Jack Suber Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) So, today I decide to change the oil in my Ford Explorer. The last time I had the oil changed, I took it to a shop to have it done because I did not have time. So, today, I drive it up on the ramps and get everything together to start. As I go to get the socket on the drain plug, I see that it is completely rounded off. I mean royally screwed-up. SO, off to the parts store to by another (I wanted to make sure I could get a replacement before I screwed this one up more trying to get it off). Vise-grips and pounding on it will a hammer finally got it free. After I replace the filter I go back to put the drain plug in. I wipe the residual oil off and see that someone had cross-threaded the threads in the oil pan and in an effort to cover up, repaired it with a heli-coil kit. I was never told that this happened when I took it to have the oil changed..... Edited March 23, 2011 by Jack Suber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 BTDT. Had a dumb-assed monkey with an impact wrench (!) reinstall my drain plug after an oil change. Rounded the head off and stripped the Hell out of it. The leak he caused around the plug was my first clue. Grrr.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 It's not their car, why should they care? He got paid and got to go home at 5:00. The whole "taking pride in your work" thing is outdated. Yesterday I listened to the front desk guy argue with an "adjuster" about the time for some work being done on my work vehicle. The initial estimate apparently showed 7 hours and the fleet management folks only wanted to pay for 6. They finally agreed to 6 hours. As I left I asked when they thought it'd be finished. "Oh it should take about 5 hours, so we'll be calling you at XX o'clock". I wish I'd said something but I was gone by the time I put it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 So, today I decide to change the oil in my Ford Explorer. The last time I had the oil changed, I took it to a shop to have it done because I did not have time. So, today, I drive it up on the ramps and get everything together to start. As I go to get the socket on the drain plug, I see that it is completely rounded off. I mean royally screwed-up. SO, off to the parts store to by another (I wanted to make sure I could get a replacement before I screwed this one up more trying to get it off). Vise-grips and pounding on it will a hammer finally got it free. After I replace the filter I go back to put the drain plug in. I wipe the residual oil off and see that someone had cross-threaded the threads in the oil pan and in an effort to cover up, repaired it with a heli-coil kit. I was never told that this happened when I took it to have the oil changed..... A lot of facilities pay their oil change people virtually nothing. They get what they pay for and have a ton of turnover. I have 4 guys that do basic service and together they have several decades of experience, oh and they get paid well. Helicoil? It would be extremely difficult to install a helicoil, not to mention require much more skill than doing an oil change. Some vehicles have a steel insert in the aluminum pan from the factory. You sure that's not the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Suber Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 So, today I decide to change the oil in my Ford Explorer. The last time I had the oil changed, I took it to a shop to have it done because I did not have time. So, today, I drive it up on the ramps and get everything together to start. As I go to get the socket on the drain plug, I see that it is completely rounded off. I mean royally screwed-up. SO, off to the parts store to by another (I wanted to make sure I could get a replacement before I screwed this one up more trying to get it off). Vise-grips and pounding on it will a hammer finally got it free. After I replace the filter I go back to put the drain plug in. I wipe the residual oil off and see that someone had cross-threaded the threads in the oil pan and in an effort to cover up, repaired it with a heli-coil kit. I was never told that this happened when I took it to have the oil changed..... A lot of facilities pay their oil change people virtually nothing. They get what they pay for and have a ton of turnover. I have 4 guys that do basic service and together they have several decades of experience, oh and they get paid well. Helicoil? It would be extremely difficult to install a helicoil, not to mention require much more skill than doing an oil change. Some vehicles have a steel insert in the aluminum pan from the factory. You sure that's not the case? If the insert is threaded, then if could that. You can clearly see the where the threads change and there definitely is a different in the size of the thread on the oil pan and this "helicoil" looking part. The end of the "helicoil" looking part is not flush, it looks like the end of a coil. If it is an insert that has shifted, it has moved inward toward the engine rather than outward. This was a shop that I had go ahead and change the oil while they were replacing a cracked exhaust manifold. They guy told me that a bolt broke off in the block and they had to tap it and use a helicoil on it. Now I have to change the EGR valve on it. Guy told me it would cost $700 to do it. So, I am going to do that myself if I can find decent directions. The new Chiltons books aren't worth a flip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TISCHLJ Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Jack, Ask the shop to fix what they did. Garagekeepers insurance for them should cover the damages . . . . In NC, the person who cuts your hair has to have a license . . . but the person working on cars, big trucks, and key safety related items in cars and trucks can be the moron criminal just out of prison . . . . Not all shops are like that, of course. Hope it works out ok . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powder Finger Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 So, today I decide to change the oil in my Ford Explorer. The last time I had the oil changed, I took it to a shop to have it done because I did not have time. So, today, I drive it up on the ramps and get everything together to start. As I go to get the socket on the drain plug, I see that it is completely rounded off. I mean royally screwed-up. SO, off to the parts store to by another (I wanted to make sure I could get a replacement before I screwed this one up more trying to get it off). Vise-grips and pounding on it will a hammer finally got it free. After I replace the filter I go back to put the drain plug in. I wipe the residual oil off and see that someone had cross-threaded the threads in the oil pan and in an effort to cover up, repaired it with a heli-coil kit. I was never told that this happened when I took it to have the oil changed..... A lot of facilities pay their oil change people virtually nothing. They get what they pay for and have a ton of turnover. I have 4 guys that do basic service and together they have several decades of experience, oh and they get paid well. Helicoil? It would be extremely difficult to install a helicoil, not to mention require much more skill than doing an oil change. Some vehicles have a steel insert in the aluminum pan from the factory. You sure that's not the case? If the insert is threaded, then if could that. You can clearly see the where the threads change and there definitely is a different in the size of the thread on the oil pan and this "helicoil" looking part. The end of the "helicoil" looking part is not flush, it looks like the end of a coil. If it is an insert that has shifted, it has moved inward toward the engine rather than outward. This was a shop that I had go ahead and change the oil while they were replacing a cracked exhaust manifold. They guy told me that a bolt broke off in the block and they had to tap it and use a helicoil on it. Now I have to change the EGR valve on it. Guy told me it would cost $700 to do it. So, I am going to do that myself if I can find decent directions. The new Chiltons books aren't worth a flip. Soak the bolts/nuts/fittings with KROIL on the EGR for a couple hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz-0 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 BTDT. Had a dumb-assed monkey with an impact wrench (!) reinstall my drain plug after an oil change. Rounded the head off and stripped the Hell out of it. The leak he caused around the plug was my first clue. Grrr.... Isn't the impact wrench to cars as the dremel tool is to guns? I had a shop damage a wheel and tire taking my car to lunch (another problem I have with garages). They then balanced it out and didn't tell me. Damage was on the inside of the rim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Systemstooge Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had a shop damage a wheel and tire taking my car to lunch (another problem I have with garages). We had a local LE get a ticket in the mail from a Denver area PD on his nearly new Mustang a year or so ago. This is about an 8 hour drive each way from our town during a period of time when his car was in the dealers shop over a weekend getting a few options added. Long story short, I understand they had to hire a new Service Manager not too much later. SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 This Hate rant has turned into a discussion, which is beyond the bounds of the rules for the Hate Forum. Thus, it must be closed. Please review the Hate Forum Rules: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8097 [note: this is a generic response] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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