Trouble at valvoline

[mavrick1903]

Well, before I begin I know many of you will shun or wish to shun my use of an oil change place. Accepted.

Into the story. Went to stop in for an oil change. It’s hard enough to fit the drive through oil change in much less do my own. I’ve got under armor (RCI skids) and the last time they were off, it was a (different) valvoline. Tonight, the location I stopped at was unable to get the bolts out. Stripping the threads off one bolt and rounded the head of another.

Other than getting under it to repair their damage, I’m not sure what to do.


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[yotaguy674]

Well, before I begin I know many of you will shun or wish to shun my use of an oil change place. Accepted.

Into the story. Went to stop in for an oil change. It’s hard enough to fit the drive through oil change in much less do my own. I’ve got under armor (RCI skids) and the last time they were off, it was a (different) valvoline. Tonight, the location I stopped at was unable to get the bolts out. Stripping the threads off one bolt and rounded the head of another.

Other than getting under it to repair their damage, I’m not sure what to do.


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Umm, ok?

 

[aontkos]

 

[05Rrunner]

Your post tells me , you did the right thing by not attempting a oil change on your own. I would say take it to the person who put the skid plates on have them straighten out that mess and at that time have them change the oil also.

 

[SodiumFlouride]

The oil change is one thing, the stripped bolts another.

For the stripped bolts, what you have to worry about isn't the bolt, but the thread.

My suggestion is the same with all stripped bolts (we've all been there, done that).

I can't tell if the bolt is out or still in, so this is the GENERAL procedure.

1. You buy a new bolt.

2. You can't get the bolt out, so you slot the head or vise grip the head or drill and use a screw extractor on the head (or whatever is left of the head), until you can finally get the entire bolt out.

3. Assuming the threads are stripped in the hole, if you're lucky, you buy a tap and die set and clean them up.

4. If the hole threads are too far gone, then you have to upsize the hole or use the helicoil (or that other brand I can't remember the name of offhand) insert, to create new threads.

5. If you don't want to use inserts, then you have to drill and tap a larger bolt size.

6. Then put in the new bolt using never seize and a torque wrench.

 

[mavrick1903]

I’m more than capable of the oil change. I did the original skid install. I’ve done my own suspension, ball joints, tie rods, calipers, etc. what was frustrated with was the oils change place. I go because I can’t find the time to do the oil.

Was simply a bad experience with a single location.


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[jrandom]

Sucks you had a bad experience. To be frank, you can’t expect a speedy lube to know what to do with a modified car or truck, let alone one with full under armor. If you haven’t got the time, take it to a 4x4 specific shop and have it done. Else install a Fumoto and do it yourself

Your pretty much left to go back to the shop and complain, they might give you a free oil change, or just fix it yourself and lesson learned.

 

[Beaumont67]

Find a owner/operator independent garage owner, you can trust.
- I go to a 2 man shop, bot mechanics highly trained
- I supply synthetic oil, & filter, and stand in the bay to oversee
- charged $15 cash if no grease fittings / $20 to do my Gen3
- I book a Friday morning at 8:00 and my vehicle is first one on the hoist

 

[mavrick1903]

That sounds like a damn good idea.

I’ve got a fumoto valve on it. Finding the time to do it and then dealing with the oil is what I don’t like. I’ll do the projects though when I can.

Riv-nut or helicoil. I’ve got a riv-nut tool. They work really well. It was more venting about the business interaction.


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[Lester Lugnut]

Your pretty much left to go back to the shop and complain, they might give you a free oil change, or just fix it yourself and lesson learned.

Would he want that after his first experience?

 

[jrandom]

Would he want that after his first experience?

I should have wrote in green text I was being sarcastic, as in would you really want anything they would give you for free.

 

[Drunner97]

Exactly why does the skid plate have to come off? You have a fumoto. Hook up the hose and drain the oil.

That being said, there's really no excuse of "no time" for an oil change. It takes a whole 30 or 45 mins. Wake up 45 mins earlier, go to bed 45 mins later, grab something to eat on the way home so you don't have to make dinner. Oil changes are the simplest, quickest piece of maintenance on a vehicle. Especially a lifted 4runner since you don't have to put it on jack stands.

 

[SodiumFlouride]

I go because I can’t find the time to do the oil.

I hear that a lot, and I get it (who doesn't get time ... it's just a number).

I admit when I change my oil, I take my sweet time, so, I don't even look at the clock, but I can do it at home, on a nice day, usually when I'm doing something else (like bleeding the brakes or whatever) and well, I don't know how long it takes, but, it can't be as long as it takes to go to a shop to change the oil.

I guess it depends if you have a shop nearby and what their waiting list looks like, because it takes them as long as it would take you, realistically, to change oil.

1. You get under the vehicle & remove the protective plate - they get under the vehicle & remove the protective plate.
2. You remove the fill cap & drain plug - they remove the fill cap & drain plug.
3. You collect the oil - they collect the oil.
4. You put the drain plug back with a new washer - they put the drain plug back with a new washer.
5. You fill the oil and check the level - they fill the oil and check the level.

There's no secret here.
So I don't get how it could possibly take them any more or less time to change the oil than it takes you.

The only things that can be different as I see them, with respect to time is that you have to drive there and wait on line and then drive back home if you have them do it - or you have to wash your hands and get rid of the oil next time you're in town if you do it yourself.

So other than disposal (which I do only once a year because I collect jars of the stuff and then dispose them all at once), what's the secret that the local Jiffy Lube has in changing oil any faster than you can?

 

[Lester Lugnut]

So other than disposal (which I do only once a year because I collect jars of the stuff and then dispose them all at once), what's the secret that the local Jiffy Lube has in changing oil any faster than you can?

Quick Lube places often times let the oil drain for just a couple of minutes. Speeds up the oil change. They claim this is all that's needed. You end up with old dirty oil left in the engine and overfilled if they actually pour in the correct amount. I feel sorry for people who depend on these places.

 

[05Rrunner]

Funny, hear that same lame excuse “can’t find time to change the oil myself” I find the opposite, can’t find time to take it one of those oil change places. It’s much faster for me to do it at home myself because while I’m changing the oil I’m doing other things maybe a little maintenance on the truck maybe things around the house and I know the job is done correctly. I don’t have time to go to those quickie lube places because it’s never quick how many weeks later and the OP still dealing with this oil change mess , I don’t have time for that. search here on oil change nightmares and happy reading, dealers , Jiffy Lube , on and on they all suck because the most inexperienced lowest paid workers get that job.

 

[SodiumFlouride]

I'm with the last two posters where you ALWAYS do a better job yourself, and where doing it yourself doesn't take all that long to do it right.

The shop cares about time.
We care about quality.

Big tradeoff there.

Maybe they use good oil - maybe not.
Maybe they drain it all out - maybe not.
Maybe they drain it warm - maybe not.
Maybe they put the right amount back - maybe not.
Maybe they replace the drain bolt gasket - maybe not.
Maybe they torque the drain bolt right - maybe not.

Even if I take my sweet time to do the oil, at least it's done right.