Walmart oil changes.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Yeah, I know....never go to an oil change place like Jiffy Lube or whatever but 2700 miles from home I needed a change. Specifically asked for any filter BUT FRAM.

Got back to the Sister's house, next day a pool of oil under the car. Cranked it up with the trunk jack, the trunk monkey had escaped and ...... yup an orange freaking Fram and it was finger tight. Cranked it down and it still leaked.

Took it back to Wallyworld and told them WTF? The service writer said that's all they had....Fram. I had called the day before and kvetched to the Manager and when he heard I was there, they sent out for a Bosch. They redid the oil and changed the filter. Hopefully no more leaks.

Buttheads.....

gshase · 12-29-2015, 10:32 AM

I don't believe it. I like it when they leave on the old gasket. 2 are better than 1

vash · vash's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshase

I don't believe it. I like it when they leave on the old gasket. 2 are better than 1

i did this once. ONCE. all over my mom's brand new driveway. she was pissed. i still can see the faint stain.

lessoned learned. now i feel and see the old gasket.

walmart oil change. now that i have never done. i find oil filters dont leak that often. i'm surprised the slight tightening didnt plug things up.

KNS · 12-29-2015, 10:58 AM

I've never had an oil filter leak until just recently. The little oil filter on my 993 started leaking (genuine Porsche), it was leaking right where the gasket mates up to the console, it wasn't loose either. Then, a few weeks later the oil filter on my wife's Lincoln MKX started leaking in the same manner (dealer did the oil change and then re-did it).

I was able to change the 993 filter easily without draining the oil, thankfully.

flipper35 · flipper35's Garage

When I bought a car new way back in the 80s they told me they would love to do the maintenance (wouldn't ALL dealerships) but no matter where I had it done, don't use a Fram and they had several on the service desk that had burst and they were from cars brought in when the oil pressure went away. They averaged one or two a month and said it was the higher oil pressure on the little turbo fours.

Don Ro · 12-29-2015, 11:25 AM

My new '12 Duc. Hyper had to have 3 Ducati oil filters in order to stop the weeping on my first dealer oil change.

John Rogers · 12-29-2015, 11:32 AM

Hummmm, the only time I ever HAD to get an oil change was with the race car and that is after each race weekend. If my or my wife's car says the interval is down to 0 or that oil needs changing and I can not get to it right away, I reset it and then put it at the top of my to do list. The brain in most cars are programmed to make it best for the dealer, etc and can usually be ignored for a while. If the engine goes into some sort of "limp" mode if the oil change interval gets to 0 then I'd say reset it as the computer has no way of knowing if the oil was changed or not. If the dip stick smells badly........that is another story and maybe the engine overheated or the oil burned or......?

scottmandue · 12-29-2015, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshase

I don't believe it. I like it when they leave on the old gasket. 2 are better than 1

Guilty! In my defense it was on my FWD Hyundai and the filter was out of sight so filter replacement was done by feel. I get a few blocks from home and a huge plume of white smoke starts behind my car (oil leaked on exhaust manifold).

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I'm more shocked by the fact they UNDER tightened the filter than anything. Usually those imbeciles put every g-damn thing back on with air tools - drain plugs, filters, lug nuts, you name it. I think it's a prerequisite to work there that you can't have any idea what "torque spec" means. A friend's car had wheel lugs l tightened to the point of plastic deformation / yield after a tire replacement - no joke. These guys are scary. Just grab the air thingy there, twist the knob all the way and brrrrrrrt! I've had to physically destroy several filters on peoples' cars to get them off after they went to a jiffy lube or similar place. I swear they do it to amuse themselves just like restaurant servers always waiting until just after you've taken a bite to rush over and ask how everything is (I know for a fact this is done on purpose - I worked in enough restaurants when I was younger. It's a way to make a crap job somewhat less crappy by amusing yourself)

I'd whiz in the crankcase before I'd let one of those goons within arm's reach of any of my cars.

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

^^^
Agreed. They probably put oil in there that is about as good as whiz anyway. Torque specs? You are delusional. They are minimally paid by the job. The faster that car is out, the sooner they can get the next one. They don't have time to look up specs. Besides, the higher the torque, the less chance you will sue wallyworld for a wheel falling off...
Servers that time the "how's everything" when you take a bite? I put up the index finger to signal please wait a minute, then take my time and chew for a minute, and then get a sip of water before I answer. I hope they enjoyed wasting 1-2 minutes for their little amusement. I especially love it when I haven't even eaten anything. I'll ask them to come back in a little bit and I'll let them know.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

It was my Honda and I am 2700 miles from home. When I get home, I'll do the change myself.

No Jack stands or other safety devices available. I had a coupon......was just warning people that even full service garages, which this one was, are morons.

Gretch · 12-29-2015, 02:05 PM

lug nuts and drain plugs cross threaded, that will put you off of low cost and dealer monkeys, forever...

onewhippedpuppy · 12-29-2015, 03:18 PM

No freaking way, having seen the "techs" in our Walmart they couldn't pay me to take my car there.

fastfredracing · 12-29-2015, 03:25 PM

I've had more than one car come in for an oil leak, only to find that the Fram filter had rusted through .

Rodsrsr · Rodsrsr's Garage

When I was around 18 years old I worked for a tuneup Masters (for all you old guys that remember them) The manager would pull the car over the pit and take the keys. We would have to give him the old gasket before we got the keys back. Double gasket is a sure way to blow an engine real quick.

LakeCleElum · 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshase

I don't believe it. I like it when they leave on the old gasket. 2 are better than 1

This is how my friend from New York had his Gold Wing engine crap out in Montana....

JB - Have a safe cross-country trip home........Lots of ugly weather out there........

SoCal911T · 12-29-2015, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I had a coupon......was just warning people that even full service garages, which this one was, are morons.

Thanks for the warning but my cars will never have, nor have ever had, the oil changed by anyone but me. As far as WalMart, I wouldn't let them change a wiper blade much less the oil. Just sayin'...

Hugh R · 12-29-2015, 06:02 PM

Had the oil changed at Walmart ONCE. Checked when I got home, one qt. short. Tire rotation they forgot to do, and no fluid checks, which I paid for on my Camry.

LakeCleElum · 12-29-2015, 06:04 PM

Once while traveling, I had to buy a battery at Wal-Mart.......I had to stand over the shoulder of this 18 year old girl and explain each step of the install........I was not allowed to touch a tool, but she couldn't have done it w/o me....

tabs · 12-30-2015, 12:20 AM

I got tired of crawling under the truck and getting my fingers dirty, so I have been taking the truck to Wally World right regular. Never a complaint, until this last time when past time for a oil change the oil filter started to leak. Now I know why.

The last Wally world battery lasted 9 years.

Something more to watch for.