# Dealer oil change



## oldman2 (May 16, 2011)

Went to the dealer for my first free oil change. Bad idea !! When I picked up the car and went home I checked the oil to be sure. I found about one quart too mutch oil in it. Went back to the dealer and told them about the problem and they told me it's better to have too mutch oil rather than too little. I told them i paid for the proper amount and to fix it. The repair ticket showed they charger me for five quarts and i told the dealer the car takes 4.25 quarts and that is the problem. They told me they drained all the oil out and refilled the car to the proper level. When i got home I found the same problem so I pumped out about 3/4 quarts and the dip stick now shows the proper amount. If i ever do this again I will tell them to only put in four quarts and I will add the rest. Not only did they put in the wrong amount but they splashed oil on the bottom of the engine. You would think a simple thing like an oil change could be done correctly by a dealer. :angry:


----------



## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

oldman2 said:


> You would think a simple thing like an oil change could be done correctly by a dealer. :angry:


Care to name the dealership?


----------



## cerbomark (Dec 13, 2010)

I m not suprised. That s why I change my own. I just did mine today at 10,500 miles for the second time. I use Mobile 1 full synthetic. Interesting thing that I found lots of gold metalic particles at the bottom of my drain pan. The car runs perfect, burns no oil, etc... Just a bit suprised about all the metal. I saw the same thing when I had my Silverado last year. I m not going to worry about it, plus it s a lease....


----------



## josheco12 (Feb 5, 2012)

Interesting. 
Copper/gold colored particles is usually bearing material. I've tore down a couple Honda motors with spun bearings before, so I would know.


----------



## josheco12 (Feb 5, 2012)

Bearing wear isn't associated with oil consumption, ring or valve guide/seal wear would be though.


----------



## cerbomark (Dec 13, 2010)

not the first time I e seen this but never owned the cars for more than 2-3 years...
Most people wouldn t know, I doubt the dealer is checking.


----------



## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The dealer likely assigned the junior lot boy hoping to work as a tech one day to do the oil change. They likely figured that it's an Ecotec, it takes 5 quarts like the 2.2 in the Cobalt. Nope...

A little overfill is no big deal. 3/4 of a quart on a street-driven car is a bigger deal.


----------



## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

I've noticed on mine that even when you put in the proper 4.25 qts the oil on the dip stick is still way over the full mark.


----------



## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

If mine's at 4.5 quarts instead of 4.25, whatever. Even up to 1/2 quart over-full isn't going to matter. There's enough extra capacity in the pan to accommodate that extra 1/2 quart without issue. Folks get into problems with a quart or more over-full. Then that risks aeration and the oil pump losing prime. 

Although, for drag racing the old Buick Grand Nationals used to run a quart over-full to prevent oil starvation.


----------



## Frosty87 (Feb 7, 2012)

FYI I know nothing about car mechanics so please excuse my ignorance, but do you think this has anything to do with the thread about Cruze's catching on fire? After reading through that 6 page thread, there seemed to be a small consensus near the end that incorrect procedures after an oil change might have led to cars bursting into flames while being driven.It was something about excess oil getting near the turbo causing the combustion.

Now again my knowledge of the physics and mechanics of oil changes and cars are practically zero so if this is totally offbase please ignore me.


----------



## Autotekpro421 (Jan 8, 2012)

To the OP, i'm sorry you went through that. I myself am a GM tech and it sucks to see such ignorance on a 'professional' level. There are techs at my dealer that do the same, though I've tried to mention the 4.25 for the LUJ and 4.75 for the LUW numerous times. It's like the V6 in the Impalas, they only need 4. But noooooobody believes me! And though it is difficult, especially with the filters, to not get oil on some components, I always take a rag with some brakekleen and wipe away


----------



## Autotekpro421 (Jan 8, 2012)

Frosty87 said:


> FYI I know nothing about car mechanics so please excuse my ignorance, but do you think this has anything to do with the thread about Cruze's catching on fire? After reading through that 6 page thread, there seemed to be a small consensus near the end that incorrect procedures after an oil change might have led to cars bursting into flames while being driven.It was something about excess oil getting near the turbo causing the combustion.
> 
> Now again my knowledge of the physics and mechanics of oil changes and cars are practically zero so if this is totally offbase please ignore me.


I dont see how the turbo would be involved. Even if theres excessive oil in the crankcase, the turbo's only gonna get what the lines provide. On top of that, the oil is also used to cool the turbo down as well as the coolant. As for the oil getting on the turbo externally(if thats what you're implying), i find it difficult to understand why this would cause a fire to start. Oil is circulating through the engine at a temperature close to, if not higher, than just sitting on the turbo. I'll be one to say that I've gotten oil on exhaust manifolds plenty of times on vehicles, it only burns it off, not ignite. That's my opinion.


