Instant oil change lesson! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DaimlerChrysler · #16 08-15-2002, 10:59 AM

I just talked to my dad. He had the oil changed in his Cadillac yesterday at the same franchise (not the same store though) that I did. This morning he noticed a LARGE oil leak under the oil pan. He was smarter than I am though because instead of messing around he took it directly to the Cadillac dealer. They told him that not only had they left out the washer on the drain plug but THE PLUG WAS NOT EVEN FROM A GENERAL MOTORS CAR!

He ended up having to have the oil changed (again) and had to have the oil pan replaced because the tech at the instant oil change place stripped the darn thing out trying to get the wrong plug to fit.

How could anyone possibly make that stupid a mistake?

DaimlerChrysler · #17 08-15-2002, 01:19 PM

Well, the company sent me a check today to cover the costs of the repair. No "I'm sorry" letter, but the check is the important thing. At least I'll give them credit for that!

jsmith · #18 08-15-2002, 02:02 PM

the local jiffy lube has a couple of young kids that have been there for a while now. one of them even drives a BMW 325. they think i'm some sort of car whiz - they even let me come down underneath to check out the undersides if i need to. i get my van's oil and tranny changed there all the time - i just watch and double check afterward. i've heard all the horror stories before - mine is just not one of them...

haasman · #19 08-15-2002, 02:21 PM

Here's my experience:

Took the old 280SE for the "full-service" right before a family trip from California to Oregon. Loaded up the family, luggage and off we went. Everything seemed fine, except when we stopped at Kalamuth Falls Oregon for the night, I kept saying hmmm it certainly smells a lot like differential oil around here (sulfurous smell). My wife said :Of course it does, there are logging trucks all over the place". Satisfied with that we spend the night and continued on.

At a relief stop the next day out in the middle of nowhere, I then noticed the differential lube all over the back bumper!

I limped into the first little town, drove up to a gas station, put in on a lift and yep! No fill plug in the differential. The mechanic and I tried to find a plug, but nothing would even come close.

Finally, after re-filling with diff oil, we used a short piece of garden hose, an old lug bolt, and get this: bailing wire to hold it together until we could get to Bend where a MBZ dealer is.

When I tried to pay the mechanic and he said: "Oh yeah sure. You take it to the fancy Mercedes dealership with bailing wire all around the differential and they'll laugh you out of the place. No charge buddy". I slipped a couple of twenties under his phone when he wasn't looking.

Long story short: I return to the infamous fast change oil place with the bill for the new plug and the oil, and they said: "oh sir that is impossible". I wrote the headquarters, presented them the bill and they paid it. They also sent along several Free Oil change coupons. I DON'T THINK SO!

unkl300d · #20 08-15-2002, 03:51 PM

Now I get it.. "J" stands for Jiffy peanut butter.

Wasn't it the 'get high scene' back in the 70-80's

for some dummies to inject peanut butter into their veins???
Cholesterol high or some joke like that??

Just add strawberry jam to complete the picture!

I'm changing the oil/filter on my 300SE right now, see ya.

rickjordan · #21 08-15-2002, 10:44 PM

Here in NJ, for a while, Sears had stopped doing oil chages and leased the garage space to Jiffy Lube. Well, one day I was there to have a leaking tire repaired and watch the Jiffy monkees working on other people's cars. I saw one of these monkeys use a filter strap wrench to put on the oil filter. He cranked it on so hard that he was scrapping the yellow paint off the filter. Absolutely incredible.

