Ask a Dealership Service Professional. .....

[CodyY]

We used to do this over on Advrider.com a lot, so I thought I might try it here. Always came away with some good insight into other people's jobs and lives.

I am a "service writer" or "assistant service manager" and former master tech at a Lexus dealer. I've also worked at a large multi-line dealer, a Cadillac store, and 6 years as a travelling Race car mechanic/team manager.

Whatcha wanna know?

 

[02SE]

We used to do this over on Advrider.com a lot, so I thought I might try it here. Always came away with some good insight into other people's jobs and lives.

I am a "service writer" or "assistant service manager" and former master tech at a Lexus dealer. I've also worked at a large multi-line dealer, a Cadillac store, and 6 years as a travelling Race car mechanic/team manager.

Whatcha wanna know?

The most important question is: What do you ride?

 

[CodyY]

The most important question is: What do you ride?

 

[02SE]

Nice KTM Adventure. I keep thinking I need to get me a dual-sport bike, or maybe even a bigger adventure bike.

The Africa Twin looks interesting.

I really should join ADVrider, as I read enough of the Ride Reports already.

 

[CodyY]

Nice KTM Adventure. I keep thinking I need to get me a dual-sport bike, or maybe even a bigger adventure bike.

The Africa Twin looks interesting.

I really should join ADVrider, as I read enough of the Ride Reports already.

AT looks good, I'm pretty sold on Katooms though. I've also got 525exc and a 300xc.

The orange kool-aid sure is tasty.

 

[02SE]

I have an old, hopped up KTM 550 MXC.

Along with a couple of Sportbikes.




And back on topic.

 

[CodyY]

I have an old, hopped up KTM 550 MXC.

Along with a couple of Sportbikes.




And back on topic.

I spend too much time on Facebook and wanted another forum to motivate me on my T4R project, so I figured I would come hang out with you guys.

I've got a 95 3vze that I put a ton of money I to reworking the top end (I bought it with a bad headgasket) only to discover a very faint rod knock after I got it all back together. So I put it on the back burner last winter and the squirrels decided to chew completely through the engine harness. So now I have a non-running $3000+ 4runner that needs a bottom end AND a wiring harness.

And since I see my fair share of sub $1000 LS400'S it's 1UZ time!

 

[Bluesky 07]

Should the WS transmission fluid in sealed T4R trannys be changed, and if so, at what intervals?

We know the "official" answer but I'm interested in your opinion.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

What kind of unicorn horn do they use to make WS ATF?

Joking aside, you have any real data on WS ATF by any chance? TIS and most information is useless when it comes to that stuff.

 

[LandCruiser]

When you steal my loose change, you know those are ass pennies, right?

 

[CodyY]

What kind of unicorn horn do they use to make WS ATF?

Joking aside, you have any real data on WS ATF by any chance? TIS and most information is useless when it comes to that stuff.

True empirical data? Not really. I'll ask our DS if he knows anything in particular. I know it's 100% backwards compatible with all Toyota transmission fluids and used by multiple makes to the same effect. My opinion is that it's synthetic dextron-mercron

Should the WS transmission fluid in sealed T4R trannys be changed, and if so, at what intervals?

We know the "official" answer but I'm interested in your opinion.

We don't touch em unless there's a leak and it needs topping up. You actually need a lift and a scan tool to do it properly, there's a temp range and it's a PITA in general. I've always been of the school that you should dump/fill every 60k on the older (90's) trannys. Trans fluid can never be too fresh, until it isnt. Once you get over 150k on the fluid, I usually just leave it till the trans goes.

Short answer is leave it alone in most cases. If you're running 35's and driving the piss out of it, it's probably worth changing every 30k or so? But nobody around here has that kind of abuse that I know. 99% of my customers don't know what low range does.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

True empirical data? Not really. I'll ask our DS if he knows anything in particular. I know it's 100% backwards compatible with all Toyota transmission fluids and used by multiple makes to the same effect. My opinion is that it's synthetic dextron-mercron

We don't touch em unless there's a leak and it needs topping up. You actually need a lift and a scan tool to do it properly, there's a temp range and it's a PITA in general. I've always been of the school that you should dump/fill every 60k on the older (90's) trannys. Trans fluid can never be too fresh, until it isnt. Once you get over 150k on the fluid, I usually just leave it till the trans goes.

Short answer is leave it alone in most cases. If you're running 35's and driving the piss out of it, it's probably worth changing every 30k or so? But nobody around here has that kind of abuse that I know. 99% of my customers don't know what low range does.

That's interesting you state it's backwards compatible... Toyota had some literature that made it clear T-VI was not compatible with WS ATF and should not be used interchangeably; I wonder if they retconned that recently like they did the service intervals.

There's also a severely contradictory nature in the WS ATF intervals and service recommendations from Toyota itself in the last few years. Everything from "it's lifetime fluid, don't touch it" to "change it out every 30k" depending on whatever arbitrary criteria they make up to cover their asses.

