Grease Monkey concerns
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Grease Monkey concerns
I just took my 2004 F350 for an engine oil change and transmission fluid change at Grease Monkey at 30,000 miles.
First concern was they told me that Ford only uses synthetic tranny fluid so it cost $175 to change. Seems high, was it?
Second concern is when I checked the engine oil on dip stick after the oil change it looked really dark (Rotella oil). I even put some on a white napkin and it definately looked very dark grey to black. I asked the guy at Grease Monkey why it was so dark and he says the oil always looks like that in diesels. Sounds like BS to me, was he right?
Did they take my money and leave in the old oil? I spent $280 bucks at that place and that was even after a $6.00 discount coupon!
First concern was they told me that Ford only uses synthetic tranny fluid so it cost $175 to change. Seems high, was it?
Second concern is when I checked the engine oil on dip stick after the oil change it looked really dark (Rotella oil). I even put some on a white napkin and it definately looked very dark grey to black. I asked the guy at Grease Monkey why it was so dark and he says the oil always looks like that in diesels. Sounds like BS to me, was he right?
Did they take my money and leave in the old oil? I spent $280 bucks at that place and that was even after a $6.00 discount coupon!
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 24,308
Likes: 42
From: SW Virginia
My 30k tranny service cost around $135 and change at the dealer. I'd get an oil sample and send it to Blackstone :
Blackstone Laboratories - Diesel Engines
Don't know if it will tell you if it's the same oil or not but is a good analysis. My oil has never been gray to black following a change. Did they change the filter too or just the oil?
Blackstone Laboratories - Diesel Engines
Don't know if it will tell you if it's the same oil or not but is a good analysis. My oil has never been gray to black following a change. Did they change the filter too or just the oil?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,664
Likes: 162
From: Cartersville, Ga
The only fluid for the Torqshift tranny is Mercon Sp and it is a synthetic. I hope this is what they used. It usually runs $6-7 a qt. The oil will look black after a change because when you do an oil change on the 6.0L, usually only 13.5-14 qts drain. The system holds 17 qts, a few quarts of old oil stays in the system giving you the black look right after the change. Drive it to get the old and new oil mixed and it should look fresh. Hope this helps. My dealer charges $205 dollars and that is for a heated flush and 17 quarts and a filter.
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Doing a little research on here it sounds like there is an external tranny filter somewhere up by the radiator. These guys said my truck did not have an external filter and say they cleaned the internal one. In order to do that it sounds like you would have to pull the pan. Don't think they could have done all that in the 20 minutes they had it. It did say they used 11 quarts of Mercon SP on my reciept. Serves me right, next time I will do it myself. Then I know what's been done. The thing that concerns me now is I'm about 3 days from leaving on a 5000 plus mile trip pulling a 12000 pound 5th wheel trailer. If they didn't do what they claimed I may be in trouble.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,034
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From: NJ
One of the reasons not to go to quick lube places. I know people want stuff done quickly, but these places do it so quick you are left wondering what was really done. I would simply say you have 3 choices of what to do:
1. Hope you got what you paid for and enjoy your trip.
2. Take it to the dealer where it should be done right
3. Do it yourself and know it is done right.
If it does have an external filter change that yourself and add whatever fluid you need to top off trans. Sorry to hear you had an experience that leaves you wondering...
1. Hope you got what you paid for and enjoy your trip.
2. Take it to the dealer where it should be done right
3. Do it yourself and know it is done right.
If it does have an external filter change that yourself and add whatever fluid you need to top off trans. Sorry to hear you had an experience that leaves you wondering...
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,424
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From: Albemarle, NC
Well is what it all boils down too is this. Do you really want a person making $6 an hour at a place that has probably a huge turnover working on your $40K truck?
Do it yourself if you feel comfortable, or take it to a dealer that you know and trust...There is plenty of info here on fte to guide you.
Do it yourself if you feel comfortable, or take it to a dealer that you know and trust...There is plenty of info here on fte to guide you.
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Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 24,308
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From: SW Virginia
Well is what it all boils down too is this. Do you really want a person making $6 an hour at a place that has probably a huge turnover working on your $40K truck?
Do it yourself if you feel comfortable, or take it to a dealer that you know and trust...There is plenty of info here on fte to guide you.
