Answers to your car questions

QUESTION

I had the oil changed at a fast lube outlet about four weeks ago and it was the first and last time that I will every go to these bandits again. While sitting in the showroom, I was visited by one of their staff and asked to come into the shop to look at the oil pan. There they proceeded to tell me that the oil pan had rusted out and was leaking. I quickly informed them that I had no leaks on the ground where the car was parked nor was there any loss of oil over six thousand kilometers. I know that they punched a hole in the oil pan and I would appreciate it if you would look into this for me. I had the oil pan replaced at my regular garage and would like your help in getting the fast lube oil outlet to pay for the oil pan.

Someone from Hamilton

ANSWER

After multiple calls to your house, I was able to speak to someone who told me the name of the garage where the oil pan on your car was replaced. I now understand why you did not give me the garage’s phone number and place of business in your email to me. The garage is telling me a much different story than the one that you are telling me. Apparently, they have been doing oil changes for you for the past ten years and have advised you on multiple occasions that your car’s rusted oil pan was leaking and needed to be replaced. My question to you is why on this particular day did you decide to go to a fast lube outlet, many kilometers from where you live, to have the oil changed. I find it appalling that you would waste my time and slander a person who is considered a professional in his job just to try and get something that you do not deserve!

QUESTION

You have in the past told us that you grew up on a farm so I have a farm question for you about a tractor. One of the rear brakes on the tractor is not working and I have tried to remove the wheel from the axle but is will not break loose. I have tried a sledge hammer and heated the wheel but that didn’t work either. In your farm experience, have you ever encountered this situation and if so what did you do to get the wheel off other than take it to the tractor garage?

Don from Waterloo

ANSWER

It so happened that a rusted tractor wheel to axle problem prompted me to go into the mechanical trade. Our neighbour at the time, who I was helping, had an old Massey Ferguson tractor that had a rear tire that was always losing air and liquid while plowing a field. Rear tires on tractors sometimes had liquid put in them for weight. We tried everything to get the rear wheel off but it would not budge. We both sat down beside the tractor while eating lunch and while trying to figure out how to get the wheel off, a light bulb went off in my head. My thought was to put the wheel nuts back on but not tighten them and then continue to plow the field to see if that would loosen the wheel from the axle. Twice across the field and the wheel was loose. That bit of ingenious along with praise from the farmer prompted me to look into the technical trade. My older brother Barry may not agree that it was a frozen wheel that pushed me into the mechanical trade but probably thinks that it was because of me working on his old junkers. Now you know that I cannot suggest that you loosen the wheel nuts on your tractor and drive it around the field to free it from the axle but it sure did work for us on the old Massey Ferguson.

QUESTION

I had the oil changed on my 2010 Dodge truck and they put the wrong grade of oil in the crankcase. I always use 10W20 oil in the truck but they ended up putting in 5W10 oil. I told them at the time that this is not the oil that the truck is used to but they told me that that is what the truck calls for and if I wanted different oil then I should have told them before they changed it. I told them that the oil type was on the oil sticker but they told me that they do not go by that but what the truck calls for. They then proceeded to tell me that the oil that they put in will not harm the engine and that I can go back to the 10W20 on the next oil change. Is the lighter oil going to do any harm to the truck in the next eight to ten thousand kilometers?

Bill from Burlington

ANSWER

The lighter oil will not do any harm to the truck’s engine but the garage has told me to have you go back to them and they will replace the oil in the truck with the 10W20 as you requested.