What a fun evening.

Had a very interesting evening last night.

As I left work, I called my parents to see if they needed me to pick anything up on the way home for dinner. Mom said no. About ten minutes later, Dad called and asked me to pick up a cucumber on my way home.

So I stop and get the cucumber. Dad had asked for some special kind, but I couldn't find that, so I bought a regular one. On my way home I called Mom to tell her that I couldn't find the cucumber they wanted, and she informed me that there was a "small" oil puddle in the garage where my car had been parked all weekend. She told me to check the car before leaving the store. I informed her that I was already on the road. Mind you, I had already driven over 60 miles since that morning, so I wasn't worried about anything going wrong.

I hung up with her, and about 60 seconds later, I hear (and feel) something hit the bottom of the car a few times. There wasn't anything in the road, so I knew that it had to come off my car. Then I started to see what looked like smoke coming out the back of my car. CRAP!!!!! So I pull over at an old school. There is a bit of smoke coming out of the hood. I open the hood and can't see anything wrong, except I smell hot oil. So I peek under the car and there is oil POURING out of my drain pan, from where the plug is supposed to be. Hmmm, seems my drain plug came loose and FELL OUT. At least I hope that is what happened.
I changed the oil 2700 miles ago, its due for another change in 2300 miles. Why would the plug get loose now????

So I call mom back and ask her to send dad with the ramps and a wrench to come get me, hoping that it is just the plug came out, and that I don't need a new oil pan.

After about 30 minutes, dad gets there, we decide that it was just the oil plug, and lock the car up and head for the auto parts store (that is right across the street from the grocery I was just at).

Both people are helping other people, so we grab the oil and the absorbant stuff and wait, as we don't know what size the plug is. (The plugs are on the rack right at the back of the store, but I don't know the size). And wait, and wait, and wait. Finally after about 20 minutes, one of the guys asks what we need.

"I need the size of the oil drain plug for a 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT," I said.

He starts typing.

"What kind of Honda was it?" He asked.

"No, a Pontiac Vibe...... GT....... 2003", I responded.

"Oh, ok."

More typing.

"Well we don't carry that. Must be a dealer part. Good luck finding one of those open at this time."

Mass panic ensues. How am I going to get the part? Who do I need to call about the car sitting there overnight? HOW AM I GOING TO GET TO WORK TOMORROW?????

"Please look up the Toyota Matrix XRS," I quiped.

"Maybe I can look it up a different way" More typing. "Hey!.....Oh, we don't have it in stock.... It's one of those quick drain attachments."

"What size is it?", I ask.

"M12-20."

I run back and grab that size plug.

I come back up, he is going on and on to Dad about how that won't fit and I really should get the part from the dealer (!!!!!!!).

"Please look up the Toyota Matrix XRS," I again asked.

More talking ensued with the guy he was trying to help at the same time.

"Please look up the Toyota Matrix XRS," I asked yet again.

"Maybe you had better call the State Highway Patrol. They have a habit of towing cars on the side of the road."

"My car is in a parking lot. Please look up the Toyota Matrix XRS or the Toyota Celica GTS, they are the same engine."

"Ok, but I don't think that we will have it either"........ Hey it says the size is M12-20."

"OK, ring me up".


We get back to the car and put the plug in, add the oil and spread the absorbant. Then we drove home normally.

I looked at the "small" oil puddle on the garage floor. It was 2 feet by 20". Not exactly a "small" puddle. She should have told me to STOP at that moment and look.

Oh well. Everything seems to be ok. I will still be changing the oil in 2000 or so miles to stay on my schedual.

The entire underside and back of the car is/was covered in oil. What I thought was smoke coming out the back was oil being dispersed by driving 60 miles an hour.

I took the car to a self car wash at lunch and power washed it off. I have to buy gas on the way home, so I will get a car wash there as well tonight. Hopefully it has a good underbelly wash.