Oil change/fiascos

krisinaz

I apologize the year of my car is 2002 Alero, at the time this happened my car was only 3 years old. No I did not stop the care 1 1/2 year ago I still took it for maintenance. The Dealership said that the barrings were spun and a new engine was recommended. I did continue to drive my car for 1 year with the load ticking noise, the tec said it was drivable but at any time it could go at anytime. I was not the soul driver of my car, had the low oil light came on, someone else might not have noticed it. I know from past history that the low oil light would just come on and go off it never stayed on. So had the oil went low the light did not come on again. The tec said there were no oil leaks, that at the time of the oil change no oil must have been replaced. There were allot of miles being put on my car, my husband used it to travel for work. Sometimes 3,000 miles came in 45 days verses 90. My car has 88,000 miles on it. How common is it that a oil shop forgets to replace the engine oil? Now my car sits and the ticking has turned to thunking. Yes a new engine is the only answer, but I think the oil company is responsible for not putting the correct amount of oil back in my car.

Mr_Shiftright

Well the bearings can't be 'spun'---the car wouldn't run in that case.

isellhondas

A car that is just about to quit running if it hasn't already,

You may think the oil company is responsible and they may be. After this much time has passed, it is doubtful you will get any recourse.

I would park this car or get it fixed before it strands you.

div2

I think the oil company is responsible for not putting the correct amount of oil back in my car.

What about YOUR responsibility to check the oil on at least a weekly basis?

altair4

I think the oil company is responsible for not putting the correct amount of oil back in my car.

What about YOUR responsibility to check the oil on at least a weekly basis?

I always check the oil level immediately after having the oil and filter changed. My attitude is: "mistakes can happen" - maybe the tech got interrupted, maybe he's having a bad day, maybe his best buddy's bachelor's party was last night. Whatever - I'm covered. Am I paranoid? Maybe - but I've never run an engine with a dry sump either.

And then I check it at least every other fuel fill-up, and always before a long trip. 'Course, I also keep a spare quart in my trunk since I'm using 0w-40 Mobil 1 (which isn't always easy to find).

poodog13

What about YOUR responsibility to check the oil on at least a weekly basis?

ON A WEEKLY BASIS???? I've never heard of any maintenance manual suggesting this. Frankly, if a car needs to have the oil level checked weekly, it's indicative of a larger problem. Maybe that was true 25 years ago or more, but today's cars should not be expected to require that level of diligence.

gonogo

Every owners manual I ever read states, check engine oil at every fuel up.

imidazol97

Right on. That catches the occasion where something starts to go wrong and it uses some oil. You'll noticed it's down 1/2 inch from where it was... instead of noticing it's 1/2 inch from the bottom of the dipstick.

krisinaz

I tend to agree with why so much checking. I live in Arizona in the 115 degree heat and to check my oil level every time I fuel up is just crazy. I pay someone to change my oil and I do not have a leak then I shouldn't have to go behind them and make sure they do there job. I know for the sake of my car and engine I should. Out of habit I usually do check because yes back in the day I had a Nissan Sentra that leaked 2 quarts of oil a week. Yes I am very conscience of oil in my vehicles. The negligence is on there part of not putting oil in my car, its not my negligence. Why pay for an oil change and not get oil. If I had brain surgery how can I check to make sure it was done right, same thing with a car. If you knew something about cars then yes check all you want, but for some of us out there that are not mechanically inclined we do not know what we are looking for. Some people do even know where there transmission stick is.

altair4

You wrote:

I've never heard of any maintenance manual suggesting this. Frankly, if a car needs to have the oil level checked weekly, it's indicative of a larger problem.

Note I didn't say that I add oil at every check. In fact, neither of our current cars ever needs oil between changes. But our old Mazda Protege developed a sudden (and substantial) leak around 100,000 miles and I'm convinced that my frequent checks prevented us from losing that engine. Once the leak was resolved, it ran another 65,000 miles without needing added oil between changes.

And, yeah, all of our owner's manuals recommend checking the oil at every fueling.

wtd44

You've got to do it. Just check it. The consequences are simply too great to avoid it, and it is simple to do. If you can't currently check your oil level, ask a friend or a mechanic to show you how. I would look at the oil level on a modern car at least every two or three thousand miles. Again, ask a person you trust to tell you how often you should check your specific vehicle, or how often you should have someone do that for you, if you just won't or can't do it yourself.

imidazol97

I started checking at every fillup which is about 1.5 weeks or little more. Long, long ago traveling I stopped for fuel. The guy wanted me to check the oil after traveling a couple hundred miles into Tennessee. He told me that the week before he had a couple of ladies whose car was really low on oil after driving from Ohio through Kentucky when they stopped for gas. If he hadn't checked the oil they would have had a problem further on down the road.

