Oil change NIGHTMARE! (long)

From: RCPL-VAN CNIWR (RCPL-VAN_CNIWR@van.reid-crowther.com)
Date: Mon May 17 1999 - 11:32:25 EDT


     
     
     So how hard can an oil change be, right? Well, if there was something
     that could go wrong for me, it did! I've done them before, abeit not
     that much. Yesterday, I thought it was a good day to change the oil. I
     wanted to start using synthetic, and it would cost the same for me to
     do it myself rather than go to a quick lube joint and get dino oil. I
     go to Wal-mart and buy 5 litres of Quaker State Synchron 5W50. Had to
     go Canadian Tire for the filter because all Wal-mart had were Fram
     PH16, and not PH16A filters. Difference? Don't know. So, I also just
     picked up the last June copy of Mopar Muscle with the Dakota tips. In
     there they mention a Purolator P30001 filter. Has more capacity. I
     wish I never read that! I buy the Quaker equivalent: QS8A. It's about
     1/3 longer, and has the same fitting (actually a Ferd 5.0 filter). Go
     home, jack up the front end, drain the oil, no problem. Try to twist
     the filter off. Nope. Back to Wal-mart for a filter wrench. Return,
     filter comes off. Good. Now the fun begins. I attempt to put then new,
     longer filter on. NOPE!!!! IT DON'T FIT! The mag says that it won't
     work on 4wd Daks, and I found it don't work on 2wd either. Back to
     Wal-mart (with old, oily filter in car), guess what?, CLOSED!! DOH!
     Canadian Tire is closed too. No choice but to resuse the filter. I
     don't like doing this. Dodge says you can go up to 24000 kms on one
     fitler, and this one has 10000 on it, but still.... So I reluctantly
     put the old fiter back on. Now to fill the oil. Simply enough, I put
     in 4.7 liters as Dodge says. I spilled a little bit (no funnel), but
     cleaned it up. My bro says, "You bought their 4x4 oil?" I said, "No.
     They both come in clear bottles. The 4x4 is their synthetic blend." He
     says, " Well that last bottle you put in was 4x4." I look, and sure
     enough, it's 4x4 and 10W30!!! F%&*!!!! Man, am I ever pissed now! I
     can change the filter to a new one easy enough, but now I have a liter
     of 10W30 synth-blend in with the 5W50 synthetic. I don't want to waste
     $35 on oil, just pay another $50 to have it done at a lube place. So,
     2 hours later (!), I have the old filter on it, and mix-matched oil.
     This is the last time I ever be cheap and do it myself. NEVER again!
     I'm going to put a new filter on it (even though some old stuff is
     left in there and is recirculating with the new synthetic), but that
     10W30 won't harm anything will it? I don't think so, but I would like
     to hear some other opinions on it. Sorry for the length, but I'm just
     so frustrated and had to vent. Thanks.
     
     
     Chad Niwranski
     99 R/T CC Black/agate
     Abbotsford, BC



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