Oh boy... Oil change mishap, need advice

edconline · 10-19-2012, 02:08 PM

Well I did something that I still can't believe while I was getting the Z ready for hibernation and now I need some advice.

While I was filling the oil after draining it and putting the new filter back on, I grabbed the next bottle, unscrewed the cap and started pouring it in.. only to have the round paper topper that must still have been still on the bottle fall into the filler hole... and now its gone..

What to do? Thanks for any/all suggestions!

fuct · 10-19-2012, 02:21 PM

im curious.... but most oil container have a hard to remove plastic/paper cover, almost like an orange juice container. once you rip that off there isnt anything left... was there something extra in the cap? and are you 100% sure its in the engine now?

m4a1mustang · 10-19-2012, 02:26 PM

Get it out. Probably need to pull the valve cover.

edconline · 10-19-2012, 02:42 PM

Yes the bottle had that, I had already opened it to fill the filter a bit, then put the cap back on while I installed the filter, that's why when I opened it again I just started pouring. The paper topper must have been in the lid, then stuck to the mouth of the bottle when I took the cap back off. I'm 100% sure it went it, it was like slow motion when it happened.

Mitco39 · 10-19-2012, 02:44 PM

If it was a paper type topper I wouldn't worry about it, it break down over time. If it was a metal type then I would be a little more worried about it.

didymus · 10-19-2012, 03:17 PM

I dont know but that sucks!

edconline · 10-19-2012, 03:22 PM

It is 100% paper, it's the top part inside the redline oil bottles

Spikuh · 10-19-2012, 03:33 PM

Drop a lit match in there and kill it with fire?

Trips · 10-19-2012, 03:38 PM

I would use a flashlight and small mirror to light up the filler area and see if you can see the top of the cap and if you can see it you can try to use a small piece of a metal coat hanger or something similar to move the piece over where you can reach it with needle nose pliers.

If not the only way to remove it is to remove the valve cover like it has been mentioned before.

I wouldn't worry that much about it though.

VoBoy · 10-19-2012, 04:01 PM

I personally wouldn't worry about it. It'll get destroyed against moving metal and little bits and pieces will get collected by the filter eventually. If you're really anal I agree with removing the valve cover, hopefully it hasn't gone too far for you to track it down in there though.

edconline · 10-19-2012, 04:14 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I am very picky about this kinda stuff, however I don't know that I have the confidence in my DIY skills to take the valve cover off. At this point, I will try to flush it out with oil, failing that I guess I'll have to run it, then maybe do the next change early after 100km or something to hopefully remove the particles of the paper.

My main concern is it blocking some sort of oil inlet for the engine or getting in to where the pistons are, I really have no idea about the path of oil in the engine and from the filler hole though TBH.

edconline · 10-19-2012, 05:34 PM

Update:
I can't bring myself to just run it, and after aome more recommendations, I'm gonna try to find it by taking off the valve cover. Is there anywhere I can find a walk through on this, or at least some general instructions?

03g35coupe6mt · 10-19-2012, 06:14 PM

did you at least shine a flash light into the fill hole to see if you can see it ?

.c2 · 10-19-2012, 06:19 PM

Oh man that sucks.. good luck with it!

cdoxp800 · 10-19-2012, 06:33 PM

Been there done that. I just with the "Truck" never had an issue.

10-19-2012, 02:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Oh boy... Oil change mishap, need advice Well I did something that I still can't believe while I was getting the Z ready for hibernation and now I need some advice. While I was filling the oil after draining it and putting the new filter back on, I grabbed the next bottle, unscrewed the cap and started pouring it in.. only to have the round paper topper that must still have been still on the bottle fall into the filler hole... and now its gone.. What to do? Thanks for any/all suggestions! __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-19-2012, 02:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	Get it out. Probably need to pull the valve cover. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

