fatmouse

so i brought my car (98 4runner) to an oil changer 3 weeks ago, they changed my oil, car ran fine. today i happened to check my dipstick today at work and its bone dry. i look around the engine and notice the filter has signs of leakage (ie brown streaks running down the sides etc), so i bring it back to the changer to get them to both replace the filter and fill me up. it turns out they put on the wrong oil filter on, which they admitted and i have on paper (receipt with part number) in case i need proof. unfortunately i didn't catch this because i have no idea what part number for their off-brand generic filters correspond to my car.

anyway, what concerns me is that i've been driving for 3 weeks on bareley any oil. the oil light didn't come on, i didn't notice any odd sounds coming from the engine, etc etc, but i'm still concerned there might have been damage done to the engine. the car runs the same as before, and as far as i can tell, sounds the same. what do you guys think? are there particular sounds i should be looking for indicative of previous oil starvation?

surf4runner

id get something in writing about their mistake. consider adding a new motor to the letter too. sounds bad. no light means oil pressure was ok. could lead to premature failure.
you need to get on this asap!

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

(3) Foul language - this also includes trying to get around the word censor using words to replace the "F" word.
We do let a few words slip by that you will hear on Primetime TV, but some words such as the "F" word or fooling the censor with alternate like words will not be tolerated.

You might try deleting your post and reposting before it gets removed for you and you get banned.

Then I'm sure you'll get some more opinions.

I'd learn to change my own oil for starters. I'd then take my vehicle to the dealership and have it examined and send the "oil changer" the bill for the service and any necessary repairs. You might wish to consult a lawyer if it is big $$$.

oly884

I agree with the wabbit on the first part. Swearing won't get you far on yotatech.

I do realize that sometimes you don't have the means to change your own oil, it sucks, i know. It's good to get the knowledge about it though, that way when somebody screws up (reasons i don't take my truck anywhere) you know what's wrong and can point it out before you leave.

Mr. Bob

here is how I feel... First off... I am a licensed mechanic.... I do change my own oil.... no big deal... but if I didnt have the place... aka a shop with a hoist, I would'nt crawl under my truck when its cold out to change the oil... no way, no how... but there is no chance I would ever take my vehicles to a place that uses generic off brand filters and has high school drop outs either...

If you like your truck enough to write a post about it, then you like it enough to spend the extra few bucks to have a person who is qualified change your oil, and do the job right, and you like your truck enough to take it to a place that uses a real filter...

for laughs phone your local Toy dealer and ask how much an oil change is....

Yupik Eskimo

No strange noises or oil light?

I'm sure your engine is fine. Learn, live and drive on.

rngrchad

My grandmother took her 99 Accord to a quick lube. Came back, and I checked her oil for her. NONE. I put oil in for her, started the car, and oil BLEW all over her garage floor. NO FILTER. Last time I ever take any car to any sort of oil changing station.
Sorry to hear about that man. I won't let anyone except myself and my best friend change my trucks oil, not even a Mechanic.
As far as you swearing, I'd be swearing too. Just keep in mind it seems there are young children who surf yotatech.

spindleshanks

Yeah, get the 'oil changer' to commit to their error. Post the filter part number that they used (on your receipt) and I'll tell you if it's correct. You definitely need to keep the pressure on them. I like the idea of taking it to the dealership and billing the oil change facility for the diagnostic work.
As for Wabbit with that baloney about changing your own oil...it's too expensive and too much trouble. We don't all have a garage at home, or a place to keep an oil collection pan. I can get a dealership oil change for $26, (regular oil) and a free carwash and vac. Plus I get to ogle the hot cashier girl. That's a bleedin bargain right there.

Adam F

Tell me you diddn't take your truck to Jiffy Lube. That is the worst place on earth to take a car.

Brendan

if there was enough oil to register at all on the dipstick, you're probably OK, but still, you should get some sort of written record on this in case something happens in the near future.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I said "learn" to change it, not necessarily "do" it. :pat: You can take your baloney and go make yourself a sammich.

I change the oil on my 85 and my 87 because it is super easy. Takes maybe 15 minutes but I don't let someone else do it cause they would rape me on the cost of synthetic oil when I can buy it in bulk from a distributor. I can't see changing the oil on an '03 as being hard at all, but I do understand the convenience factor.

Now on my wife's Sienna which has had an engine replacement due to a TSB (oil sludge), I let the dealership do everything on it from changing the oil ($19.95) to rotating the tires (FREE), so I don't get any bs down the road if I have anymore problems. Plus, that front wheel drive is a pain to do anything on from jacking it up to even reaching the oil filter(same one as my 22RE BTW). About the only thing I do on it is pump gas and fill up the window washer fluid.



P.S. Thanks Churnd!

spindleshanks

Sorry bout that comment Wabbit, I'm just bitter because the last time I changed my oil in the Tacoma it got out of hand. The mess was incredible! I had to take my skidplates to the carwash. You're correct though; everyone should be able to change their oil and should be familiar with the process...on any vehicle he/she owns/drives. It's just common sense.
BTW, what's Toyota's official corporate stance on the sludge issue? Are they taking the blame for it yet or are they still blaming it on customers' maintenance habits? Those slippery jerks have screwed a lot of people! They bought the engine for your wife's Sienna? Chrysler's 2.7L V6 has had major sludge issues too, for years and they've been snubbing everybody.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Oh, no worries. I like baloney sammiches. My 4'-8" Irish Grandma used to always say, "Common sense ain't." She was right.

They never issued an official "recall" but they replaced the ENTIRE engine on their nickle, not mine, to the tune of over $8K. In the beginning, when the engine first started smoking and sludging, they gave me some bs about maintenance issues, but when I showed them oil change receipts they STHU quick and sang a different tune. I mean at 23K miles, IMO you should be able to run the engine and never change the oil and it shouldn't do what ours did. The problem was that the engine just got too hot period and broke down the oil, not an over time thing, so it wouldn't have mattered if you changed the oil every week, it still would have sludged.

Devalues the crap out of our vehicle if I were to trade/sell it, but I'm gonna drive it until it is dead, so I look at it as a FREE new engine that has the problem fixed. After 55K additional miles, runs and drives great. I wouldn't hesitate right now to hop in it and drive to Alaska.

You just can't beat a Toyota period IMO.

spindleshanks

How did they address the issue in the new engine?