I started checking regularly for level and for color. Sometimes I check at rest areas when I stop.

smokey75

Yeah, that's a great idea. Check it at every fill up when the car has been running & the oil hasn't drained back into the pan yet. Why bother? While you're at it why not check the transmission fluid without the engine running for other useless dipstick levels.

altair4

You wrote:

Yeah, that's a great idea. Check it at every fill up when the car has been running & the oil hasn't drained back into the pan yet.

Point taken. I don't actually check my oil at the gas station (it's "buy and fly" for me), but the next AM when the engine is cool and the oil is all (or mostly, anyway) in the sump.

imidazol97

>Check it at every fill up when the car has been running & the oil hasn't drained back into the pan yet.

Actually if you shut off motor and do your gas fill the oil will have drained back into the pan 90% or more or the small fraction that was circulating. When the motor is hot the oil is almost as thin as water and drains into the pan rapidly. If you don't believe that, try driving 50 miles or 10 and then changing your own oil quickly by removing the drain plug.

gonogo

Right, I only have great ideas, it is in the owners manual. To get technical a lot will drain back, but also liquids expand, so it will be close.
Great idea, after check the transmission fluid, after all it needs to be a hot check.

imidazol97

And what we're looking for are rapid usage starting so we're not looking for 1/8 inch changes in dipstick height of oil level. If that's the case, check oil in morning, sitting in same position in your garage.

krisinaz

Is it true that when you live in a hotter climate your car will burn oil due to the engine burning hot? That doesn't mean you have a leak just its just burning it? I always check my oil in between changes just to make sure when I notice its 1/2 low I will add it and then make time to get a oil change. My issue all along is, what responsibility does a business have when you pay for a service and do not get it.

isellhondas

I am so used to all of our recent cars never using oil that I rarely bother checking my oil.

Same with my tires. If one looks low, I'll check them.

I know...

gonogo

In a hotter climate it may use some oil but not enough to make a difference. You got caught in a bad situation, I don’t use lube places so I know how much oil I put in my car. Even though I pour in my own oil and know how much it takes, I always pull the dip stick to see the level.
I reread your posts, it sure looks like Jiffy lube didn’t put in the correct amount of oil. I know hind site is 100% but it always is a good idea to check oil level after service, humans do make mistakes. I know most people don’t, if a problem comes up then it gets sticky.
I am confused on the part where you stated the oil light comes on at times then goes out, was this taking place after the low oil service? Oil light on, if for oil pressure is a serious concern, it would be like a persons heart stopping.

gonogo

I am guilty of not checking my oil too, usually before a long trip I might.
As far as tires pressure goes I am right on it now with gas $3 a gallon. Times are changing, after hurricane season it will probably be closer to $4 a gallon.

krisinaz

O believe me we no longer use quick lube places anymore because of this. The oil light does come on if the oil dips a little low. It doesn't stay on it clicks on then goes right off, if you don't pay attention you will not see it. If someone else was driving my car they would not pay attention to it. I guess that's just the way they make Alero's. I think the low oil light should stay on till you take care of the problem, but it don't. strange yes.

jlflemmons

The light is triggered by one of the sending units. It is strictly an on/off switch that is switched by the momentary pressure drop that can come with a sudden stop, or low idle pressure pulsations in the oil supply.

Most high performance street cars use baffles in the oil pan, or hard cornering and braking will allow the pick up tube to suck air and cause gauge fluctuations or oil lights to blink on and off.

jmonroe

This isn’t an Oil Change Fiasco Story; in fact it’s probably just the opposite.

Years ago, back in the early to mid 70’s, I changed my own oil and filter (still due but not quite like I used to) religiously at less than 3 months which was always way, way less than 3000 miles (I was very fortunate to work less than 3 miles away). There was a joke in our group that went something like ; “Hey, jmonroe is going to change his oil again this Saturday, whose turn is it to go over and get his drain oil this time for their next oil change”? Heads would pop up from their cubicles saying “ME”. Well, one Saturday morning after I had said, in passing, that I was going to do an oil change this week end, at about 8:30 the door bell rings, I’m thinking it’s a neighbor wanting to borrow something, when I open the door, there’s one of my fellow worker friends standing there with an empty Prestone jug in his hand saying, “when do you plan to start the oil change, Ed and I have a tee off time in about an hour”. Not to act surprised, I said “I did it last night and gave the oil to a neighbor, you should have told me you wanted it”. His response was, “since I’m here what’s for breakfast”?

Like I said, this was years back when an engine that had 40-45K miles on it, was pretty much at its half-life especially when you had many short trips like I did which is probably the most severe use of an engine. In the winter, if I left the car outside, it was barely putting out warm air by the time I pulled into the parking lot. So, when you think of it again, I wasn’t really doing the engine all that much of a favor.

