m u s i n g s

Just got back from the garage.

I needed to replace a tire. I thought I t was a slow leak, but the sidewall was damaged so out with the newish damaged tire - in with a brand new one. Life is like that.

The garage I chose - had to be close, as I was losing air rapidly -  was down the street, Queensway Auto Body. Big place that does collision work and repairs including a large bay for steering and tires.

The guy who greeted me was great - ordered a replacement tire, did all the right stuff and was not that expensive. Probably could have shopped around for a cheaper tire, but this was neither the right time nor place for that! What do you do when you go to a place to have a tire repaired and find it is not repairable. OK, put it back on I will have this towed to a cheaper place? No. They did not gouge me that is for sure, but it certainly was not the "deal of the day."

He then called me over "Hey, you are leaking oil under here.

That's never good.

He put the car on the hoist and went underneath. The diagnosis was that the oil drain plug on the oil pan was leaking. We both figured it was simply loose. No, it was not loose. It was completely stripped.

Having done a bit of DIY mechanic work I knew what could be involved. 

Now, I had just recently had an oil change.  Here is where the problem started. I will couch that and say "probably" or "may" have started.

A month ago I went to one of those local, fast, oil-change places. I am not naming names here because there is no proof they are at fault. But, prior to getting that oil change - everything was fine avec da wheels.

The mechanic today, while I watched him, surveyed the situation. The oil plug was completely stripped and in trying to take off the oil filter - it was not threaded on right. It was jammed.

To remedy the situation there were two possibilities. The first would be to get a new oil pan. Not cheap. The second, would be to try to repair the oil filter area and then re-tap the oil plug socket and put in a larger size oil pan plug.

I asked him his recommendation. He said lets try the second, but was concerned about the oil pan being too damaged. He said however, if it does not work, we will have to go for the new oil pan, but promised that if he cannot fix it he will not charge me for the first attempt and only charge me for the new oil pan work. Fair enough I said - have at it.

I really enjoy watching someone who knows what they are doing. He finally got the oil filter off. A complete mess. And dug out the oil pan plug. He cleaned the filter area thoroughly and re tapped the drain to accept a bigger plug.

Both of us satisfied with this - he proceeded to do an oil change.

The quick service oil change place, although attractive at it's price was ultimately the cause of an unnecessary cost - assuming they, the fast place, did this.

Having done a bunch of oil changes myself, on old cars that I once had, I did not think twice about going to a fast oil change place. How tough can it be?

Well, perhaps, too tough for the guys I went to. Seemingly, according to the mechanic today - they stripped the oil plug screw, probably using a hydraulic drill to secure the bolt, resulting in a leak, and did not screw on the oil filter properly - they just jammed it on - more than likely in haste. They are a fast oil change place, no? 

I park on gravel and never noticed the leak. Had this guy not caught it - he said I had lost a lot of oil to date, that would have been a blown engine ...  in excess of two grand.

The bitter taste of poor quality lingers long after the sweet smell of cheap price has long gone.

Price vs cost. Here endeth the lesson.