Doing the dirty work

[TxKimberly]

My truck is like 4 thousand miles PAST due for an oil change, so I get home from work, throw on some old sweats and a tank top and head out to get dirty! It's NOT one of my favorite things, but hey, there are things that you just have to do in life, like them or not. So I'm headed out the garage door in all my red neck finery when my spouse looks at me and giggles. As soon as she realizes that I noticed her giggle she puts her hand over her mouth like she's gonna hide or stop the giggle I already heard. I give her my best "Spock" raised eyebrow and ask "What?"
"You don't want to know"
This of course makes it irresistible - now I HAVE to find out what she thought was sooo funny.
"Yes I do, out with it! What are you laughing about?"
"Sure you want to know?" She does this to me once in a while. I think it's a game she enjoys. It's like her "tell 'em just enough to scare 'em to death and then say no more" game. (see blog regarding bees).
"GRRRRRRR" Yes, I DID actually growl at her. "What's so damn funny?!"
"Well" she says "Your the only guy I know that can make a wife beater shirt look girly"
Note: For those of you that are not rednecks, a "Wife Beater" shirt is a tank top - a shirt with no sleeves.
Well, at first I was offended.
Then I smiled deciding it was a compliment!
Then I wasn't sure.
Then I got it filthy changing the oil in my PICKUP TRUCK! So there! Ain't nothing girly about a guy in a wife beater shirt covered in oil under a pickup truck.
Stupid wife. . . what does she know any way? :-)

[celeste26]

Well how many women have you seen with tank tops on? Quite a few I bet so maybe the term "wife beater shirt" has become meaningless. Or never was appropriate in the first place. Isn't it an "old south" term anyway.

Regardless, your wife has begun to see your femine ways outside of the clothes you wear and that in itself can be a valuable thing.

[Karren H]

Too funny, Kim... Lol.

I'm still digging grease and dirt from under my fingernails from last weeks exhaust system change.. Ohhh my pickup needs an oil change too... I'll be right down!! :D

Karren

[JulieC]

Reminds me of Marisa Tomei's character in "My Cousin Vinny" :)

Kim, you found the perfect woman, and you were ever so smart to ask her to marry you those many years ago. Save your life indeed!

[robyn1114]

that's funny

[junetv]

use a Mityvac to suck that old oil out of the dipstick. Works well and half as dirty. I can practically change mine in a skirt suit.

[Kate Simmons]

Believe me Kim, that was a compliment. I would have liked to have seen it though.:heehee:

[serinalynn]

On ocassion I'll get out and change to oil in my Durango or in my F-150 but I
don't recall getting filthy dirty doing it. Changing the oil can be a relatively clean job even when you jack it up and turn out the drain plug and let the oil drain in to the pan. I wear ladies v-neck tees and they do not get dirty just changing the oil.

[amanda barber]

On ocassion I'll get out and change to oil in my Durango or in my F-150 but I
don't recall getting filthy dirty doing it. Changing the oil can be a relatively clean job even when you jack it up and turn out the drain plug and let the oil drain in to the pan. I wear ladies v-neck tees and they do not get dirty just changing the oil.

Thats pretty much my experience. I just wear old clothes and don't really get filthy. My hands will get dirty changing the filters and draining cooler lines but thats it.
I Love my F150's and F100, I dont even need to jack them up to change the oil and they are all 2wd.

[Holly]

Kim, can I bring my RAM 1500 over?

[Wenda]

I had a similar experience a couple weeks ago, helping my youngest son get ready to move 1,500 miles northwest to North-eastern BC, to a great new job. His ancient Mazda needed some work as did some spots on the wall in his apartment.
I went into the weekend with nine and a half nails, came out with six!! Barely!
I have elarned a few things from our maintenance guys, however, mechanic's gloves. You can get them at auto stores, WalMart, Canadian Tire (sorry girls), and other retailers. They are strong latex gloves. Rinse them off, dry them, use them again and again. They prevent you from using your nails as pry bars, screw drivers or scrapers.
The only problem: it takes a big change of macho attitude that your hide is tougher than latex, and "it will always grow back.." wenda

[TxKimberly]

. . . Changing the oil can be a relatively clean job . . . .


