Dealership Oil Changes: Just say no!

[stugray]

Originally Posted by BlackMonarch

Ding ding ding. Took an impact wrench to a drain plug, went *bzzzzzzzzzzt* a little too long, and now it's rounded.

So they used an impact to LOOSEN the bolt, and it didnt come loose,so it rounded just two of the corners.

So what torque was it tightened to that an IMPACT couldnt loosen it on the first try?

[hmong337]

It's clear that an impact was took to it with the socket probably half on or with an ill fitting sae. Either way, still horseshit when something as simple as an oil change can get fubared. This is something I would expect from Crappy Tire or a 16 year-old who just got their first car and is learning to wrench.

Anyways, I ended up ordering the Fumoto Valve. It's actually called the EZoildrain Valve here in Canada. I'll be looking forward to reviewing it.

[Mr.Impreza]

This is why I like doing my own oil changes because i know I'm doing it right and draining all the oil etc...people at the shops don't care...it's just a job to them....unfortunately we don't live in Japan where many places have a lot of passion.

[SubaruLifer]

Originally Posted by billwot

Mine actually a had a knurl imprint on 2 flats, obviously from a pair of ViceGrips! Had the dealership do the (free) service, and noticed oil spots on my driveway the next day. Took it to my local redneck garage. They had to use a breaker bar to get the oil plug out. Obviously, the dealership didn't bother to replace the washer, and tried to seal the drain by overtorquing the drain plug. New drain plug, new washer, installed by redneck garage, and all is OK.

I don't know if the FR-S/BRZ drain bolt is the same way since I used an extractor for my own oil change, but for my wife's past 2 Subaru Legacys, the original washer has been painted onto the drain bolt. I needed to use a screwdriver along with a surprising amount of effort to get that thing off, and I only discovered it wasn't part of the drain bolt itself because we got a slow drip after the first oil change on her first Legacy. Obviously I knew better when the second one came along.

[cycleboy]

I stopped going to the dealer after my second "free" change because they spilled oil all over the top of the engine and engine bay, didn't say anything about it, and didn't respond when I replied to their "how'd we do" email and survey with honest answers about how they did (they also took 6 hours instead of the quoted 2). There's still a few little puddles of oil on top of the engine where I can't get a rag in to suck them up.

So then I went to do the next change at home and found the drain plug was put on so damned tight, there was no way I could get it loose. I wound up damaging a socket AND rounding off the plug trying to get it off. I had to use vise grips and a hammer to get it to turn!

I had already gotten a Fumoto valve, which I installed as soon as I got the factory one out. The valve is awesome! I just slip a short piece of tubing on it and snake that into my drain pan.

[53Driver]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

This is why I like doing my own oil changes because i know I'm doing it right and draining all the oil etc...people at the shops don't care...it's just a job to them....unfortunately we don't live in Japan where many places have a lot of passion.

This. It's actually sad so few people these days take pride in what they do. I've known some great mechanics in my life, but they are getting harder and harder to find these days. It's especially insulting when you go to a dealership these days and their labor rate is $75-100 an hour and you still can't trust them! I'm seriously considering getting my own lift installed in my garage just for this reason.

[RobertPaulson]

Originally Posted by hmong337

Admittedly, after owning my 2013 FRS new since June of 2013, today was the first time I did an oil change by myself on the car.

I guess this gives me an excuse to get one of those Fumoto drain valve thingys.

that bolt is actually pretty soft and easy to strip, I never took an impact gun to mine and even using the right tool the corners were beginning to round. That was the main reason that i upgraded to a drain valve (one of the best "mods" i've put on the car)

Originally Posted by stevesnj

That was caused by using an impact gun.

I would agree that an impact gun was used at one point. or the tech repeatedly tried to remove the bolt as if it was flat on the bottom of the drain pan and not at the slight angle its actually on and stripped it over several oil changes.

Originally Posted by hmong337

Look, in all my years of wrenching, how the hell are you going to round that bolt? 14mm wrench, new crush washer, DONE! Even the 14mm drain bolt on my 3sgte from year 1996 doesn't look like what the monkey mechanics at Heffner did to my FRS. Terrible.

that bolt is just that soft, it takes very little effort to put marks in it and its very easy to mess it up with a moment of inattentiveness.

