Stupid Rookie Mistake - Please Help!

[Deane KY]

1987 GMC S-15 Pick-up, V6, Auto tranny.

I've had this guy for a few months. I changed the oil the day I bought him and again yesterday (3500 miles). Well, this time I made a mistake but just don't know what it is. I drove him about 10 miles yesterday after the oil change and everything seemed fine. I checked underneath before hopping in today and no oil on the ground, so off we went. About a mile and a half down the road I noticed a slight decrease of power, heard some chattering, and turned off the engine. A trail of oil behind me. I was on a busy road with nowhere to turn so I started him back up drove him about a mile and a half more til I found a spot to park near home. No oil pressure, burning oil smell (of course), and rough idling at last stop light, also, there's oil virtually everywhere under the hood. So what did I do and how do I fix it? I need to get to work tomorrow!

What I know to check -
-oil filter, did it pop off? If so, why? Too loose? Too tight? Stuck to old gasket?
-oil drain plug? I replaced the gasket and thought things should've been better than ever there.

I feel like a bonehead, but just need to make sure nothing's messed up for good! Thanks!

[maxwedge]

Welcome to AF. in all fairness here you worked on the truck, you are on site to see whether the filter blew of or you failed to notice the gasket for the old filter did not come off and now there are 2 and they leaked or it is the wrong filter and seemed tite, but is not. Your biggest problem here is once you actually look at the situation and correct it , just hope there is no permanent engine damage.

[Deane KY]

I know. It feels pointless to post on a forum when I could be looking at it, but I had to catch the bus back (just happened to be going by at that time) and I didn't have time to check things out as I had hoped. Now I'm waiting on a buddy to drive me back out to take a closer look. Just looking for anything else to check out in case my short list has left out something. I'm debating putting the old filter back on, putting a few quarts of oil in anyway, and heading down to Valvoline before they close *cringes*. Don't want to cause unnecessary strain. Thanks, though!

[maxwedge]

I would not drive this truck and possibly damage the engine further, good luck hope this gets resolved in your favor.

[Scrapper]

like they say hope you never hurt the motor...but you know where to look 4 oil filter wrong or not???? i'd have compression tested on all cylinders see if it's good or bad news...good luck..sorry to hear that happen....

[Deane KY]

Thanks for the good wishes. (still waiting on a ride to undo my doings!) Checked the old filter and the gasket's still there (I change the filter every time.). I'm optimistically thinking I just mis-screwed the new filter and it finally blew off. I always use Fram and I went with a different brand this time and it's also possible I picked up the wrong size. Is it common, in this instance, for it to take a while (12miles in my case) for it to finally give way? I had no idea there would be that much oil under the hood, either. Is this normal when dropping a filter? This is maybe the fifth or so time I've changed oil and the first time I've encountered any problems. Pressure stayed above 20 'til the last block or so, and he never died, so hopefully the engine's been spared! Thanks again, everyone. I've only been fidgeting under the hood for the past year on and off and seems so far everything I've learned is from my stupid mistakes! But that's how it goes!

[Deane KY]

Well, went back to the scene, replaced oil filter, unscrewed drain plug and screwed back on just to make sure there was no misthreading. Filled him back up with oil. Started it up. CHECK GUAGES light was on until the pressure built up and as soon as the oil got through the system it started leaking steadily out of the bottom. I can't tell where it's coming from since it's obviously dripping from all parts underneath the hood. Could this be an oil pump? If not, what else can I check? Fortunately we have a fairly decent public transportation system here so I'm trying to hold off on giving it up and taking it to a mechanic. I can miss some pretty obvious things, so feel free to offer any advice! Thanks!

[maxwedge]

Get this up in the air somehow and get it looked at, seems like you really need some professional help with this. The oil pump is internal.

[Scrapper]

you don't have a oil guage that runs on plastic tubbing do you????? or is it electric?? because that much oil leaking you should be able to tell where coming from...good luck....

[Scrapper]

i just looked and read again you say you got fram oil filter right??? well i got 1 right here 4 toyota and it has a real small rust hole in it..guy sold toyota to me because he thought seal i said no way coming out to fast so i figure ok then..took it home sure enough pin hole in fram filter...see that guy needs this filter because got rid of truck just because of that..and where they want me to send the filter it's honneywell anyway check see if that's not your problem also..hope this works out for you.and they also want me to send it to them..yah right they can come to my garage to get it....and also use 3 gallons in 8 miles.....