Sure it can. But not if you discover that the oil filter wrench you just bought is too big for the tiny little filter on your F150 AND you discover this AFTER you have drained the oil out. This left me with the back up and punt plan of driving a screw driver through the filter (several times) and using it to unscrew the filter. I promise you THAT will create a hell of a mess and you don't want to be doing it in a skirt.:straightface:
By the way, that's what we call redneck engineering around here! :heehee:

[KandisTX]

Let's see... F150's, Durango's, Ram 1500s... yeah I fit right in here with my RAM 1500 SLT Quad Cab. LOL... It takes a real woman to drive a big truck. ~giggles~

Kandis:love:

[Dixie]

When a woman wears a wifebeater it becomes a husband cheater Hehe He

[kristytv]

is fseries one of the 4.6s with the fl400? stupid plant build changes! my old f150 with the ifs 4x4 , its nasty no matter what, you pull the filter and it runs down on top of the axle, no way to stop it, oh mines lifted 4 inces so, you'd think it would alviate the issue? nah and thats great your wife sees the fem in you out of clothes! talk about a great feeling!

[Bobbi Lynn]

May want to try 18" channel lock instead, if you have room to get them in.


Sure it can. But not if you discover that the oil filter wrench you just bought is too big for the tiny little filter on your F150 AND you discover this AFTER you have drained the oil out. This left me with the back up and punt plan of driving a screw driver through the filter (several times) and using it to unscrew the filter. I promise you THAT will create a hell of a mess and you don't want to be doing it in a skirt.:straightface:
By the way, that's what we call redneck engineering around here! :heehee:

[nataliecd77]

hint Kim, next time BEFORE you drain the oil! get you one of them little drain adapters it screws in place of the drain plug and all you need do next time is attach the piece of hose(included) then twist a lever or ring on the valve and PRESTO! oil draining starts underway.

Hey whatta you girls complainin' 'bout I'm a professional deisel equipment mechanic, I'm usually black from fingertip to mid upper arm by the end of the day! It's rough on a manicure too!!!!!!LOL

Thanks Kim I got a good laugh out of that and I needed a good laugh!
Luv,
Natalie

[MichelleOBrien]

i'm in louisiana which i guess should mean that i know something about cars and trucks and stuff......but the only thing i DO know how to do besides put gas in it and go is change the oil and filter. i couldn't tell you the difference between a radiator and an engine block. but i know where the oil comes out and where it goes in.....but seeing as my engine light is on, anybody wanna take a look at it?

[TxKimberly]

hint Kim, next time BEFORE you drain the oil! get you one of them little drain adapters

Oh Sure! NOW y'all come outta the woodwork with your fine suggestions!Where were ya at when I was under the truck and using 5W-30 for facial cream? Huh? Where were ya'?!

[susie evans]

kim it could be a lot worse youcould have to do it for a living :(

susie

[AmberTG]

OMG, too funny!!
My right arm still hurts from the 3 days it took to get a bolt out of the frame of my Tempo, the one that holds the lower control arm into the frame. (memorial day weekend) Simple ball joint change? Ya right! A 2 pound sledge, as much PB Blaster (penetrating oil) as I could get on it , and 3 days of beating on it, off and on. Once I finally got it loose, I found that I had bent the bolt just enough that it wouldn't go through the sleeve in the control arm and I had to cut the end off with an angle grinder and push it through with a big pin punch. So much for the easy do it yourself job.

[Billijo49504]

Amber, That's what they make hot wrenches and impact wrenches for. Get it red hot and hit it with about 150lb of air, it'll come loose or twist off.

Kim, can I bring my HHR down to git da earl changed and the tars rotated????
Instead of spiking the filter, a big pr of channel locks or a pipe wrench works in a pinch.....BJ

[rachel_rachel]

Was the singlet a white one or blue one?


Nah, seriously.... My old man showed me that method for filter removal, bugger that, it's too friggin' messy. He also me showed a cheap alternative filter remover, a length of seatbealt webbing, attached to a peice of 1"x1" steel tube. Works a treat on any size filter, and doesn't slip, which an another hazard that should avoided too. Nothing worse than grease and oil getting into cuts on the knuckles.