Originally Posted by 53Driver

This. It's actually sad so few people these days take pride in what they do. I've known some great mechanics in my life, but they are getting harder and harder to find these days. It's especially insulting when you go to a dealership these days and their labor rate is $75-100 an hour and you still can't trust them! I'm seriously considering getting my own lift installed in my garage just for this reason.

x2, lift is in the long term plans so i can get off my back when working under the car.

[D88]

Originally Posted by hmong337

It's clear that an impact was took to it with the socket probably half on or with an ill fitting sae. Either way, still horseshit when something as simple as an oil change can get fubared. This is something I would expect from Crappy Tire or a 16 year-old who just got their first car and is learning to wrench.

Anyways, I ended up ordering the Fumoto Valve. It's actually called the EZoildrain Valve here in Canada. I'll be looking forward to reviewing it.

Did you send the picture to the dealership? It might be worthwhile to inform the dealership what their mechanics have been up to. It's probably due to shear laziness to be using an impact gun on an oil drain plug.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by SubaruLifer

I don't know if the FR-S/BRZ drain bolt is the same way since I used an extractor for my own oil change, but for my wife's past 2 Subaru Legacys, the original washer has been painted onto the drain bolt. I needed to use a screwdriver along with a surprising amount of effort to get that thing off, and I only discovered it wasn't part of the drain bolt itself because we got a slow drip after the first oil change on her first Legacy. Obviously I knew better when the second one came along.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54142

The paint part is from the fact that the oil pan was painted after the drain bolt/washer was installed.

-alex

[BlackMonarch]

Originally Posted by stugray

So they used an impact to LOOSEN the bolt, and it didnt come loose,so it rounded just two of the corners.

So what torque was it tightened to that an IMPACT couldnt loosen it on the first try?

I don't think they loosened it with one. I think some knuckle dragger put it back on with one.

[RobertPaulson]

Originally Posted by BlackMonarch

I don't think they loosened it with one. I think some knuckle dragger put it back on with one.

if you look at how the bolt is being stripped, its from loosening.

[BlackMonarch]

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

if you look at how the bolt is being stripped, its from loosening.

Props to you. I did not pay that much attention.

[Raven86WPB]

Same exact situation from my car when I first got it at 48k miles, previous owner never touched it, seemed to have always been at dealers, bolt was entirely rounded...It took me multiple gimmicky "stripped-nut/bolt" remover solutions to get to my first oil change

[JesseG]

Originally Posted by cycleboy

I stopped going to the dealer after my second "free" change because they spilled oil all over the top of the engine and engine bay, didn't say anything about it, and didn't respond when I replied to their "how'd we do" email and survey with honest answers about how they did (they also took 6 hours instead of the quoted 2). There's still a few little puddles of oil on top of the engine where I can't get a rag in to suck them up.

So then I went to do the next change at home and found the drain plug was put on so damned tight, there was no way I could get it loose. I wound up damaging a socket AND rounding off the plug trying to get it off. I had to use vise grips and a hammer to get it to turn!

I had already gotten a Fumoto valve, which I installed as soon as I got the factory one out. The valve is awesome! I just slip a short piece of tubing on it and snake that into my drain pan.

That’s F’ing unbelievable, and dealership techs did that!
I’ve actually found tools that were left behind by dealership techs, and just random stuff. I know it’s a tough job and they are working on lots of cars, but damn have a little more pride in your work. A good buddy of mine is a lifelong mechanic and he owns his own shop now. I know he would never dream of doing that kind of stuff. I’m always very skeptical of any dealership maintenance. The sad thing is most people don’t even look over the work, or even know what to look for. And some things are just blind faith if they have to replace something internal. I remember way back when the 1st gear synchro had to be replaced on my 2002 WRX. I asked to see the old one, just because I was curious. The service advisor was really cool and seemed like a car guy also, so he let me look at the parts they replaced.


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