I'm also partial to thinking it's a modified Dexron VI fluid as a lot of data seems to imply that, but the unfortunate part is that the data is very incomplete and fragmented, so the best I can do is stand by what I have had mentioned in passing by guys from regional which is 100k interval for standard use (this seems to be the implied interval by Toyota).

 

[02SE]

What kind of unicorn horn do they use to make WS ATF?

Joking aside, you have any real data on WS ATF by any chance? TIS and most information is useless when it comes to that stuff.

Everything I've seen for the WS ATF, is that it's a fairly unremarkable GRP III base stock. And a bit better oxidation stability than the T-IV.

With a Brookfield Viscosity, cP@-40°C, max. of 9000

Whereas the T-IV ATF is around 19,000. Which is pretty close to the old Dexron III spec of 20,000.

A Dexron VI is around 12,500.

The WS ATF was developed primarily for increased fuel economy.

 

[amalik]

Traveling race car team mechanic... How many chicks does that net you?

Seriously though, what was the coolest part about that experience?

How do you rate your current gig against all your other gigs? i.e. -- why not still be a master tech etc?

 

[-dustin]

how are service writers paid vs. mechanics at the typical car dealership service center? who benefits more from upselling, the mechanic doing the work, or the service writer who schedules it?

 

[CodyY]

Everything I've seen for the WS ATF, is that it's a fairly unremarkable GRP III base stock. And a bit better oxidation stability than the T-IV.

With a Brookfield Viscosity, cP@-40°C, max. of 9000

Whereas the T-IV ATF is around 19,000. Which is pretty close to the old Dexron III spec of 20,000.

A Dexron VI is around 12,500.

The WS ATF was developed primarily for increased fuel economy.

It's also non-conductive for hybrid transaxles

 

[02SE]

That's another claim for it. I could post a slew of specs for it, but didn't want to take the time to type it.

 

[CodyY]

Traveling race car team mechanic... How many chicks does that net you?

Seriously though, what was the coolest part about that experience?

How do you rate your current gig against all your other gigs? i.e. -- why not still be a master tech etc?

Not as many as you'd think. Drivers get all the love. Married now since '11 and with the kiddo it's best to come home every night. Life on the road is tough, it's harder when you're in a committed relationship, especially if you really want that relationship to work. I can say without pause I am/was fully faithful to my wife. There were a couple times I could have not been, but I went back to my own hotel room solo on every occasion. With my little boy now I have a hard time being gone more than a night or two, even camping or when she takes him to see family.

Coolest part of that experience was actually learning my own work ethic. 14 to 18hr days at the track followed by a beer and burger at crApplebees then share a hotel room with another dude to get up at 5 and do it all again for a week straight really teaches that 8-5 ain't so bad.
- I've done clutch swaps on my back after qualifying and rolled the car onto grid after the fan walk just in time to take the parade lap.
- Once we pulled a motor out of a Ford Racing School Boss Mustang because there were no crate motors within a days drive. Our motor broke a valvespring in qualifying and we had to pull a 0 mile car in with the plastic still on it to make the race. Then swap the motor back in afterwards.
-checkers or wreckers. https://youtu.be/LB9EsAtlMjg

-Rolling a car in practice then spending the next day pushing the panels out with a porta-power and finishing top 10 with it.
-going 1,2,3,4,5 at a Spec Miata race with 50 entrants. All "our" cars/drivers.
-ring gear bolts backed out on a brand new Boss Mustang on parade lap, swapped it on pit road during the race in time to complete 2 laps and let us start ahead of the dnf cars in race 2.

That and on one particularly sweaty Miami Sunday; Boris Said ran into the stall I just left and had a panic shit in my butt sweat. We still joke about that one.

 

[techno]

Whatcha wanna know?

A four wheel alignment usually cost about $80 around here. I always ask for just a front wheel alignment hoping it will be closer to $50, since the 4Runner has no adjustment for the rear wheels, but they always charge the full amount, claiming that the tech still has to hook up stuff on the rear wheels, blah blah blah...

I think there should be a lower cost for just adjusting the front. What are your thoughts?

 

[CodyY]

A four wheel alignment usually cost about $80 around here. I always ask for just a front wheel alignment hoping it will be closer to $50, since the 4Runner has no adjustment for the rear wheels, but they always charge the full amount, claiming that the tech still has to hook up stuff on the rear wheels, blah blah blah...

I think there should be a lower cost for just adjusting the front. What are your thoughts?

4r and GX LX, etc... even though there are no adjustments in the rear you still base front settings off rear wheel settings (thrust angle) Plus the components are bigger, heavier, harder to access and adjust and the alignment rack still costs $50k to buy up front.

It's $135 here, no warranty on alignment. You could slap a curb pulling out of the shop. I generally find anybody that does warranty alignments is just trying to get you to come in more often for other stuff, get you used to going to them. Also, their guys MIGHT be ASE certified and "in the green" doesn't mean it'll drive right.