I got an oil change in Mira Mesa California the other day. I noticed a slight seep under the truck, but it wasn't until today that I found out how close I came to losing the whole truck...

The Oil Drain Plug was all the way stripped out, and it wasn't leaking before.

Now several rules apply here, number one is to avoid ranting. Number two is NOT to instantly blab the Company and Franchise names all over the internet.

I know who the employee was that did the work I believe was badly done - I was watching when things were being buttoned up.

I also know that the drain plug didn't leak a drop before, and was tight.

I'm going to take the drain plug in to the manager and show it to him.

I'm not going to accept a free oil change or other service, and I'm not going to insist on a replacement pan (so far the replacement oil plug isn't sealing completely, but at least I know it isn't going to drop out - resulting in a siezed 6.9 turbo diesel).

I'm just going to tell him straight - that there isn't any way the kid who tightened that plug could have missed the fact that it stripped out on him. When plugs never tighten up, they are stripped. This one wouldn't take ten inch-pounds when I checked it. It was being held in by wishful thinking, and slowly backing out.

I may request enough similar oil to what was used in it to fill it back up. I am going to have to drain it completely on a lift so that I can run a tap through the drain plug hole to change the threads to pipe-thread guage. I already have the P-Thread plug (which is brass - chosen because the brass being soft will be damaged before the steel if it is ever over tightened again. Brass also conforms well to any gaps in the fit).

I'm doing things this way because I'm a mechanic. I'm not a professional anymore, because I don't do this kind of work for anyone else and get payed for it (as far as anyone knows).

Anyone can be stupid. I believe I see a level of stupidity here that should be instantly corrected if possible, or if it isn't should cost someone a place of responsibility.

By that I refer to the fact that from what I know - the guy knew he did it. HAD to. He should have spoken up, accidents happen.

He didn't, and that put me at risk.

First time - okay, the customer caught it.

More times - hell no, you ain't doing this anymore.

A Mechanic has a vested trust no less than a Doctor. If you do a bad job - the lives of everyone that ride in what you worked on or innocent bystanders may be jeopardised.

THATS what it's about. And I'll have to deal with it after I get back from sea. Tonight I'm doing laundry and packing a sea-bag.

(The place is closed and I leave early tomorrow)

~Wolf

 

Godspeed, GreyWolf.

 

Have a good time underway...hope you get home for the holidays. So far, I've been out for more of them than I've been in. Also, I hope you get that issue taken care of...you're right about the responsibility of the worker to the customer. It's good that you knew what to look for in that situation...it would have been sticky if it had been someone else that didn't know anything about vehicles...let alone what a drain plug is.

 

Wolf, write a letter and send it to the manager.. Then he will have dated copy on the incident, that you can't deal with 'till you are ashore again.

Theo

 

Sorry to hear that Greywolf. The same thing happened to me in a company truck. I kept wondering why the oil change was taking so long. They had stripped the threads and were putting in one of those brass ones that ends up with a smaller plug.

They probably wouldn't have told me if I hadn't started getting nosey. I won't let anyone touch my own trucks.

 

Theo calls it paranoia - "REASONABLE Paranoia", but to me it's common sense.

NO ONE cares about what is yours as much as YOU do.

And that's why if I have the time, I do everything myself as much as possible. But who'd have thought a simple thing like an O.C. could turn into something so potentially ugly?

What if I had trusted it, and set out for Tennessee from here towing the CORD? (That's a link)

There are places in the United States where you don't dare leave an abandoned anything...

What would have happened before I could get back to it?

 

I hate to take my truck anywhere to get worked on. Every place it has ever been to has been a nightmare. I have work I need to get done, and daren't take it to get it done, so I am learning how to do myself.. Reasonable paranoia is the only way to live. They are not out to get you, but they sure ain't there to help you.

Theo

 

Thats a good one Theo! They may pretend to be helpful as long as they are getting your money.

 

Every (repeat: EVERY) business is in it for only one thing -

REVENUE.

Don't ever lose sight of that fact.

Reducing losses is a factor in it, and I hate seeing places go under because they were fundamentally STUPID.

Stupidity can be cured, ignorance cannot...

 

Just checked out Greywolf online, pretty cool. But it takes like forever to load.

 

when I was a mechanic for a fleet of school busses, I saw stripped oil plugs all the time. Its pathetic how little pride some people take in their work

yeah buisness is about revinue, but something like this can cost alot in the long run.
I hope the service manager gives you satisfaction

oh, and just be glad you didn't have them work on your brakes

 

Greywolf- AWESOME link!!! That is one cool car you got on your hands. It sure does look like you have a few months of cleanup to do though!!! Keep us updated with your project!!

 

Greywolf,
Even though it may be hard to prove, I would have the place replace the pan if possible. I would not rest easy until I knew it was replaced and was able to torque and seal to specifications. They are clearly at fault. You said the kid had to know he stripped the threads and that he didn't say anything putting YOU at risk. To me, that's unacceptable. They handed your vehicle back to you, ready to drop its oil. If I were in your shoes, I would calmly tell them what happened and ask to have the pan replaced.

 

Yeah, tough luck. You really do have to go out of your way to be lazy enough to strip a drainplug. I've had to unbolt and rebolt thousands of them and i've never stripped one.

As far as the kid knowing that he did it....yeah, of course he did. Havnt you ever been there? You screw something up at work and just try to ignore it, hoping it will go away? I've been there, it happens you know, welcome to the human experience.

But of course go in there and demand to get your stuff fixed.

Edit: also...that kid probably wasnt a mechanic. He was a lube tech, basically a poorly paid laborer, trying to make his way in the mechanic world. They make these guys mop floors, clean the head, do all kinds of junk for very little pay. be slightly simpathetic.

 

no don't be sympathetic
that lazy kid coulda cost you an engine
he should lose his job

I read your thread about mechanics getting no respect, Greywolf, and people like that just make it worse