Lube Pro's....@#$%* !!!!

[Larry]

I'm getting ready for a week's fishing in N/W Wisconsin and ran my tow vehicle down to the local Lube Pro's for a simple oil/filter change. Of course I got the usual sales pitch about virtually everything on the trunk needed to be changed or replaced but just opted for the oil/filter and used my discount from the last visit. I got out of there in about 25 minutes and drove the truck home, parking in the driveway. About an hour later, I walked outside and spotted a pool of oil under the truck. They had stripped out my oil plug and replaced it with some kind of compression plug that was leaking like crazy. I drove the 4 blocks back and complained. The manager spent about 30 minutes on it and installed another type of plug that had a swivel bar that pivoted behind the hold and then screwed down. I objected and he then told me to take it to some garage that "fixes" these problems. My question is......what can be done to fix it short of pulling and replacing the oil pan?? If they drill and tap it for an oversize plug, how do you keep from getting metal shavings inside the engine? The parts store showed me some type of oversize plug that's supposed to self tap and then has a smaller screw in the center that you remove to change oil. It's not a very large opening and I'm concerned that it wouldn't drain properly.

So much for letting somebody else service your vehicle !!

[Bart]

Took my truck to Valvoline and about 4 days later while pulling my boat home from the lake the temp gauge hits the red and I have to call AAA. Good thing I had a cell phone. They left the radiator cap loose and it slowly boiled all the coolant out. Well they paid me back for the tow plus a little more and flushed my radiator out a couple times. I discovered a few weeks later my exaust manifold was cracked and I think thats what caused it but I can't prove it. Ya just can't get a good grease monkey for $6.00 an hour.

[RWL]

As a master auto technician I would bring it to your dealer and have them replace the pan. It is the only way to do this without future problems. All the other fixes are just a cheap way out. Nothing will keep those two part plugs from screwing out between the outer portion and the pan. I assume two things, with the discount you had from a previous trip to Lube Pros they were the last to change your oil. So they probably overtightened it then also. If not it only takes one time and it wasn't leaking before you went in. Also you said they told you to bring it in to get repaired, they are paying for this. Then do nothing but have the pan replaced. I had my oil changed one time in my life when getting ready for a trip to Lake of The Woods. They left the filler cap off and when I got home to check thier work I noticed it. It was on the air cleaner so I just put it back on but I had to smell the oil on the manifold half way to Ontario! Be thankfull you are not one of the many who get a new engine after visiting a quick lube shop!!!! Young kids in a hurry, I was there once, they are not all bad but be careful and watch your truck after any service, even at dealerships, they force technicians to work for flat rate pay which is a recipe for quantity over quality. Don't always blame the tech alone, managment forces them to work to fast sometimes.

It's only steel, glass, and rubber. It will be fixed. Now if it was your boat, look out!!
good luck!