Goes to show the guys at the JL that cut out the Audi panel were up to something, esp since they were ready with their hack saw. Seems like more and more cars have these panels and the simple solution is to cut them out!
That might be the simple solution, but itās the WRONG solution. And, as I said in another thread, any mechanic OR oil changer that assaults a customerās car by cutting a hole in his/her splash pan should be fired immediately. And, in the case described by the other thread where IMHO the manager had to have been complicit in the act, so should his manager.
In this thread the OP has done the smart thing. Heās solicited suggestions for dealing with the problem.
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It would be wise for a shop to get pre-approval before making significant modifications to a car @tsm. In such a situation I might offer to r&r the splash pan for $25 for each oil change or cut an access hole the first time for $25. On some cars the cutting wouldnāt be nearly as simple as the OPās though.
It may be the wrong solution for someone who is paid to change the oil but I see no problem with an owner who wants to change his own oil doing it.
In such a situation I might offer to r&r the splash pan for $25 for each oil change or cut an access hole the first time for $25.
I have yet to see a splash pan that takes more than 90 seconds to remove once the car is up on the hoist and power or cordless tools are used. Iāve heard of shops charging an extra nominal fee for removal of splash pans and I canāt see why. 3 minutes lost is nothing when compared to other hassles during the routine service and repair of cars.
As to it being a hassle to the DIYāer, the oil gets changed maybe 3 times a year. Not that much time spent in the grand scheme of things.
wow, I can t believe that I never thought of installing a valve to drain the oilā¦
it is now on my to do listā¦
While I wonāt dispute how quickly you might r&r the pan, @asemaster, some are a pain to deal with and the plastic buttons get broken somewhat easily and I have seen the pans dragging due to the pins falling out after repeatedly being removed. But, to each his own.
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After the experiences I had with my Passat, pan coming loose twice and dragging, any new car Iād look into cutting an opening of some sort, if it had a pan. I just donāt think (generalizing here) they are capable of scores of removals and replacement without damage.
Iād rather not experience again the front of the pan drooping down and hitting the highway at 70 MPH. And it tends to happen at high speeds due to the wind forces.
And I think this is a (generalizing again) serious set of poor designs on the part of the manufacturer.
Oldtimer, I wholeheartedly agree. A man has every right to cut his own hole without being criticized. Iāve made a small modification to my own car here & there. Itās part of the fun.
As a matter of fact, I commend the OP for taking the trouble to solicit opinions regarding doing so. And I support his cutting an access hole. My suggestion of a round hole is to prevent cracks from forming at the corners of the holeā¦ since a round hole has no corners.
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While I wonāt dispute how quickly you might r&r the pan, @asemaster, some are a pain to deal with and the plastic buttons get broken somewhat easily and I have seen the pans dragging due to the pins falling out after repeatedly being removed. But, to each his own.
True enough @āRod Knoxā but dragging splash guards are just shoddy workmanship. Since oil changes are part of the work we do, in the cabinet next to the drain plugs and washers are a selection of plastic push-pins, clips, 1/4 turn screws, retainers, and the like which are used to replace those which break during routine service. They get billed to the customer for $1.50 each and the customer can see the old ones if he likes. This makes cars with splash guards a profit center rather than an added expense, the customer has a properly serviced car, itās a win-win for everyone. $25 is 15 minutes of labor time, that just seems a little much to me to be added to a $35-$60 oil change.
Since we are just a small independent shop and we have these items on hand I would like to think that a place that specializes in oil change services would have these as well. Unfortunately I think we both know thatās not the case.
Heck, even I have a drawer with a selection of these fasteners!
But, then, Iām a hands-on kinda guy. I donāt suppose the average homeowner has such a drawer.
I did not read the original post and not sure if this is just spam butā¦
oil extractors will not get all the stuff that is sitting on the bottom of the pan that would normally go out the drain hole. If you have belly pans that are in the way of oil filter and drain hole you can remove them and cut small holes. just enough to remove the filter and get to the drain plug. most vehicles have these hole cut outs anyway.
but it is a good idea to remove the panās once in a while to look for wear on other items you cannot see from above.
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All my SPAM warning lights are on. Thatās why I flagged it.
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Why the hell would anyone want 13 gals. of used oil in their garage. Itās enough of a PITA just to remember to get rid of a gal. and a half or so. Try lifting 13 gals. into the trunk of your car. No thank you!
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Seven years and counting. I agree you want to use the drain to get the stuff settled in the bottom of the pan. Some even say to run a quart of new oil through to flush it. I only do that with my snow blower from time to time. I certainly would have no problem cutting an access hole though.
As far as those plastic fasteners, they can be a pain. I had to change headlight bulbs a couple days ago, and to get the headlight units out, you have to remove the plastic pins from the upper part of the bumper cover. Yep, one went flying somewhere between the engine and the radiator, and this is not my first rodeo. Of course I stock some of those so no problem. Not everyone does though so the less you have to mess with them the better. Imho.