A Valvoline employee is going viral on TikTok after posting a joke about a mistake that can turn into a real headache. Levi Finlayson-Gumbs filmed himself working on a car and framed the clip as a first-day slip-up. "POV: First day at Valvoline and you almost forget the most important rule," he wrote in the text overlay. In the video, he starts tightening an oil drain plug by hand before grabbing a power tool and cranking it down further, playing into a long-running joke about overtightened plugs. It’s not clear why he singled out Valvoline, but the premise struck a chord with viewers familiar with quick oil-change shops and the risks of overdoing it on something that’s supposed to be simple. As of this writing, the video has racked up 1.8 million views. What Happens If You Overtighten An Oil Plug? Overtightening an oil plug might not seem like a big deal in the moment, but it can cause real problems. According to Car Talk, one of the most common issues is stripped threads. The plug or the oil pan can get damaged to the point where the bolt won’t tighten properly or just spins in place. That’s especially common with aluminum pans. It can also lead to leaks, CarParts reports. Too much force can damage the gasket or warp the sealing surface, allowing oil to slowly seep out even after you think everything is buttoned up. In worse cases, the plug can get stuck. Once it’s cranked down too tightly, it can be difficult to remove during the next oil change without special tools. There’s also a risk of cracking the oil pan itself, particularly on newer cars that use lighter materials. If that happens, you’re no longer dealing with a quick fix; you might have to replace the entire pan. That’s why most mechanics first tighten the plug by hand, then apply the right torque rather than force it. After all, it doesn’t take much to seal it properly. If the damage is already done, fixes can range from rethreading the hole to installing an insert. In more severe cases, the only option is to replace the oil pan altogether. Viewers Joke About Valvoline Auto Techs While it’s not clear why Finlayson-Gumbs singled out Valvoline, plenty of commenters leaned into the joke, suggesting the brand has a reputation for this kind of mistake. "Don’t forget to over-tighten the oil filter for the next guy," one commenter said. "Problem here is you used the right size socket," another added. "You were supposed to use one size bigger to make sure and round off the head." Some took it a step further, joking that he hadn’t gone far enough. "You forgot to strip the bolt," one person wrote. "Do it up until it strips and back it off half a turn," another said. "Forgot to weld it to the pan, too," a third added. "Good thing you used a snap-on gun so it won’t be too tight," a fourth commenter joked. Others used the video as a reason to question quick-service shops more broadly. "A little video to show the world why you don’t take your car nowhere," one person wrote. "No wonder I couldn’t loosen my drain plug," another said. Motor1 has reached out to Finlayson-Gumbs via a direct message on Facebook and to Valvoline through email. We’ll be sure to update this story if either gets back to us. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team