OIL CHANGE HACK!....No drips...not one!

[klotz50]

Not always. I've seen enough from lower level oil change jockeys at dealerships to do it myself. Most of the time they miss something, overfill the oil, etc.

If it wasn't FCA dealerships, I would consider it, but FCA dealerships are the lowest rated of all dealership networks, specifically when it comes to service.

Example of what I mean is a member here who found out they didn't change his oil filter on his first oil change! He only figured it out after doing his own oil change on his 2nd one. No dealership tech is going to take the time and care I will on my own truck.

Yeah, its not always about the money. Does make me curious about how dealership or lube places tackle this problem. Do they just make a mess and then clean up or do they have an industry trick? Maybe a snap-on zip lock bag!

 

[NorthStar]

Amen! Although I seem to be collecting ratchets under the hood from these guys who forget to check the "tray" above the radiator before they close the hood. I now have two as I decided to give the last one I received (from an oil change at Gillman CJDR in Houston) back to the Service Manager - yes, one can have too many ratchets!

If a "mechanic" or "technician" is failing to check the area for HIS tools, then it makes me wonder what else they're forgetting or neglecting... I'm happy for those who "think" they've found a quality dealer...just keep an eye out for a wayward ratchet under the hood!

 

[Scram1500]

Yeah, its not always about the money. Does make me curious about how dealership or lube places tackle this problem. Do they just make a mess and then clean up or do they have an industry trick? Maybe a snap-on zip lock bag!

They just let it rain. The one time I had mine done at the dealership (the "free" change), it was still dripping spilled oil after a 15 minute ride home. My "free" oil change required me to clean the front diff and actuator, the garage floor, and check the tightness of the drain plug and filter

 

[Every20years]

All these stories about the crappy oil change techs scares the crap out of me. For years I always did my own but the battle with the "engineering" of today's vehicles was a constant battle. My 2002 Dakota with the skid plates? Yeah. That was a treat also and usually ended up with oil dry on the floor of the garage to keep it clean. Got lucky and found a local mechanic to work on one of our cars so started having him do the oil changes. He rigged up a series of funnels. Was the kind of guy that when we took a car to him for a repair if it didn't fix it, he didn't charge us. Had a mini-van that was 8 years old with 100k miles and needed the tranny worked on. He looked at it and said "I'll replace the fluid and flush it but you need a new tranny in the next 10K miles." Didn't charge us and when it would act up he did the same thing twice more. The last time he said "Ok, time to trade it in or replace the tranny" Bought us two years and over 20k miles. This guy only took personal referrals as new customers and was MONEY. We have since moved and have found a pretty good mechanic but not the same. With the EcoDiesel I am inclined to go to the dealer for the first round of maintenance just to make sure FCA can't do anything weird on the warranty. Just don't want them to create a problem by incompetence. Have a friend who has a 2018 Platinum Found On Road Dead F150 that was in to replace his tranny and they forgot to reconnect the vacuum system so the 4x4 hubs didn't disengage and no warning lights or indicators he was in "4x4". Didn't catch it until he had driven about 500 miles and is now hoping it was not "engaged" in 4Lo or even 4Hi instead of the AWD mode. Just typing that scares me to take my truck in to a dealer!

 

[NorthStar]

All these stories about the crappy oil change techs scares the crap out of me. For years I always did my own but the battle with the "engineering" of today's vehicles was a constant battle. My 2002 Dakota with the skid plates? Yeah. That was a treat also and usually ended up with oil dry on the floor of the garage to keep it clean. Got lucky and found a local mechanic to work on one of our cars so started having him do the oil changes. He rigged up a series of funnels. Was the kind of guy that when we took a car to him for a repair if it didn't fix it, he didn't charge us. Had a mini-van that was 8 years old with 100k miles and needed the tranny worked on. He looked at it and said "I'll replace the fluid and flush it but you need a new tranny in the next 10K miles." Didn't charge us and when it would act up he did the same thing twice more. The last time he said "Ok, time to trade it in or replace the tranny" Bought us two years and over 20k miles. This guy only took personal referrals as new customers and was MONEY. We have since moved and have found a pretty good mechanic but not the same. With the EcoDiesel I am inclined to go to the dealer for the first round of maintenance just to make sure FCA can't do anything weird on the warranty. Just don't want them to create a problem by incompetence. Have a friend who has a 2018 Platinum Found On Road Dead F150 that was in to replace his tranny and they forgot to reconnect the vacuum system so the 4x4 hubs didn't disengage and no warning lights or indicators he was in "4x4". Didn't catch it until he had driven about 500 miles and is now hoping it was not "engaged" in 4Lo or even 4Hi instead of the AWD mode. Just typing that scares me to take my truck in to a dealer!