Oil is very, very, very cheap insurance for engine longevity and it didn’t bother me one bit to change it more often vs. less often.

jmonroe

altair4

Come on, jmonroe! You gotta tell the end of the story - so how many miles to you get out of that engine? And did the body rot away before the engine was done?

jmonroe

...so how many miles to you get out of that engine? And did the body rot away before the engine was done?

I didn't want to make the story too much longer but since you asked.

Back in those days cars in the north, where they salted the roads heavily in the winter, you were lucky if a car didn't rot away after 5 or 6 years that you could still bare to look at it. So, my cars that were this age had 50-60K miles on them when the wifee pulled the plug on them saying she was embarrassed to go to the supermarket let alone take the kid's anywhere that they would be seen getting out of the car, regardless of how well they ran.

Ended up selling them, with no problems, and the buyers ALWAYS commented on how strong and quiet the big V-8 engines were. Even sold one to a body guy who was thrilled to get it and didn't even try to negotiate the price. In a couple months he brought the car over for me to see what he had done with it, said he'd have the car forever, and asked that I call him anytime I wanted to sell a car. BTW, when the wifee saw it she said, "if I didn't see it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it" (boy, isn't that original) to which I said, "see, I told you we should have kept it"

Yes, I tried to call the body guy the next time I was ready to sell, but he had moved without letting me know and the phone company said since they didn't have a forwarding number he probably moved out of the state (Pennsylvania), or was that, he moved to the State Penn. Oh well, his loss.

jmonroe

wai

I noticed that every time, I got an oil change from an independent shop or car dealership's service dept., they always overfill between 1/4- 1/2 inch of oil.One time I ask them to drain off the excess amount of oil. Is it a common practise for them to be in the safe side (more than not enough). Another time I specify I want fully synthetic motor oil but they give me just dino oil.

jlflemmons

It is usually just sloppy workmanship. My Elantra calls for 4.5 qts with a filter. The dealer always uses bulk Castrol GTX and dials up 4.5qts. Every oil change the level is dead on.

But if you are filling from quart bottles, what do you think they are going to do with that last half quart?

jmonroe

Another time I specify I want fully synthetic motor oil but they give me just dino oil.

While I'm not necessarily a fan of synthetics', (I believe that any quality oil and filter changed often is all you really need) I would have been upset to say the least if they didn't give me what I asked for. This, for me, would have been enough to go elsewhere from then on. It's also why I like to do this easy stuff myself.

How did you find out they didn't give you what you wanted, was the type of oil they did use shown on your receipt? Just curious.

jmonroe

jmonroe

But if you are filling from quart bottles, what do you think they are going to do with that last half quart?

Yeah, I think we all know the answer to this but what SHOULD be done is to do it right.

If they did it right they would be able to make more money by saving this 1/2 qt. for the next guy. If I had a shop I'd do this and tell my customers my prices are for full quarts only. If they felt cheated by this, I would gladly give them the left over 1/2 quart. There choice.

jmonroe

jlflemmons

What you are describing is exactly what I do. Cap the other 1/2 quart and save it for the next oil change.

jmonroe

What you are describing is exactly what I do. Cap the other 1/2 quart and save it for the next oil change.

Oh no, another guy who thinks like me.

BTW, I read your Bio and I see that you have a 2005 Elantra. I have two Hyundai's; 2005 XG 350 (mine) and I just bought a 2006 Sonata LX in June for the wife. It's just a baby, doesn't even have 1200 miles on it and you can bet I'm going to due the oil changes on it myself since (I'm pretty sure), like the XG 350, it also falls into the something plus 1/2 qt. requirement.

Just can't trust others to do even the most simple of things. When I can't lift a wrench, I guess I'll have to change my thinking.

jmonroe

jlflemmons

Or tell the shop you want to take the other half quart with you!

Actually, I am very lucky to have an extremely good Hyundai shop 10 minutes from the house. So, when the bones don't want to crawl on the floor, Cricket get lubed by the shop.

wai

I want them to give me the empty oil can to see if that is SAE5w 30 synthetic oil after they performed the oil change. But they say they think I want just regular oil. Since I have no time to wait them to change again. I just let it go.

morey000

I was young, poor, living in an apartment and changing my own oil to save money. I didn't really have the proper container, so I laid a plastic garbage bag in a large bowl, and caught the oil that way. As I was walking across the parking lot with my garbage bag filled with dirty oil... it broke and I had 4 quarts of oil in my sneakers and all over the asphalt.

yes- I did clean it up using wads of newspaper. But that load didn't get recycled- just thrown in the trash.

I've got a garage and proper oil container now!

Doah!

blynmazda5

I took the car in for the first oil change at 1000 miles. When I checked the oil it was above the M in MAX on the dipstick.

