# Stupid dipsticks



## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

The wife's car needed the oil changed and it has been cold and snowy so I did not want to do it. I desided to take the car to Oil Express last night. The Kid there Broke off the dip sitck handle and when he tried to get it out, pushed the remaining part of the dip stick down into the engine. They told me their "great manager" could get it out in the morning. This morning I took back and all the "great manager" did was push the stick further into the engine and explain to me how this was not their fault and that they wuold not pay to get it fixed.

I will now have to take the car to a dealer or mechanic and get it fixed. This is a two year old car and I have checked the oil many times and never had and problems with the dip stick. 


If this is a costly repair (say the oil pad has to come off) I will have to take legal action because I feel that Oil Express is the cause of this.

What do you guys think of this mess??????:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ed_GT5000 _
> *The wife's car needed the oil changed and it has been cold and snowy so I did not want to do it. I desided to take the car to Oil Express last night. The Kid there Broke off the dip sitck handle and when he tried to get it out, pushed the remaining part of the dip stick down into the engine. They told me their "great manager" could get it out in the morning. This morning I took back and all the "great manager" did was push the stick further into the engine and explain to me how this was not their fault and that they wuold not pay to get it fixed.
> 
> I will now have to take the car to a dealer or mechanic and get it fixed. This is a two year old car and I have checked the oil many times and never had and problems with the dip stick.
> ...


 Ed don't let up on them. They broke it they fix it. If they continue to give you the rocky road, get the word out on the street about how they do business!


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

:ditto: I'm with slip on this they broke it they fix it. Stand firm and if they don't fix it:call: call the BBB and the Attorney General and they will help you. The guy that broke it said he broke it they will have to fix it.
Jody


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## johndeere (Sep 17, 2003)

You have to watch those guys like a Hawk.How big is the dip stick tube opening?If its the kind where it is also the oil filler tube?If so how about trying to retrieve it with a stong magnetic grabber.The type that is teloscopic.Just run it down into the hole and pull it up.However if its the type that is a norrow opening just a dip stick not a filler.Then hopefully it can be retrieved by removing the tube from its assembly.It would stop when it hits the bottom of the pan so it should only be down about a foot or so.Hopefully the dip stick is a magnetised type of metal.


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## deereflugel (Sep 18, 2003)

Sorry for your problem. I too had one of those experiences at a Jiffy Lube. With my deal they cross threaded the filter and I could not get them off and on easily. I was able to get them to pay for the replacement of the filter threaded post with no problem. They wanted no problems with me. I hope you have similar luck.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Everyone is in agreement here and that is why those establishments are required to have pretty decent insurance. (for times like these) ;-)

Don't let up and document EVERYTHING from the exact time/date to the receipts to names/etc. You don't want the story changing next week. I wish you the best with this, Ed. Sometimes it just pays to change it yourself --- Minus the mild aggrivation of having to store and dispose of the used oil. 



Andy
mg:


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

I used to work in a body shop next door to a quick oil change. It was amazing to see what these kids did. A favorite practice of theirs was to try and close the hood without removing the prop rod first. So naturally when the hood didn't close they pushed harder, bending them in half. Then they wanted us to fix the same hood! Other times they would drive the cars into the "pit" and get the bottom of the car hung up and damaged. Then there was the forgetful things like closing the hood on a tool and denting the hood upwards. In all cases the management looked for the cheapest way out. So for $19.95 you could get the bottom of your car scrapped up or your hood filled in with bondo, that would crack after a while from slamming it shut. This is when they remembered to tighten the drain plugs, they were known to seize an engine or two by forgetting to tighten it or sometimes not even put the oil back in.


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## MowHoward2210 (Nov 2, 2003)

I swore I would never let anyone else change the oil in my vehicles, especially after hearing all the horror stories from these quick lube places. But one time I was in a pinch and had discount store's garage change my oil after getting a State MV inspection. What I ended up with was a 2 ft diameter oil spot on my driveway. I went back and complained to the manager. He gave me a card for a free oil change, and let me pick out a cleaner from inside the store for the driveway spot. Fair enough.

ed_GT500, I hope you get an easy resolution to your problem.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

NOBODY touches my Cummins but me unless it is a warranty issue. Even then I am standing a close watch. :wontshare


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## tjw in kans (Oct 10, 2003)

ed gt5k, this didnt happen to be a contour?


