped 3/4 of a quart in the parking lot thus meaning I need to get more than the left over from my last quart filling up. Fortunately I had planned on ordering enough for two changes so I went up to my apt and grabbed another quart as well as a pitcher of very soapy water and a rag to attempt to clean up the mess I’ve made.
I get back down and finish filling the bike and then set about cleaning the black top. Scrub it a bit then call it good enough and dumb the pitcher of water and go up to eat lunch. After it dried a bit looking from my balcony it still looked like someone committed oily murder so I refilled my pitcher of soapy water and grabbed my scroungiest towel for round two. I did my best once again then went back up to clean my stuff and of course my sink clogs up with something.
I could have saved myself a whole bunch of work if I had just taken my time, and not rushed in the first place, but of course I am an idiot and did. Oh, well I’m still going to go for a ride anyway. Fingers crossed I don’t have anymore bad luck