Disaster while changing the oil...
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 510
Likes: 67
From: Weeki Wachee Fl.
Glad your ok,
The oil change procedure on a C5 with the ramps,floor jack,stands can be very dangerous.
Any of us who don't understand what were doing should let dealer do it.
Please be careful all
The oil change procedure on a C5 with the ramps,floor jack,stands can be very dangerous.
Any of us who don't understand what were doing should let dealer do it.
Please be careful all
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,058
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
Originally Posted by Mr. Wonderful
They do ? Mine are flat on top.
...You are one lucky **** that you were not under the car when it rolled down.....I just changed oil outside and used the same method you did for getting the rear end up...but I used plastic chocks...Next time I will be even MORE careful after reading what happened to you 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
I'm just grateful that this post wasn't written by his widow with the title: "Killed, trying to save $20."
Thanks for sharing your painful story, for it will certainly prevent others from making the same mistake.
As for me, it's just not worth my time and trouble to change the oil myself. I'd rather spend the $45 and be done with it. If I had room for a lift in my garage, that would be a different story, though. I DO like working on my own cars, generally.
Just curious, how do you properly repair the floor after something like that?
Thanks for sharing your painful story, for it will certainly prevent others from making the same mistake.
As for me, it's just not worth my time and trouble to change the oil myself. I'd rather spend the $45 and be done with it. If I had room for a lift in my garage, that would be a different story, though. I DO like working on my own cars, generally.
Just curious, how do you properly repair the floor after something like that?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,405
Likes: 26
From: Whippany NJ
CI 6-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by IrishFan
For those of you out there that use a ramp to change the oil, what procedure do you use to get the rear up in the air to drain all the oil?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 3
From: Rehoboth MA . . . NRA Life Member
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Originally Posted by IrishFan
The ramps do have a flat spot..which is the other part of this mystery. I understand now that "Park" only locks the rear wheels...but I'm still puzzled as to why the front wheels would roll if 1) they're on the flat spot of the ramps and 2) the rear of the car is slightly higher than the front of the car.
You are correct...the ramps do not have a lip. I plan to modify them before I do this again.
You are correct...the ramps do not have a lip. I plan to modify them before I do this again.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,616
Likes: 1,055
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '16
Another option for oil change
I just jack the driver side up, remove drain plug & filter lower it back down let drain about 2 hours repeat and replace plug & filter lower and fill with oil. I do put a jack stand under for safety when ever getting under the car.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,135
Likes: 0
From: South Glastonbury CT
St. Jude Donor '06
Man o Man! You were very lucky to have not been under your car when it decided to roll! Glad you didn't get hurt. I would recommend new ramps, if you don't have raised rim so as to prevent your car from rolling. Ebrake and in gear only lock up the rear wheels. Tough lesson to learn. Just glad you didn't get hurt!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 691
From: Boise ID
For oil changes, I just use wooden floor ramps 4 1/2 inches high. High enough to reach the plug and filter but not at much of an incline. I don't worry about jacking up the rear as I can live with 1/2 quart of used oil left in the engine.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: Vettemod.com For the C3 People
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Dang sorry to hear about your problem
Using 4 jackstand may be best. Skip the ramp all together.
Good Luck
Using 4 jackstand may be best. Skip the ramp all together.
Good Luck
Forget the ramps! Always use 4 stands! Bet all your oil came out after all that a? Dang happy u b ok, it can always be worse.....
Best! Good luck on the fixes.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,310
Likes: 36
From: DSM IA & Lake of the Ozarks
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,073
Likes: 1
From: Sarver Pennsylvania
Originally Posted by buckdog06
Also- if you were in your garage. You prob pulled in, and your garage is sloped so water and liquids will drain out. So naturally it was wanting to roll backwards out the garage.
Glad you weren't under it, like a friend of mine was and got crushed and died.
Glad you weren't under it, like a friend of mine was and got crushed and died.
We do NOT need any other members to be in that position!. Lots of good advice being given here - use it!
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: South Texas
Originally Posted by MyOwn69
We do NOT need any other members to be in that position!. Lots of good advice being given here - use it!
Lots of good advice.
Part of the fun of the Vette is doing my own service.
These posts have definitely changed my methodology:
Either jackstands all the way around or I will back on to the ramps and use stands on the front. (with the manual in gear and the parking brake on).
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Portland OR
Thanks for all the support and good inputs. 
I figure I should learn as much as I can from this, so I spent a good hour today doing a play-by-play of what happened. The biggest mistake was my assumption that "Park" locked the front wheels. Had I known otherwise, I would have done things completely differnt. I do feel pretty stupid...I should have remembered from past experience that the front wheel does spin when the car is in park.
As safe as it may seem, I have a phobia of getting under a car with jackstands all around. So I'm going to make some changes to the ramp and also change the setup and location for any future work.
p.s. no pictures of the accident, but I did take some pics of the damage to the floorboard. Would be happy to share if anybody is willing to post.
I figure I should learn as much as I can from this, so I spent a good hour today doing a play-by-play of what happened. The biggest mistake was my assumption that "Park" locked the front wheels. Had I known otherwise, I would have done things completely differnt. I do feel pretty stupid...I should have remembered from past experience that the front wheel does spin when the car is in park.
As safe as it may seem, I have a phobia of getting under a car with jackstands all around. So I'm going to make some changes to the ramp and also change the setup and location for any future work.
p.s. no pictures of the accident, but I did take some pics of the damage to the floorboard. Would be happy to share if anybody is willing to post.
Last edited by IrishFan; Jul 6, 2006 at 06:39 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: South Texas
Originally Posted by IrishFan
Thanks for all the support and good inputs.
I figure I should learn as much as I can from this, so I spent a good hour today doing a play-by-play of what happened. The biggest mistake was my assumption that "Park" locked the front wheels. Had I known otherwise, I would have done things completely differnt. I do feel pretty stupid...I should have remembered from past experience that the front wheel does spin when the car is in park.
As safe as it may seem, I have a phobia of getting under a car with jackstands all around. So I'm going to make some changes to the ramp and also change the setup and location for any future work.
p.s. no pictures of the accident, but I did take some pics of the damage to the floorboard. Would be happy to share if anybody is willing to post.
I figure I should learn as much as I can from this, so I spent a good hour today doing a play-by-play of what happened. The biggest mistake was my assumption that "Park" locked the front wheels. Had I known otherwise, I would have done things completely differnt. I do feel pretty stupid...I should have remembered from past experience that the front wheel does spin when the car is in park.
As safe as it may seem, I have a phobia of getting under a car with jackstands all around. So I'm going to make some changes to the ramp and also change the setup and location for any future work.
p.s. no pictures of the accident, but I did take some pics of the damage to the floorboard. Would be happy to share if anybody is willing to post.
I know about the front wheel spin and I have done exactly the same thing.
It is a shame about the damage and mess but you are ok and you may have saved someone else's hiney by posting your message.
Ron P.