Valvoline quick lube wtf--ya let me down!

I changed my front and rear differential oil and the transfer case. When I first bought the 4runner I had valvoline do it but.... I discover front differential still has the red plastic seal stuff still on the plugs and paint unbroken. The rear had no washer on the drain and was way overfilled. Now I see the way. If you want it done right you have to do it yourself. It's sad they get away with that crap. Plus the torque converter temp seems to be running a lot lower now.

 

Well, ya, typically how it goes.

diff fluid change is one of the easiest things to do yourself.

 

Welcome aboard.

Sad that the old saying, If you want something done right, Do it yourself, seems to apply more in this day and time

Things like what you experienced continually put a bad taste in your mouth in regards to trusting your vehicle to these type of places.

Either make repairs yourself or locate a good referenced independent technician to handle services and repairs on your vehicles.

 

Just an FYI, that "stuff" is put on by quick lube places, not from the factory

What does that have to do with differentials and transfer case fluids?

 

This is one good thing about our current state. We are creating more do-it-yourselfers.

 

my rear diff didnt have a washer on the drain from the factory

 

next month it will run even lower

 

A Valvoline once drained the oil in my 2000 Dodge Ram diesel, during a state inspection. They pulled it into the bay for some reason instead of doing the simple safety inspection outside. A block away, the check engine light came on. I went back and they checked it out and claimed everything was fine. Halfway home and the motor started grinding. Took it to a diesel shop that confirmed it was 9 quarts low on oil and needed a new block. $9,000 later, and Valvoline threatened to sue me when I came in to ask them about. "We have systems in place to prevent this, and our attorneys will be in touch if you have anything else to say about it."

Only do all my own work since then. Most of them are crooks, and good luck figuring out which.

 

thats nuts if that had happened to my truck i would have burned down the shop and every employee's vehicle in their parking lot.

 

I call bullshit.

 

Wow! I checked my front diff, rear diff and transfer case first week home. They all had gaskets. I’m disappointed in that getting missed? Wonder if someone checked level during PDI and didn’t reinstall gasket? Hard to believe a Japanese factory would miss that?

 

I can almost guarantee that the differential fluid level/Drain plug torque does not get checked during the PDI process in the current market.

Wanted to edit that I feel at the dealer level this would not be checked/verified, Cannot claim what procedures are in place at the plant in Japan.

I did read an article this morning of a 2024 Ford Mustang being delivered with two different front Recaro seats, Will post a link if I find it.

 

Me, too. And this is me we're talking about here.

 

Except the front diff can be a ball buster getting the drain plug loose without stripping it. Snapped 2 quality hex sockets on mine. Best to replace with Lexus plug after.

 

How is the Lexus drain plug any different? I didn’t have any trouble removing the drain plug on my 2016 Tacoma? Wonder if someone overtightened yours previously? Or was it the first removal from factory?

 

Lexus is an outy, ours is an inny. Mine could have been, but many people have hard time with that particular drain plug. Even snapped extension trying to get it off.

 

got damn not another troll thread. Overfilled? Impossible to overfill these diffs. Torque converter entirely irrelevant but mentions its running cooler now. Y'all really gotta stop falling for this shit

 

mine started making ice after 12 months

 

You can overfill a diff….just fill it while parked downhill.

 

When I took out the fill plug in the rear diff oil poured out like I took out the drain plug on level ground. It wasn't hot so idk how they overfilled the crap out of it but they somehow did. Had to throw away the shirt I was wearing cause so much gear oil on it from the fill plug oil explosion.

 

then whoever filled it must've had it oriented vertically, nose down, when they filled it

 

Sounds more like a diff breather clogged and over pressure in the diff .. had this thing happened recently on my transfert case.. output shaft seal was leaking , got it replaced under warranty, when output shaft got removed , fluid splashed everywhere… they looked, and sure enough, transfer case vent tube was unplugged and the vent “nipple” was clogged… so output shaft seal was leaking because of overpressure in the case

 

I used to use valvoline and such "quick" oil change places when I was a grad. student.
I have found a good local mechanic that now does all my work, I don't have time doing, or I don't want to.
All other maintenance gets done by me.

 

Jiffy story here. When I had my first car back int he 80's, I took it to Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed. Thye showed me what the diff fluid looked like, it was dirty, so I told them to change it. 3000 miles later I went back and got another oil change. They once again showed me dirty diff fluid and recommended changing it. I pointed out that they had changed it last time I was here. The look on the guys face said it all. Whoops. Never went back. I learned to do my own.

 

Crook-ery the old-school way. Time tested methods to rip off a customer. I’m betting they didn’t even change it the the last time.

My brother in law recently changed the oil on his sienna, after several years of quick-lube type servicing. He was below 5k miles since his last “service” at the quick lube. The oil
came out black as night and stinky as tar. Something tells me he’s been ripped off.

It’s ideal to do it yourself, but it’s a crying shame that it’s so hard to trust these shops when you need someone else to do it.

 

its not just valvoline. I busted the dealership not changing my oil filter. That was the first oil change and have never been back. I do it all myself and save all the receipts.