Crappy other oil change practices

[OR VietVet]

In another thread I had posted two pics of a neighbors F150 oil pan drain plug leak and I felt, after changing the oil and filter this evening and installing a new drain plug and seal I would post the pics of what I found. A little history: Bought new in 06, always changed oil at Ford dealer or Jiffy Lube. Has had oil leak for 3 years, Jiffy lube mentioned oil leak 2 times on tickets but never from where, someone had tried to use 3M Weather Strip under the drain plug, when i removed drain plug this evening it had a drain plug that had a flat out diameter but as it got closer to threads the drain plug was slightly dished and the seal was as well, the seal had a soft copper outer diameter and had the rubberized inner part that showed the same dishing. Sorry, forgot to save the old drain plug and seal. The weather strip just came off in chunks and the sealing surface of pan was clean and flat. I was worried about pan threads but you can see they look good, instead of stretched like I thought I was gonna find. The new drain plug threaded in easily buy my fingers, so no thread damage. With the old plug, I could wipe dry and then wait 10 seconds and it would be wet again and getting ready to make a drip. This is why I trust no one but myself for even simple things like oil changes. See pics and decide and I welcome your thoughts. Needles to say, I have now earned his work for my slowly but surely getting busier garage, out of my house. I cater to my American Legion friends, VFW friends and my neighbors. Don't want strangers around here scoping out my tools. I also, just yesterday, got a 2 or 3 day a week part time job at a local self storage facility, in the office. Those that know me, know that for the last 10.5 years I have been a resident manager at 2 self storage facilities.

 

[B-train]

Good catch. You can't teach common sense unfortunately.

 

[Fless]

As an aside, @OR VietVet, what do you think of that gasket, is it silicone or something flexible like that? All I see on stuff nowadays (in my limited exposure) are crush washers that are metal. Or is that a new style?

 

[OR VietVet]

As an aside, @OR VietVet, what do you think of that gasket, is it silicone or something flexible like that? All I see on stuff nowadays (in my limited exposure) are crush washers that are metal. Or is that a new style?

IMO, it is a hard version of silicone but not completely sure. I do know, that when I ran shops and ordered in new drain plugs and seals/gaskets for rigs my techs were working on, I have seen the seals before and we used them with no concern or problems. You would have thought that some idiot, that worked on this truck's oil change before, could have done a much better job than 3M Weather Strip. I mean really, C'MON MAN!!!! He/she was either an idiot that did it without telling anyone in the shop or asked the service advisor/writer/manager and that person would be an even bigger idiot for ok'ing the smear job.

 

[OR VietVet]

I got an alert about this thread and when looking again at the new seal/gasket, I can see what else I should have mentioned, and that is the 3 rings of circular ribs on the surface of the seal itself. Those are 3 rings of barriers that oil would have to get past to allow for a leak. I looked at that drain plug two days ago and is still dry under there.

 

[grouch]

I was changing the oil on a car I had just bought. Granted, I was on my back, but that plug was in tight. I'm not a small person. I spent 45 years throwing bundles of shingles before I retired. I had to put a 3 foot cheater pipe on the end of a 1/2 inch breaker bar. I was still pressing so hard my legs were coming off the ground.

The threads were visibly distorted on the plug. I got a new plug and it didn't want to go in. The oil pan itself was warped from how tight the plug was put in. I had another pan so I swapped them. I have never seen an insert as messed up as that was.

I guess Magilla Gorilla put that plug in. I got the car cheap because of oil consumption. Replacing the pan and plug stopped it. When I sold the car later, it was using a quart every 2000 miles. Not bad fr a 20 year old car with nearly 200K on the drivetrain.

 

[OR VietVet]

I was changing the oil on a car I had just bought. Granted, I was on my back, but that plug was in tight. I'm not a small person. I spent 45 years throwing bundles of shingles before I retired. I had to put a 3 foot cheater pipe on the end of a 1/2 inch breaker bar. I was still pressing so hard my legs were coming off the ground.

The threads were visibly distorted on the plug. I got a new plug and it didn't want to go in. The oil pan itself was warped from how tight the plug was put in. I had another pan so I swapped them. I have never seen an insert as messed up as that was.