I'm not looking forward to bringing the car back to have the excess oil removed.

How long would it take me to wipe 1/2 quart of the dipstick?

BTW Any damage to the engine by overfilling by 1/2 quart of 50W20 in a Mazda 5?

Thanks.

David

burdawg

No. 1/2 quart isn't significant. It would take a long time to remove 1/2 quart by continually wiping the dipstick if that's what you meant.

wai

Where can we buy a tool to suck the excess oil out?

british_rover

Is the filter a cannister style filter on the Mazda 5?

If so you could just remove the filter housing drain it out and then put it back on. Do that a couple of times and you would be set.

altair4

Google "oil extractor."

wai

Where can I get this?

sandman46

Why on earth did you change the oil at 1000 miles??? What did the owners manual say about when to do the 1st oil change? I'm lucky that my Civic has an oil minder that lets me know when it's time to change the oil, which I will do when it gets down to 20% or so.
I've never understood why folks change the break in oil soooo early & don't follow their manuals. I would think the engineers would know a thing or two about their engines and the tolerances. Just an opinion from someone who usually follows the owners manual.

The Sandman

jlflemmons

Just change the oil filter. The oil will stay in the pan, and you can pour ~1/2 quart out of the filter. Depending on the size of the filter, of course, but most hold between 1/4 and 1/2 quart. You could actually just put the filter back on and continue to use it, but you won't get as much oil out as some will stay in the filter.

blynmazda5

Thanks everyone for your suggestion about removing the filter. The Mazda 5 uses a cartridge, and I'm not able to easily access it by crawling under the car.

I have made progress Now I think it is less than 1/2 quart over filled. (I haven't observed any leaks.)

I looked in the owneer's manual and read that the distance between the min and max on the dipstick uses about 3/4 quart. I then compared that to the distance above the max line and figure it's 1/4 to 1/2 that distance which would make it about. 38 quart overfilled.

The next time I go for an oil change I'll remind the mechanic that the Mazda 5 uses 4.5 quarts not 5 quarts of oil.

BTW I must have wiped the stick 20-30 times over the course of 2 days.

Thanks again for all you feedback.

David

blynmazda5

Sandman,

The number of miles was not the reason why I changed the oil at 1000 miles. I decided to change the oil after I read the "date built" on the driver's side door and realized the car had been on the lot for 9 months.

I wish I had seen that before purchasing the car--I would not have purchased it.

David

wai

I thought the same way as you, but I know this before I purchased the car and I want a better oil (fully synthetic oil) for my car, My car is lying almost two years on the lot, my first oil change is only 800 miles on the odometer.

jipster

BTW I must have wiped the stick 20-30 times over the course of 2 days.

You must be moving fairly slow to only get 20-30 wipes over a period of 2 days. I'm thinking, after about a couple hours of continuous wipes, you should have been able to get that 1/2 quart of extra oil out.

extech2

In the late seventies I was hired at a Ferrari and Lamborgini center in Phoenix, Arizona as a helper. On my third day on the job the foreman asked me to put oil and coolant in a Ferrari (12 cylinder engine). The engine just had a complete overhaul and they were ready to start it up. I filled the radiator with 3 gallons of pure coolant; we never diluted it; then I went on to fill the motor. After pouring in 4 quarts of Kendall 20W-50 I checked the dipstick but it had no sign of oil yet. I put in another quart and checked, still no oil. I looked for oil leaks all over on the ground with a flashlight, but the floor was sparking clean. I walked over to the foreman's office and told them that there might be some internal leak in the engine because while I can't see any external oil leaks the oil just disappears after I pour it in. They asked me how much oil is in the motor now and I told them five quarts. They howled with delight, and told me to pour in twelve more quarts and check it again. I couldn't believe it, I thought they were playing a practical joke on the new guy, but they told me it's not a joke. Yeah, that big motor took 22 quarts of oil.

explorerx4

i change the oil in my '91 mustang. it developed an intermittent oil leak. i think it is the rear seal, not uncommon. last year i bought some high motor mileage oil that will supposedly condition the seals. i actually think it may work. this year i bought more of the same.
trying to be neat i would take a full quart out the the bag from the store and put empty back in and take out the next one.
anyways, ended up throwing out a full quart because i forgot to take the last full container out of the bag, after i checked the dip stick and it wasn't down to the 'fill' line. the oil is over 3 dollars a quart.

amsoilman

I see that some of you would like better drain intervals and to get longer miles out of their car. I run Amsoil in my car and I change it every 25,000 miles like Amsoil says. We run Amsoil in our company Vehicles and we get better gas mileage and save money with the longer drain intervals don't need to change the oil as often which saves money. Amsoil works great for myself and our company. And you dont need to have the Technician change it once a year and you can see how much he puts in.