Topic: Seized oil plug

[skypoint]

Has anyone heard of this kind of problem? My oil drain plug could not be removed and had to be destroyed to take it out of place.

My Volvo went for its 84,000kms service. I chose to have it done at Volvo Villa; previously it had an oil change done at McMillan & Saunder Volvo . Shortly after dropping it off, I had a call from the dealer asking whether or not the car had its last oil change done at a Volvo dealer.

They reported that the oil plug was seized and stuck in place. This was not covered by warranty and so billed me for spending over and hour chiselling it out from there.

When I picked up the car I asked for an explanation as to why it was seized. They brought the oil plug and said that the plug had a copper washer/gasket on it, instead of the aluminium washer it was supposed to have. The copper washer/gasket deformed and caused the plug to seize (the plug had extensive damage on it so it did look as though it had been chiselled out).

They said that a genuine Volvo shop should have used an aluminium washer.

The way I figure, either McMillan & Saunders cheaped out with a copper part, or the previous owner had an oil change done at a jiffy lube or something and they put on a copper washer/gasket ... which was reused at my oil change at McMillan & Saunders and deformed afterwards.

[tpl]

Interesting. my car has an aluminium oil pan and has aluminium crush washers specified.   previous cars (VW group) had steel oil pans and copper crush washers.    Could there be some chemistry here  OR did McM and S not use a torque wrench to tighten the plug...again I know my Alloy pan specifies exactly 25 lbs ft and no more with a new washer every time, presumably to just crush the washer without stretching the pan threads

[barrie1]

With the tolerances getting tighter all of the time I find it surprising enoungh that Dealerships are actually paying attention to this type of problem. I have witnessed this happen many times in my life and am always wondering why? If any Oil Pan is looked after correctly this type of scernario should never occur. Its seems strange how a simple small part either made from aluminiun or copper makes so much difference. It seems the imported cars are the ones to have the most problems with this type of thing. Or maybe is the extended oil changes with people useing the Synthetic oils as well. I guess each vehicle will have its own story. 

[articsteve]

When I picked up the car I asked for an explanation as to why it was seized. They brought the oil plug and said that the plug had a copper washer/gasket on it, instead of the aluminium washer it was supposed to have. The copper washer/gasket deformed and caused the plug to seize (the plug had extensive damage on it so it did look as though it had been chiselled out).

They said that a genuine Volvo shop should have used an aluminium washer.

That's insane.  You got taken which is no surprise.  Volvo Villa, Lawrence Park Motors and Unionville Volvo are all owned by a money group from Hong Kong.  The Lawrence Park and Steeles and Yonge location are run by "managers'  I'm not sure if they employ family in the Unionville location or not. It is a den of thieves and that came from a manger in the group.

The plug is coming out with an impact gun, copper crush washer or not.  Maybe if they said it was cross threaded then you have a plausible explanation.  But of course the pan fitting would be done in and you would have really been charged for that.  Copper washers are more pliable than aluminum so it makes no sense.

I've heard a few whoppers but that is very high on the list.  A decent place would have come and got you or phoned you at first sign of trouble and asked you if you wanted to proceed or go back to MacMillan which should have been the case.  Instead they hijack you after the fact.

[skypoint]

Thanks Steve. I didn't even mention the part that I found real suspicious.

Only after I mentioned that I had an extended warranty they said that my front left suspension link was loose, and that this would be convered by the warranty. They then said that in case Volvo phoned me to confirm there was a problem, I should say there was, since the dealers are only apparently alllowed to fix customer-reported problems under warranty; they are not allowed to look for problems and fix them under warranty.

This would all have been believable, except the symptom of a loose suspension link is a knockig sound going over bumps and I never heard any knocking!!!!
This problem was fixed under warranty so I paid zilch for it, but I suspect that Volvo VIlla was just fleecing Volvo for warranty work that didn't need to be done.

Oh, and they forgot to stamp my service book despite me leaving it out on the passenger seat! Luckily I had checked for this before driving off and got them to stamp sign and date it.

Given all this ... I won't be going back there for the big 96k service next year.. nor for my springtime oil change. Back to McMillan & Saunders, though they've now moved into deepest darkest Missisauga...

[wing]

That does sound very odd indeed.  My oil plug was stuck on my S2000 but I don't have an impact gun, getting it out was a problem.  But with an impact gun there shouldn't be an issue.  I got some old rusty bolts off my subaru with an impact gun they are a godsend.

[Wetson]

With the tolerances getting tighter all of the time I find it surprising enoungh that Dealerships are actually paying attention to this type of problem. I have witnessed this happen many times in my life and am always wondering why? If any Oil Pan is looked after correctly this type of scernario should never occur. Its seems strange how a simple small part either made from aluminiun or copper makes so much difference. It seems the imported cars are the ones to have the most problems with this type of thing. Or maybe is the extended oil changes with people useing the Synthetic oils as well. I guess each vehicle will have its own story. 

Barrie1... do you know everything?  Your knowledge always amazes me. 

[No H2O]

They reported that the oil plug was seized and stuck in place. This was not covered by warranty and so billed me for spending over an hour chiselling it out from there.

When I picked up the car I asked for an explanation as to why it was seized. They brought the oil plug and said that the plug had a copper washer/gasket on it, instead of the aluminium washer it was supposed to have. The copper washer/gasket deformed and caused the plug to seize (the plug had extensive damage on it so it did look as though it had been chiselled out).

They said that a genuine Volvo shop should have used an aluminium washer.

BS!

First, an oil drain plug cannot seize as the threads sit in oil all the time. The threads might get cross threaded or stretched, but not seized.

How does the type of drain washer cause the drain plug to seize?

A new drain washer is used every time because they work harden and don't seal as well when used a second...multiple times.

IF you are going to take it in for servicing, take it to the same dealer ALL the time. When they eff up, it is THEIR problem and they can't blame it on another dealer.

You got hosed, but then that is typical of the automotive service industry.

[tpl]

"How does the type of drain washer cause the drain plug to seize?"

The only thing I could thing of was a chemical reaction but I dont see how that could happen unless it was there for years.

I agree that this is a weird one

[s60]

I echo what Articsteve posted , stay away from these Volvo locations "Volvo Villa, Lawrence Park Motors and Unionville Volvo ", they only thing these people to well is frustrate and belittle the customer.

[barrie1]

I have worked in the trade since I was 7 years of age. My Family was not too well off so I worked after school and on the weekends for any extra money that I could earn. I have worked for almost every Oil Co at one  time or another over the years. That was my main job for these garages which was doing the Grease Oil filter changes back then. By the time I was 16 I was building my own Race engines. Still do when I need or want one.  Quite often the Oil plugs will seal from the bottom of the bolt to the bottom of the pan and not always in the threads. Even the threaded part goes up into many of the pans a fair ways and dosen't get covered with that much oil. Many of the little washers were made of nylon instead of metals which dosen't seem to stick as bad. Even worn threads will jam up in the threaded hole and can cause problems. Thats how I have seen this many many times before.