Do it yourself if you feel comfortable, or take it to a dealer that you know and trust...There is plenty of info here on fte to guide you.
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
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From: Edmonton, AB.
Get a Fomoto valve for your oil changes and do it yourself. I'd still have the dealer do the hot flush on the trans. Oil changes are very easy on the 6.0, it's your engine's life blood. I wouldn't trust any of those quicky lube places. If they do something to cause engine problems, how much luck do you think you'd have getting them to accept responsibility and paying for repairs?
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 1
From: Illinois
I just took my 2004 F350 for an engine oil change and transmission fluid change at Grease Monkey at 30,000 miles.
First concern was they told me that Ford only uses synthetic tranny fluid so it cost $175 to change. Seems high, was it?
Second concern is when I checked the engine oil on dip stick after the oil change it looked really dark (Rotella oil). I even put some on a white napkin and it definately looked very dark grey to black. I asked the guy at Grease Monkey why it was so dark and he says the oil always looks like that in diesels. Sounds like BS to me, was he right?
Did they take my money and leave in the old oil? I spent $280 bucks at that place and that was even after a $6.00 discount coupon!
First concern was they told me that Ford only uses synthetic tranny fluid so it cost $175 to change. Seems high, was it?
Second concern is when I checked the engine oil on dip stick after the oil change it looked really dark (Rotella oil). I even put some on a white napkin and it definately looked very dark grey to black. I asked the guy at Grease Monkey why it was so dark and he says the oil always looks like that in diesels. Sounds like BS to me, was he right?
Did they take my money and leave in the old oil? I spent $280 bucks at that place and that was even after a $6.00 discount coupon!
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB.
A lot of these quick lube places don't use the Motorcraft or Fram filter and opt for the cheaper Wix filter. Does the receipt say what kind of oil filter was used? If it's a Wix unit, they come with their own cap, so they may have garbaged yours. Check to see if the OEM filter cap is still on the engine or if it's the taller Wix unit. If the OEM is gone, make them replace it.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,990
Likes: 1
From: Middleburg, FL
I'll bet they drained the oil pan, put the drain plug back in, and then replaced the oil filter (if at all). If this was the process they followed, then the one or so quart of dirty oil in the oil filter resevoir drained back into the oil pan when they removed the filter cap. Others are correct in there still being 2 qts of used oil trapped in the high pressure oil system. This might explain your oil being somewhat "dirty" after the change. However, it should still have somewhat of a golden tint to it and shouldn't be completely black.
By the way, the proper process is to loosen the oil filter cap first to allow the oil in the resevoir to drain back down into the pan prior to draining the pan. This insures the used oil in the resevoir gets drained with the other oil that is in the pan.
By the way, the proper process is to loosen the oil filter cap first to allow the oil in the resevoir to drain back down into the pan prior to draining the pan. This insures the used oil in the resevoir gets drained with the other oil that is in the pan.
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Just for grins I drove the truck today about 40 miles, to mix up the oil.
I let it sit a couple hours then pulled an oil sample out at the pan drain plug.
I was shocked, it wasn't just grey or dark it's flat out black.
I'm heading back there tommorow to confront them. It's bad enough to pay what these guys charge for a diesel oil change but when they take your money and don't even change it, that's robbery!!
I let it sit a couple hours then pulled an oil sample out at the pan drain plug.
I was shocked, it wasn't just grey or dark it's flat out black.
I'm heading back there tommorow to confront them. It's bad enough to pay what these guys charge for a diesel oil change but when they take your money and don't even change it, that's robbery!!
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 1
From: Illinois
Just for grins I drove the truck today about 40 miles, to mix up the oil.
I let it sit a couple hours then pulled an oil sample out at the pan drain plug.
I was shocked, it wasn't just grey or dark it's flat out black.
I'm heading back there tommorow to confront them. It's bad enough to pay what these guys charge for a diesel oil change but when they take your money and don't even change it, that's robbery!!
I let it sit a couple hours then pulled an oil sample out at the pan drain plug.
I was shocked, it wasn't just grey or dark it's flat out black.
I'm heading back there tommorow to confront them. It's bad enough to pay what these guys charge for a diesel oil change but when they take your money and don't even change it, that's robbery!!