[cindybarnes]

LOL Kimberly!
I have to ask,,,, were you wearing a bra beneath your wife beater shirt :)
Never heard that phrase before LOL
Its my once a month Saturday to work and with 6 vehicles something always needs maintanance so I choose one and drive it,Sat is normaly a slow day, today its the Cherokee.
Its a lot easier working on them when you can lift them in the air :)

Cindy aka Ms Good-Wench

[rose382832]

you could always use pantyhose or a belt as a makeshift filter wench!:heehee: no mess that way but awful funny to watch( imagine a girl taking off her pantyhose then slidding under the truck, she comes out with filter in hand and then put pantyhose back on):heehee:

[MeaganDee]

I know the feeling all tooooo well...... Do think your alone girl. Try it on the heat of deep south Texas.

[Mollyanne]

Hi Kim, I really needed that laugh, it made my morning!!!!

Love ya; Mollyanne :love:

[Kate Simmons]

Oh Sure! NOW y'all come outta the woodwork with your fine suggestions!Where were ya at when I was under the truck and using 5W-30 for facial cream? Huh? Where were ya'?!Oh I dunno Kim, they tell me 5W-30 is good for the complexion.:heehee:

[Kate Simmons]

you could always use pantyhose or a belt as a makeshift filter wench!:heehee: no mess that way but awful funny to watch( imagine a girl taking off her pantyhose then slidding under the truck, she comes out with filter in hand and then put pantyhose back on):heehee:Yeah, I know Rose. One of my fantasies is becoming a female MacGyver.:heehee:

[Erinn]

Pickup trucks?

Filter wrenches?

Changing oil?

I let my garage mechanic do that sort of thing while I dust his house while I am dressed as a French maid.

:cute:

[TxKimberly]

I know the feeling all tooooo well...... Do think your alone girl. Try it on the heat of deep south Texas.

Hiya Meagan,

That would be what the "Tx" in"TxKimberly" stands for - I AM in Texas! It was a little over 90 degrees and has been raining for most of a week so the humidity is through the roof!
I'm starting to like Erinn's idea! :-)

[Wendy me]

Kimberly... lol i don't climb under my truck or my wife's car any more.... i let the guy at the garage do it ... but some times i get into those projects around the house i doing some deck repairs on two of the decks .... the cutting and putting together is not so bad and the painting is ok ..... that tarring apart sucks......cuts on my hands broken nails sore back .....

[SarahLynn]

Kim next time punch a hole in the bottom of the filter first and drain the oil out then it's not such a messy job. I have to do this to the Range Rover when i change the oil because i don't have a filter wrench that small either.

Hahahahahahaha when you said big truck i thought you meant a real truck. So now, if you really want a challange, you can change the oil in my Freightliner for me. :tongueout :tongueout :sad:


SarahLynn

[Sheri 4242]

My truck is like 4 thousand miles PAST due for an oil changeStupid wife.

Mine, too, Kim -- thanks for the reminder! But an F-150? Come on now -- Z-71's are the toughtest in redneck country! :rofl:

Of course, I've got to say that surely you had the sense to NOT go bra-less under the wife beater?!!! We redneck CDers have got to make a statement (like the time I KNEW nobody would be at my hunting club and went hunting in a very short camo miniskirt . . . it never occurring to me that while I was positive that no club members would be there, that the Game Warden might be!!! :tongueout

Hot, you say??? Try 100 degrees with 95-100% humidity -- maybe the 5w-30 is needed?!!!! :heehee: Oh, you had that idea (below):


Where were ya at when I was under the truck and using 5W-30 for facial cream? Huh? Where were ya'?!

[karynspanties]

Just put the filter on hand tight. It won't fall off, atleast mine never have in 30 years of doing my own oil changes. My Xterra you have to reach through the drivers side between the frame and the skid plates and tie rods. Drop the filter and it get real messy. The 4runner, has the filter mounted upside down on a mount just off the cylinder head. Easy top mount access and the mount has a flange going around it to catch the oil and a fitting to run a hose to the drain pan. You could definately not break a nail changing the oil on this puppy. :D Heeeyyyyyy, should'nt we be talking about skirts or something???

[Sheri 4242]

Heeeyyyyyy, should'nt we be talking about skirts or something???

What??? You don't think talking about us girls and our pick-em-up trucks is sexy??? :rofl:

(Sorry -- kind of punchy at this time of the morning.)