I guess Magilla Gorilla put that plug in. I got the car cheap because of oil consumption. Replacing the pan and plug stopped it. When I sold the car later, it was using a quart every 2000 miles. Not bad fr a 20 year old car with nearly 200K on the drivetrain.

Yep, so tight, the drain plug threads and the oil pan threads were both stretched. Again, like I have said, oil changes are easy, when done right.

 

[grouch]

Yep, so tight, the drain plug threads and the oil pan threads were both stretched. Again, like I have said, oil changes are easy, when done right.

I've got a PT Cruiser I bought to help settle an estate. The rear shocks are on so tight, I'm going to have to either grind or smoke the rear upper bolts off. Granted, the car did spent two years in Michigan,still these aren't factory shocks.

I had an impact rated socket on the nut and a 3/4 drive breaker bar and 6 foot cheater pipe. I put everything I had into that bar. I noticed I was picking the car up off the jack stand. I have a smoke wrench, it WILL come apart.

It's better than my truck. I ended up taking to a shop to get the axle nut broken loose. They had a mechanic who specialized on coal company equipment. He broke two sockets on his 1 inch drive impact wrench before getting the nut loose.

 

[B-train]

It never ceases to amaze me the level of stupidity that still exists........instead of using that thing called a BRAIN to actually diagnose and find a workable solution like you did, just tighten it MORE. So easy, a caveman can do it. LOL

Thanks for sharing! I appreciated the laugh. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[OR VietVet]

Make sure it is not something weird, like left hand threads.

 

[gooffeyguy]

When I changed the oil on the wife's 2015 Acadia last month the drain plug was on super tight. This was the first oil change that I've done to it since we bought it.

The Hyundai dealership we bought it from did an oil/filter change to it while they had it.

This has a cast aluminum pan, and I used a 2 foot breaker bar on the ratchet and still couldn't get it off. I thought the pan was going to crack or something. I undead up using my Rigid 1/2" drive cordless impact wrench set to the "auto" setting, which basically starts off softer then ramps up till the fastener breaks free. That worked and no visible damage that I could find after inspecting the bolt/pan/threads

 

[Tonyrodz]

When I changed the oil on the wife's 2015 Acadia last month the drain plug was on super tight. This was the first oil change that I've done to it since we bought it.

The Hyundai dealership we bought it from did an oil/filter change to it while they had it.

This has a cast aluminum pan, and I used a 2 foot breaker bar on the ratchet and still couldn't get it off. I thought the pan was going to crack or something. I undead up using my Rigid 1/2" drive cordless impact wrench set to the "auto" setting, which basically starts off softer then ramps up till the fastener breaks free. That worked and no visible damage that I could find after inspecting the bolt/pan/threads

Good thing you weren't this guy.

 

[Derick]

As I've been going through my vehicle search, these dealers that offer 'lifetime warranties' with their used vehicles are hugely attractive. Until I find that they require you to do ALL service and maintenance at their facility. You can't even change your oil and receipts yourself and expect coverage. I can only blame myself if I screw something up, but at the same time I can only trust myself to do it right.

 

[OR VietVet]

As I've been going through my vehicle search, these dealers that offer 'lifetime warranties' with their used vehicles are hugely attractive. Until I find that they require you to do ALL service and maintenance at their facility. You can't even change your oil and receipts yourself and expect coverage. I can only blame myself if I screw something up, but at the same time I can only trust myself to do it right.

"All service" meaning any needed repairs? Not just maintenances? You must also be talking about new car dealership shops, correct?

 

[Derick]

"All service" meaning any needed repairs? Not just maintenances? You must also be talking about new car dealership shops, correct?

Yes to official new car dealerships, but we're talking about used cars here. I just checked out one of the dealers I went to two weeks ago, and they dont have it posted on their website. But it is in the cars.com ads. That was one of the things that drew me to them. Now, another dealer I was at yesterday had a similar lifetime warranty thing, but for 2018 and newer units. Makes sense, but theirs seemed (well, at least sold) in a much less restrictive manner. So I think it can go a multitude of ways in such cases.