----------



## bubby2411 (Sep 3, 2011)

ive always changed the oil by myself i never trust the dealer for anything who knows what they will do and not tell you.


----------



## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

It's pretty easy to overfill the oil on any vehicle. I've done it to a minor degree when I changed my own oil on the Cruze and also with motorcycles and trucks. More oil drains down into the pan when the car sits for a while so if you fill and then immediately check the dipstick to bring it up to full it will become overfull (slightly) if you go back and check again 30 minutes later. 

That's on top of the difficulty seeing the oil level on the dipstick when the oil is almost clear and the variation in level when checking it hot vs. cold. I've had to become less obsessed with perfection about it. On my Harley, the manufacturer makes an accessory dipstick that gives an electronic readout of the level and the temperature. You don't pull out the dipstick - instead you press a button and the two readings appear on a small LED display. It has a built-in replaceable battery so there's no wiring to install it. It would be a cool accessory for cars but I've never seen an aftermarket one. I know they make oil level indicators as part of the dasboard of some cars.


----------



## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

oldman2 said:


> You would think a simple thing like an oil change could be done correctly by a dealer. :angry:


I wonder if this is a case of not taking the time to do things that a lot of us do when we do our own oil changes. I pull the drain plug first, and then go after the filter. While the crankcase is draining, I prep the new filter, wipe off the area where it sits, including the gasket area. Then I go topside and clean things off where I'm going to pour the new oil in, as well as cleaning the dipstick. Then I go get a refreshment. While I'm draining the Leinies, the crankcase continues to drain. When it finished drippnig, I go back underneath and button things up. Then I pour in exactly the amount of oil that the book calls for. Only after running the car off the ramps and cleaning up the mess I usually make on the garage floor, I check the dipstick. I certainly don't expect any service department to take this much time to do an oil change. 

I wonder if the Chevy tech didn't change the filter, thus leaving some oil in the system? I don't know how much the cartridge canister holds. Also, in his/her haste to get the job done in the allotted time, perhaps the crankcase was not left to drain completely. Then, the tech pours in the new oil and the system is overfilled.


----------



## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

oldman2 said:


> Went to the dealer for my first free oil change. Bad idea !! When I picked up the car and went home I checked the oil to be sure. I found about one quart too mutch oil in it. Went back to the dealer and told them about the problem and they told me it's better to have too mutch oil rather than too little. I told them i paid for the proper amount and to fix it. The repair ticket showed they charger me for five quarts and i told the dealer the car takes 4.25 quarts and that is the problem. They told me they drained all the oil out and refilled the car to the proper level. When i got home I found the same problem so I pumped out about 3/4 quarts and the dip stick now shows the proper amount. If i ever do this again I will tell them to only put in four quarts and I will add the rest. Not only did they put in the wrong amount but they splashed oil on the bottom of the engine. You would think a simple thing like an oil change could be done correctly by a dealer. :angry:




oldman2,
I would like to apologize for the bad experience that you had with your service center. I will document your concerns. If you would like to send me the name of the dealership in a PM I can also document that. If you ever have any other questions comments or concerns please feel free to message me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


----------



## Stuie (Dec 26, 2011)

sciphi said:


> If mine's at 4.5 quarts instead of 4.25, whatever. Even up to 1/2 quart over-full isn't going to matter. There's enough extra capacity in the pan to accommodate that extra 1/2 quart without issue. Folks get into problems with a quart or more over-full. Then that risks aeration and the oil pump losing prime.
> 
> Although, for drag racing the old Buick Grand Nationals used to run a quart over-full to prevent oil starvation.


"Old Grand Nationals" mine's ONLY 26yrs young, as for over filling that's just cause they leak! :wink:


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Remember the Fieros back in the 80s that caught fire? That was caused by the incorrect dipstick being used in engine. You are talking about overfil. Not the underfill condition that killed the Fieros. I think it is strange my LS 1.8 takes 4.75 qts why not just using the whole 5 qts. Some oil manufacturers decided that they will supply 5.1 quarts. I have only seen that on the oil I buy for my wifes malibu but still. ?!?!? Then my 2002 Alero 2.2 took 5.5 quarts? It all a lubrication application that does not make a lot of sense anymore.


----------



## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

Frosty87 said:


> FYI I know nothing about car mechanics so please excuse my ignorance, but do you think this has anything to do with the thread about Cruze's catching on fire? After reading through that 6 page thread, there seemed to be a small consensus near the end that incorrect procedures after an oil change might have led to cars bursting into flames while being driven.It was something about excess oil getting near the turbo causing the combustion.
> 
> Now again my knowledge of the physics and mechanics of oil changes and cars are practically zero so if this is totally offbase please ignore me.


My concern is this exactly!


----------

