I am wondering if any of you Stroker owners use any commercial oil change/lube services. There is a locally owned and operated service here that I am told is trustworthy. I typically insist on doing my own oil changes and lube jobs in my vehicles. In my gas burners I see considerable savings. However after pricing the separate components, I don't see any savings.

Also....do any of you experienced PSD owners use any kind of oil pan drain valve? I am a little hesitant to install it on mine.

 

I used to use Jiffy Lube until two things:

1) My brother went there with his little Nissan Sentra. They didn't watch that the old oil filter gasket was still on the engine block before they put the new filter on it. It streamed oil as he drove away. Fortunately, they caught it. Not a real big deal since they caught it, but....

2) I took my Nissan 4x4 truck to have a lube job. They replaced all the fluids in the pumpkins, tranny, engine, and xfer case. I drove straight from their biz to my home in Laramie, 50 miles away - I drove the entire way in 4x4 mode. They called me at home and said somebody left their shop streaming a bunch of oil. I looked under my truck - they did not replace the fill plug for the xfer case. Xfer case was full of little pebbles and sand. They shipped me a used xfer case and would not put a warranty on it. They refused any kind of warranty. What a crock. So, I made them pay the dealer to completely rebuild it. That cost them dearly and I got a good rebuild.

It seems that employee turnover at Jiffy Lube is rather high. I never see the same guys there. I don't trust them because everybody is always new - their experience must be lacking. I don't think that's good. I can't imagine taking my PSD there for anything.

There are two Jiffy Lubes in Cheyenne - it seems they're both the same way.

On the other hand, when I go to Grease Monkey, I always see the same guys. However, I take only my cars and not my PSD there. For my PSD, I always change it myself or take it to the dealer. Cost to have the dealer do it vs Grease Monkey is comparable. However, last time I took my PSD to the Ford dealer, they didn't close the airbox properly so it was letting all kinds of dirt straight into the turbo. That's when I started doing it myself.

I'm not sure if I'd take my PSD to Grease Monkey, even as good as they treat my cars. I've heard other PSD'ers take their rigs to all manners of quickie lube places and have one thing or another get screwed up. How many quick-lubers would prefill the huge PSD oil filter? How many know that you need to turn the oil filter 1 1/2 turns and not 3/4 turn? Etc, etc, etc.

However....if I need to change the oil when it's freezing outside, you bet I'm going to take it to the dealer. I'd pay the $50 and not freeze my you-know-what off. I'll be sure to check their work before accepting the truck back, though....

Cheers,
Tim

 

I've never used any of those places for my rigs, mainly because I want to be sure it's done right, and I don't trust those places. I guess I've heard enough horror stories that I'm not interested in having one of my own to tell. If you get your oil and filter from a discount place like I do, you can also save quite a bit of cash. I can do an oil change for just over $30, and I know it's getting the good stuff.
As far as a drain valve, I'm putting one on during the next oil change. To be able to avoid a stripped drain plug is reason enough, even if it wasn't cleaner.
Just my $.02.

 

Is there any chance of the drain valve opening on its own? I use a torque wrench on the drain plug because I used to always tighten things up until they started to turn easy and then backed off half a turn. Just kidding. I did strip one on a car once though so I contacted NAVISTAR and the torque for the oil pan drain plug is 28 ft/lbs.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Apr-02 AT 09:38 PM (EST)]There's very little chance that one would open on it's own. They've got a positive locking mechanism that keeps it closed until you want the oil to come out. Once you get this baby torqued down, you won't need to mess with it again.

 

I had an interesting discussion with my coworkers a few years ago about the quick oil change places. The secretary was asking if her Toyota's engine was damaged because they (can't remember which one it was) had overfilled her engine by 4 quarts. Everyone else in the office commented about how they had had some type of problem (stripped plug, incorrect filling, etc) with the places they had their oil changed also.

I recall a similar conversation with family members as well.

I was the only one that had never had a problem. Why? Because I have always done my own oil changes.

Do it yourself so you have peace of mind that it is right.

Pete

 

Hey Quadzilla, I saw you had 35x12.5s on your truck. I've got the same truck, 95 F350 CC PSD 4x4, and was thinking about putting a set of these on mine...do yours rub at all or did you lose any turning radius with these? Or is there anybody else out there who has done this?
Thanks

 

88B_RONC-
The front bumper had to be shimmed to keep the tires from rubbing there, but that was all that needed to be done. It's really quite simple to do. My tires are on 9.75" wide wheels for now, but I've got new wheels on order that are 8.25" wide. That will pull them back slightly into the wheel wells. I won't know until I get the new wheels on whether or not the bumper shim will be necessary.

 

Quadzilla
Thats good to hear, my almost 10K lb truck sinks in wet grass, sand, or anything else thats not pavement and I have been looking for bigger tires with more traction to keep me afloat. I have a ranchhand front bumber that does not extend into the wheel well as far as the stock one did so I should be alright there.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Apr-02 AT 05:12 AM (EST)]I don't have a diesel, but I do have a few stories to tell about Jiffy Lube. After having a full service lube and oil done on my truck in Las Vegas (Specifically asked that the front and rear diff's be checked) I drove to Austin Texas. As soon as I got to Austin I was due for another change and took it to the Jiffy Lube there. Asked that the diffs. be checked and was told they were fine. About three days later I noticed what I thought to be a rear brake shoe dragging and took it to a shop to have it checked. They found that the rear end didn't have enough oil in it to reach the outer axle bearings and the right side had run dry and welded the bearing to the hub assembly! After 3 days of phone calls and a few up close and personal wild eyed talks with the local Jiffy Lube, they covered all of the repairs.
[link:groups.yahoo.com/group/centurionconversions/|https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=3476&.jpg]<-< Centurion Club

 

I knew a guy once who took his truck to jiffy lube they used a impact
on his drain plug to TIGHTEN it.I think they had to pay to have the oil pan replaced.I think I would pass on jiffy lube!!!!!!!

 

I have been using Jiffy Lube for the last 7 years. I have 1 guy I go to and he is the only one that changes my oil. I have followed him to 3 locations now and it has paid off. I make sure to tip him also. I don't have to worry if its being done right. Just my $.02.

Jim

 

The oil pan drain valve where do you get one at.I know 2 guys that have lost the threads in the pan , one split the threads the other broke the spot welded plate loose inside the pan.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-Apr-02 AT 06:28&nbsp;AM (EST)]You can get one online through www.fumotovalve.com. They are the manufacturer, and you can get them through some distributors, like Geno's Garage, among others.
I hope this helps.

 

I am not a car techie but have changed the oil and filter in my previous car. I now have an F250 Diesel and am considering doing my own oil change to ensure it's "done right"....are there instructions somewhere that list all the things that need to be done and the proper way to do them? I've heard that I should prime the oil filter with oil....I've heard I should turn the filter 1 and 1/2 revolutions..not 3/4... I've heard the drain plug is easily stripped???