Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #25 – October 14, 2018, 10:34:46 pm Nick--Your Walmart may be better than my Walmart in Chillicothe...I used to use them for the minivan, until they apparently forgot to replace the oil filler cap. "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers" as Blanche Dubois said in A Streetcar Named Desire, so I never checked their work--which meant I had no proof it was Walmart that left the cap sitting on the battery where I found it after a dreadful experience getting stranded in Kansas City/getting towed back to north Missouri/a new engine... The Walmart lawyers of course have all sorts of liability reasons as to why I couldn't be in the shop area, but I now go to an independent mechanic who a great teacher--like a good DR who explains things in simple language so the patient understands the diagnosis & treatment recommendations, Brian tells me everything that needs doing & why, even though I'm never going to practice either medicine or mechanical work beyond my simple layman's level of first aid. Unfortunately, Brian's shop is not designed to get the LD in without blocking his other bays, so he declined to work on her, but I found another independent mechanic not too far away who does big trucks/etc., & I'm pleased with Kevin's work--he, too, talks me through everything he does.Having seen the various discussions of Camping World & knowing I wouldn't take the LD there unless all other options were exhausted, I wouldn't take the LD to the Walmart in Chillicothe, but Joan's mantra, YMMV, continues to apply.Lynne
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #26 – October 14, 2018, 10:54:03 pm Hi Nick - I would like to echo Lynne's sentiments..with a caveat. If you have a WalMart (or any other place for that matter) where you feel comfortable & confident with the personnel and work conducted then by all means take her to that place. Even if this trusted place costs a few pennies more, or on the other hand is universally maligned, it is worth it for your piece of mind.That's the caveat part...here's my echo part...IMHO I wouldn't trust the "mechanics" at wally as far as I could throw them. I wouldn't even let wally put air in my tires unless it's an emergent situation. Not one to go bashin' businesses, after all it's a good place for cheap fluids (as has been mentioned), but that's about it. Missing lug nuts, fasteners not torqued and/or broken, loose drain plugs are common conditions following a visit to wally..."Back in the day" things were different @ wally, but that hasn't been the case for a long time now.Tread carefully friend! 1 Likes
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #27 – October 15, 2018, 05:21:51 am Hi Nick. About $35 for 6 quarts of full synthetic Mobil 1, and a new oil filter, about $10 dollars. Disposal of oil and filter, free at local car stores like Autozone. I've rarely replaced the copper oil drain plug gasket. Haven't had any leaks yet. I can't see paying someone else for such a simple job. Gives me a chance to crawl under and look around. RonB 10 for about $6. Amazon.com: 10 Copper Oil Drain Plug Gaskets Ford and Nissan: Automotive As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #28 – October 15, 2018, 09:42:33 am The Ford truck center in my area has a $200 per hour labor charge; the local RV service centers come close to this, so, like Ron and many others do, I go to Walmart for 6 quarts of Motorcraft 5W20 and a Motorcraft FL820S oil filter for about $35 and do the job myself. I work a lot cheaper! I do have curbside oil pick up, but, if I didn't, I'd take the jugs (and drained, bagged used filter) to a local auto store for recycling.I certainly understand that many prefer to have someone else change the oil, and most of the time, the change is probably done right, but, even this simple job can be screwed up; I had two experiences (not on the LD) with a "mechanic" forgetting to replace the filler cap (want to guess how difficult it is to clean sprayed oil off the engine and hood interior? Let alone the potential engine damage if the mistake is not caught almost immediately?) and one of cross-threading the oil filter. I would not use a Walmart or a Camping World or a Jiffy Lube or any other "oil change" outfit, but, if this is one's choice to do so, I would at least make very sure that the place was using the appropriate oil and filter and check for post-change leaks and fill level.YMMV, as always! 1 Likes
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #29 – October 15, 2018, 10:36:37 am Just to add a footnote to Joan’s reply. An oil change is suppose to be the time to inspect the condition of many areas called a multi-point inspection. The zerks need grease for example. Most oil change places wouldn’t do that. Check all fluid levels, battery terminals, look for leaks, etc. I torque the oil drain plug. How many places just hand tighten the plug?So if someone needed just an oil change without a multi-point inspection then a quick oil shop can work. (For example on a long road trip). I’d be watching and then checking what I could. Hope this helps. 2 Likes
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #30 – October 15, 2018, 12:42:01 pm Last oil change was done at a recommended local shop in Diamond Springs CA. He slid under the rig, drained the oil, then refilled. All satisfactory $107, so $70 labor. He is selling his shop to his son and retiring to Idaho. Previous change at Ford dealership in Roseville CA (Folsom is closer but truck shop stopped servicing RVs). Up on the rack, oil change, multipoint inspection - $107. I prefer to pay someone who knows what they are looking at/for to eyeball the underside periodically. Certainly there is variability in employee competence anywhere and mistake do happen.I stopped using Jiffy-Lube in 1992 when they stripped the threads on the oil pan plug at 14K. They finally paid to replace the oil pan. I threatened to take them to small claims court, but had difficulty contacting the asst. manager.Every time I called, he was out - at small claims court.There are a few, select individuals I would recommend they use that company.As Joan says, YMMVJoel 1 Likes
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #31 – October 15, 2018, 01:55:33 pm "He slid under the rig, drained the oil, then refilled. All satisfactory $107, so $70 labor."And what about the torque converter? Shouldn't it also be drained and refilled at the same time?
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #32 – October 15, 2018, 02:29:52 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones - October 15, 2018, 01:55:33 pmAnd what about the torque converter? Shouldn't it also be drained and refilled at the same time? The torque converter's oil is changed only during a full transmission flush.The majority of torque converters have not had a drain plug for many years.Larry. 1 Likes
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #33 – October 15, 2018, 04:55:24 pm "The majority of torque converters have not had a drain plug for many years."Thanks for that Larry...I was thinking back to my '77 International Scout which I drove for 24 years. I drained and changed that one more than once!
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #34 – October 15, 2018, 05:30:59 pm The LD is high enough off the ground to make oil changes vey simple. Do it yourself. The job gets done right, you know what oil is actually put in it, you put on the proper oil filter, and you can then use money saved to spend on yourself! Frank
Re: Oil Change Re-Visited Reply #35 – October 16, 2018, 08:02:19 am We take our MB to a Ford Truck shop, about 30 miles away for most service. We have used Wally once in Las Vegas and the work was satisfactory, and used Jiffy Lube once in Fairbanks with the same result.Our last service was August 15 at the Ford Truck shop and the costs were as follows: Oil filter 5.20, 6 qts. of oil 18.18, Labor 20.00, old oil disposal 4.00 plus tax which totals at 50.22. For the 20.00 labor charge, I will let someone else climb around under the rig, and also perform a multi-point inspection.As others have noted, there are multiple ways to accomplish this task. 1 Likes
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Topic: Oil Change Re-Visited (Read 932 times)
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