10-19-2012, 02:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Yes the bottle had that, I had already opened it to fill the filter a bit, then put the cap back on while I installed the filter, that's why when I opened it again I just started pouring. The paper topper must have been in the lid, then stuck to the mouth of the bottle when I took the cap back off. I'm 100% sure it went it, it was like slow motion when it happened. __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-19-2012, 02:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mitco39 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada Posts: 2,089 Drives: 40th 370z Rep Power: 131	If it was a paper type topper I wouldn't worry about it, it break down over time. If it was a metal type then I would be a little more worried about it. __________________ 2007 Chevy Duramax - EFILive Tuned By Me 2010 40th W/ Nav - Boosted Performance - UpRev Tuned By Me The Mrs. Ride -2012 335XI N55 BMW - Cobb Tuned By Me, Built by her My Build --> http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...39s-build.html

10-19-2012, 03:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	It is 100% paper, it's the top part inside the redline oil bottles __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-19-2012, 02:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
fuct A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sugar Land Posts: 3,692 Drives: 97' Ranger :) Rep Power: 23	im curious.... but most oil container have a hard to remove plastic/paper cover, almost like an orange juice container. once you rip that off there isnt anything left... was there something extra in the cap? and are you 100% sure its in the engine now?

10-19-2012, 03:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
didymus Track Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Providence / Boston Posts: 564 Drives: 280 / 370Z Rep Power: 305	I dont know but that sucks!

10-19-2012, 03:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Trips Administrator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disneyland, Ca Posts: 8,728 Drives: 🔰 Rep Power: 10	I would use a flashlight and small mirror to light up the filler area and see if you can see the top of the cap and if you can see it you can try to use a small piece of a metal coat hanger or something similar to move the piece over where you can reach it with needle nose pliers. If not the only way to remove it is to remove the valve cover like it has been mentioned before. I wouldn't worry that much about it though. __________________

10-19-2012, 04:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
VoBoy Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago/Houston Posts: 37 Drives: 06 350z Rep Power: 16	I personally wouldn't worry about it. It'll get destroyed against moving metal and little bits and pieces will get collected by the filter eventually. If you're really anal I agree with removing the valve cover, hopefully it hasn't gone too far for you to track it down in there though.

10-19-2012, 04:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Thanks for the replies guys. I am very picky about this kinda stuff, however I don't know that I have the confidence in my DIY skills to take the valve cover off. At this point, I will try to flush it out with oil, failing that I guess I'll have to run it, then maybe do the next change early after 100km or something to hopefully remove the particles of the paper. My main concern is it blocking some sort of oil inlet for the engine or getting in to where the pistons are, I really have no idea about the path of oil in the engine and from the filler hole though TBH. __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-19-2012, 05:34 PM	#12 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Update: I can't bring myself to just run it, and after aome more recommendations, I'm gonna try to find it by taking off the valve cover. Is there anywhere I can find a walk through on this, or at least some general instructions? __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-19-2012, 06:14 PM	#13 (permalink)
03g35coupe6mt Base Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Stroudsburg Pa Posts: 183 Drives: 2010 Z / 2003 G35cp Rep Power: 14	did you at least shine a flash light into the fill hole to see if you can see it ?

10-19-2012, 06:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
.c2 Enthusiast Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: BC Canada Posts: 414 Drives: 09 370z MB 6MT Rep Power: 12	Oh man that sucks.. good luck with it! __________________ Instagram // Build Thread Amuse / Mines / Bride / Momo / KW / Hotchkis / Motordyne / Invidia / Injen

10-19-2012, 06:33 PM	#15 (permalink)
cdoxp800 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: FL Posts: 1,337 Drives: 2011 Nismo Rep Power: 18	Been there done that. I just with the "Truck" never had an issue. __________________ 2011 Brilliant Silver NISMO 370z. #: 0046. PPE LTH \| MillSpec Cats \| F.I Exhaust \| Akuma Intakes \| Rotora 6/4 Brakes Last edited by cdoxp800; 10-19-2012 at 09:01 PM.

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