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## [email protected] (Jan 13, 2004)

You mite be able to use a small - Hemostat - What doctors

use to close off blood vessels- just a thought good luck


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## John *.?-!.* (Nov 20, 2003)

Ed, since your car is only 2 years old, is it still under warranty? If so the warranty shoud cover retrieving and replacing the dipstick, no matter who broke it. My health doesn't permit me to do my own oil changes anymore, but you have just pointed out one of the reasons I have my local dealer do mine. They are very dependable, and their prices are competive with the Wally World and quick change artists in the area. Plus that eliminates any possible questions about how it was maintained


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

I used to be a vehicle mechanic and after a back operation and both knees being operated on, I finally gave up doing a lot of my maintenance. When I go to have a vehicle worked on I after a long time found a old fashion full service gas station with a highly competent mechanic. In the last few months he has replaced the transmission in my wifes car 187,000 along with a bunch of other minor things that needed to be done ( rear wheel bearing pack, oil change, rad. flush, oil change, and front sway bar bushings) and my oold car 199,000 miles needed a heater core and a front brake job along with the normal rointine maintenace and a complete check out. Now both our old junkers are in tip top shape and I figure I can go for another 100,000 on both these old timers. cruisin encil sm


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

I know the class of idiots that places like Jiffy Lube and Qui9ck change and others hire. I do;t care one bit about their little certifivates hanging on the wall or the AME patches they may wear. My youngest son works for Jiffy Lube, and he don;t have enough common sense to come in out of the rain. He don;t know what end of a wrench to hold or anyting. He never spent one minute with me in my shop or on jobs or projects but now he is the head oil changer and master of nothing at Jiffy Lube. He has bragged already on forgetting to tighten up an oil pana drain plug or just being able to spin ona filter fast enough so it needs no further attention. He and the others are CLUELESS. Hold your ground and push the issue and have the fix it. It was caused by them so they need to remedy it.

My feelings for most dealer mechanics is just about as bad. I had an infamous 1980 Chevy diesel that was always blowing head gaskets and shearing off headbolts. After about a two week putoff on getting my truck fixed as promised, I went by the dealership only to find all thread rods installed in the block in place of the head bolts. Reason being, they stripped out the threads in the block, and tapped the holes the next size larger. Then they tried to find headbolts of that size........no could do, so they got really educated and used all thread rod. This was at a dealership no less. We went round and round and eventually I did get a new engine out of them, but as everyone knows it was no better than the one they managed to tear up. Those engines could literally tear themselves up without any additionala help from so called technicians.


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

Hey Chipmaker, You know you were a part of the product development team on the old early 80's junk deisel engine. 
The quick lube places are the best place to get lubed good in the end. You ain't going cruisin with the poor a$$ excuse of vehicle maintenance. The only time I have been in one I stood watch just out side the insurance line on my V-10 Dodge. The line I laughed at was the kid pops the air feeder for the air filter and says the air filter is all packed full of dirt. I look in and all I see isa the prefilter inside the air horn. Its also oiled from the filter maker (Wix). I finally make the idiot pop the cover and pull the filter out to check and its new. I just could not resist making the idiot do more work then needed for him. Its a struggle to get the rear clips back on the filter wiothout tearing up your hands. :furious: :stupid:


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Question*

Did you pay for the oil change with credit? If so, stop payment. A good credit card company will back you up on this. I know my AMEX will.


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## MGM (Sep 16, 2003)

I am with the others make them make it right.

But here are some options you may try.

I would try this first: If the seal part of the handle is still in the tube and it is sealed good, drain the oil, hook a good strong vacuum of some type to the top of the dip stick tube air tight and turn it on, if the dip stick blade still has its seal in place the vacuum should suck the blade back out of the tube until the seal has cleared the top of the tube. Make sure the oil is drained from the engine.

Option number 2: pull the dipstick tube it self.

Most tubes are just pushed into the block just above the oil pan seal and may have an O-ring also. Most can be pulled straight out.

Note: if you attempt to pull the tube your self make sure it is pulled straight out of its hole with no side-to-side force applied to it to make sure it does not bend or crack the tube.

Some tubes have an upper bracket near the top for support and can in some cases be a bear to get to.


Option number 3: If you do it your self, and can not get to the dip stick tube easy, would be to check the location of the oil drain plug to the location of the dip stick tube you may be able to hook the blade with a coat hanger and pull it out through the oil drain if they are located near each other. This would require one person to hook the blade and guide it out through the drain plughole while another person pushes the blade down the tube. Once it is sticking out the drain it can be pulled from there.

Just a thought to keep from taking things apart. 

Warning!! Do not go fishing to deep in the pan with a coat hanger you may hook the oil pump strainer, If you can get to the blade with out fishing across the bottom of the pan the above method may work just fine. If not the tube being pulled or pan being dropped will be the only other options.

If the above does not work:

drop the oil pan.

Good luck with it.

Bob


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