On my 2016 Ecodiesel, I had my oil changed at Helfman River Oaks CJDR in Houston. The filter is on the side of the engine and comes out from the top. It should have been a straight forward job however he fat fingered it while pulling it out and appeared to have juggled it a dozen times before getting it out of the engine compartment. When I picked it up, the first thing I always do is pop the hood to check the condition of the work. I could see where he used a shop rag to mop up his "Exxon Valdez" moment but it certainly was not good enough. I grabbed the Service Manager (who never looks under the hood of a truck, only the time a mechanic spends on the job and if its too much he tears ****) who took it back and they took an hour to clean it all up. I checked again and it was better but not perfect. By now, I was past the point of patience and took it home to do it myself.

I agree taking it in for the first change is probably a good idea but be certain to look under the hood, under the engine, at the seats to ensure there isn't any oil or grease on them, and everything else. In fact, throw your creeper in the back and let the Service Writer know you want it done correctly as you'll be checking with the creeper before you leave the dealer. They hate that as they know the the guys in the back need to be on their toes and will tell them so... Then again, I did this on my last oil change in March and they FUBAR'd it up so there is no guarantee of a quality job with any FCA dealership - or Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Nissan, etc.

 

[SpeedyV]

On my 2016 Ecodiesel, I had my oil changed at Helfman River Oaks CHDR in Houston. The filter is on the side of the engine and comes out from the top. It should have been a straight forward job however he fat fingered it while pulling it out and appeared to have juggled it a dozen times before getting it out of the engine compartment. When I picked it up, the first thing I always do is pop the hood to check the condition of the work. I could see where he used a shop rag to mop up his "Exxon Valdez" moment but it certainly was not good enough. I grabbed the Service Manager (who never looks under the hood of a truck, only the time a mechanic spends on the job and if its too much he tears ****) who took it back and they took an hour to clean it all up. I checked again and it was better but not perfect. By now, I was past the point of patience and took it home to do it myself.

I agree taking it in for the first change is probably a good idea but be certain to look under the hood, under the engine, at the seats to ensure there isn't any oil or grease on them, and everything else. In fact, throw your creeper in the back and let the Service Writer know you want it done correctly as you'll be checking with the creeper before you leave the dealer. They hate that as they know the the guys in the back need to be on their toes and will tell them so... Then again, I did this on my last oil change in March and they FUBAR'd it up so there is no guarantee of a quality job with any FCA dealership - or Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Nissan, etc.

Commiserating here. Grease on the (VERY NICE LEATHER) seats...GRR...happens every time, both with my Ram and my wife's Audi. They typically remember to throw a paper floor mat in the vehicle, but why they don't bother to address the seats is...baffling. We need to start planning in advance for the extra time required to take the vehicle back for a leather detail, especially on the Audi's light seats—every time—unless we think ahead and put a towel or cover over the seat prior to bringing it in.

 

[SD Rebel]

Yeah, its not always about the money. Does make me curious about how dealership or lube places tackle this problem. Do they just make a mess and then clean up or do they have an industry trick? Maybe a snap-on zip lock bag!

I use the "two-zip lock bag" method myself , I don't spill any oil removing the filter, but I suspect the tech just lets it flow and then wipes it off. If they go from the front side, they can do it without getting oil on themselves, especially if they have it on a lift.

 

[Every20years]

unless we think ahead and put a towel or cover over the seat prior to bringing it in.

Great idea on the cover! I’ll treat them like we do our 80 lbs Lab after she goes to the lake with us. She has a cover for the back seat just for her. Although wet dog and a little mud is way easier to clean than oil from a diesel. Used to have a diesel in high school and college and changed my own in our driveway. That **** is nasty. Probably go to jail today for pouring it onto the gravel driveway at the house to keep the weeds from growing along the edge!

 

[z0n3]

oooooooh..I like that idea. Pretty sure the RAM filter will fit a Solo. It's not very big filter. Will be trying that next time. Thank you!

Just poke a hole in the oil filter, drain all the oil out that you can and unscrew it. Will work much better.

 

[mikeru82]

Just poke a hole in the oil filter, drain all the oil out that you can and unscrew it. Will work much better.

This is the method I was going to go with from now on. Saw a video with someone doing that. Just gotta catch the oil that comes out of the hole LOL.

 

[z0n3]

This is the method I was going to go with from now on. Saw a video with someone doing that. Just gotta catch the oil that comes out of the hole LOL.

Yeah, I will do the same. The plastic bag worked decent for me this time but it took forever to spin the filter off with the bag full of oil in my hands. The first time I tried the plastic bag it failed miserably haha.

 

[mikeru82]

Yeah, I will do the same. The plastic bag worked decent for me this time but it took forever to spin the filter off with the bag full of oil in my hands. The first time I tried the plastic bag it failed miserably haha.

Haha...yeah, same here. Made more of a mess than it would have made with no bag. That's when I went with a smaller quart size bag. There was a lot less loose plastic bag so I could turn the bag with the filter. Still dripped a little oil when I removed it, but it worked much better for me.

 

[NorthStar]

That poke a hole in the filter thing worked well once for me…was the wife’s idea. I poked a hole in the filter, that crap instantly shot down my arm over my shoulder and into my right ear. It went straight through and out my left ear into a bucket the grinning old lady was holding under my left ear. She said it worked exactly as she figured it would.

I haven’t tried that stunt since then…