Piotr · #22 08-15-2002, 11:14 PM

UUUH, I need sleep, but just can't resist it....
A coupla of years ago, when I JUST met my current wife (and the Mother of my first-born ) she used to go to that Jiffy Peanut Butter place for oil change. Well, she just moved to Wilmington, DE from Atlanta, GA, so she was kinda naive in that cute southern sorta way and believed that anybody can do an oil change. Before she went, I mentioned to her that her break fluid is a little low. After arriving at the Buttery (see above), she asked them to check out the break fluid. She did not even had a chance to sit down in the waiting room, when a kid (aka "a mechanic") asked her if she could drive up on the lift, because the car had a manual tranny, and he did not know how to drive it. At this point she thought of leaving, but, foolishly, she decided to give'em a chance. 5 minutes later the same kid came in asking what type of oil the car was using. At that time she was a DM for Office Depot, so she was a little hard on incompetent people, and rather tartly told the "innocent" kid that he was the mechanic, not her, and that he should figure it out. 1/2 hour later, she was told her car was ready. She asked "da boss" (the Peanut??) if they checked the break fluid. She was assured, that they always do it, and don't have to be prompted. The bill listed an unspecified amount of break fluid added.

After coming home she mentioned to me that the breaks felt funny. I went over the car, just in case. Yup, you guessed it- the break fluid reservoir was empty. Plus, they overfilled the engine by 2 quarts and crimped the filter. needless to say I've been changing the oil and servicing her car ever since.

Piotr · #23 08-16-2002, 12:43 PM

of course, I meant "brake fluid". I did say I needed sleep!!

Mercedes Fred · #24 08-16-2002, 12:53 PM

my third party car warranty requires that I use these jiffy lube shops, that a diy oil change is not acceptable...

what is interesting is that the company that holds the warranty also is part owners of a jiffy lube chain here in canada.

benz320 · #25 08-16-2002, 12:58 PM

some of these "jiffy peanuts" find their way into mercedes authorized dealer service centers as well. Once after an oil change at a dealer (yes, I don't go there anymore!), my dipstick was missing!! I have made it a habit of driving off after an oil change into a parking lot nearby, and checking everything myself before going home, so I discovered it within minutes of leaving the dealer. Needless to say, I came back fuming - they found it lying ON THE FLOOR near the ramp where my car was serviced. Oops, sorry was thier response!!!

chowpit · #26 08-17-2002, 01:08 AM

Quote:

I'm a bit baffled. Every M/B I've ever owned used tapered threads on the drain and fill plugs for the differential. There never was a washer to forget. Am I missing something here?

Older model Benzes used diff plugs that required an aluminum seal. W123, 126, etc.

I have seen many very worn out drain plug seals that were leaking because the jiffy jockeys apparently don't replace them. Some actually are squeezed out around the head of the plug.

#27 08-17-2002, 02:18 PM

PO of my 81 300D had been getting its oil changed at one of the local "oil change specialty" shops for several years. When I changed its oil a couple of days after I bought the car about 2+ years ago, I found the oil filter DRY - obviously had not been changed in years. Air filter was grossly too small and completely ineffective because of air bypassing it. PO had been paying the oil change shop for new filters at every oil change.

#28 08-17-2002, 02:46 PM

Regarding oil changes, the dealer (sales rep) stated I should adhere to the on board computer which indicates when it is time to come in for the "A" or "B" service which includes an oil change. This is covered under the factory warranty for 4 yrs. or 50,000 miles. He further stated that changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste since the synthetic oil is designed to last much longer. This will be about 10,000 miles and 9 months from the last service. I only drive about 10-12k per year, mostly around town. I purchased the car in 12/01. Any thoughts on this? By the way, I will not go to the J place or any other quick change.

kerry · #29 08-17-2002, 03:13 PM

I'm really puzzled by the remark that 'the oil filter was dry.' How is this possible? The only scenario I can imagine is some kind of blockage in the oil galleries prohibiting the oil from getting to the filter. Any other ideas?

#30 08-17-2002, 04:06 PM

The filter had definitely been DRY for a long time though oil had been in it at some time - it was very black but, again, DRY. There, indeed, must have been some blockage of some type, possibly the filter, itself. If the filter gets so blocked that oil can't readily flow thru it, doesn't a bypass valve open to allow oil to bypass the filter? I was worried that a new filter may also remain dry because of some other blockage, but after I filled the engine with oil and ran it a few minutes, I lifted the filter cover/cap and found the container full of oil. It has been OK at every oil change since.