I was informed by the place I get oil changes that the nut inside the oil pan had broken off and the oil pan needs replaced...while I am not convinced that this is 'normal wear and tear' as stated by the store manager I still need either a new oil pan or another option. If a new oil pan is the only way to go then I could use some help finding one seeing that the one the store found will cost close to $1000 to fix....and I will not be doing that.

Thanks,
>Jeff J

You probably will not get an admission of responsibility from the shop, but you already know that.
What I’d do is retap the existing hole for a larger one and put a new plug in there. I’d measure the hole and then get a tap which is a little larger at Sears and bring that tap to an auto parts store for a plug. Then I’d run some oil through without starting the car. I’d put a small but powerful magnet in the pan. This would be easier with the pan off the car, but I’d at least attempt the repair with it on.

I have a good oil pan sitting on a shelf. $40 bucks shipped. Write me at---fastforwardphoto(AT)yahoo(DOT)com-----or call six-three-one968-8933-=-Dave

David, I would be very interested in your oil pan if you have one with good oil plug threads.
--
93' 240 Classic Wagon 220K & 92' 740 Wagon Regina/Rex 90K

I sent you an email regarding the oil pan you mentioned earlier...I'd be happy to see pictures if you have any.
>Jeff J

I will definetely keep your offer in mind, I am waiting for a response from the store's customer service department...not really expecting much...but I think my plan is to drive the hour and a half to my trusted volvo guy to have him do whatever he thinks should can be done. They said that the welds in the pan broke and that is what is causing the plug to just spin in place inside the pan so I dont know if a larger substiture plug would work...it seems to me that no matter what the pan has to be at least taken out to see what, if anything, can be done but I am crossing my fingers that the place will offer to not only pay for the replacement of the pan but also take me out to dinner to apologize...and possibly mow my lawn for a couple weeks.
>Jeff J

I have never heard of that happening here on the BB!
Dan

...and even if it did (which I do not believe either) a competent welder could likely do one or two plug welds and solve that problem without removing the pan. Or they could do the external nut/bung welded to the outside of the pan.

An honest , competent service facility would just fix it without the drama.
Time to name names!!
Dan

hi sages- this story is a classic example of shysterism . some day soon think i will write a book about the many examples of this. maybe a good title would be shysters, clip joints and going to the cleaners- a consumers guide to the jungle of car repair.would you brickers buy it? when i read the first message in this thread, i thought of welding a large nut on the outside surface of the pan or taking the pan off and welding a threaded plate on the inside of the pan. actually there is a kit to repair this comprised of a thick oil resistant stretch washer and a plastic installation and removal tool. have used it for a while and it worked fine- no leaks. also what about removing the broken stub in the drain hole and chasing the thread or rethreading it with a tap and installing a new bolt? uncle udo has the right idea- think he has some experience going to the cleaners. uncle moe tells me i have a bad attitude. what think you? regards oldduke

For those still interested: after talking with a regional supervisor...i think...they have agreed to send me a check for the amount of the parts that were quoted from the dealer where I originally bought the car (Lisle IL) for around $440. While I still believe they should be on the hook for the complete repair I feel somewhat satisfied that now I can get the parts myself and have them put on by a reputable volvo mechanic. Thanks for all the interest on the board and hopefully the next time i post will be with the complete resolution of this stupid ordeal.
>Jeff J

Cult Car

Sue for more

don't sing nay agreements

Apple used a 245 in their iPhone 4s commercial

Sue Sue Sue get a Volvo owner lawyer :)

Get that Labor Paid For at DEALER prices PLUS pain and suffering

iPhone 4s commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=I25Z4fkOlTk

Dave has you covered! Get his pan then have your old pan modified to accept a different oil temp. sensor. win win.

I use to take an old rear wheel drive Olds to a Jiffy Lube about once a year, not so much for the oil change but for the front end lube, 11 of them. I use to watch them not clean off the grease fittings and more than once, I had to remind them to grease the hard to get to upper ball joints. They thought I was just another average idiot customer. Ha, little did they know I was an above average idiot customer. After about 4 years of this I gave up and started to lube it again myself even though I had to remove the front tires to get to the upper ball joints.

I have seen some drain pan fix-it posts on one the 200 700 or 900 forum but the search feature is not working at the moment. It seems like there is a kit available but that is only if it is stripped. I'm not sure what is broken. You said the nut part inside the pan is spinning and the bolt is stripped but it cannot be both. If the insert is spinning, then the bolt cannot come out, true? I never heard of the nut thing inside spinning loose though.

Question, did they booger something up so you were able to drive it home or is it stuck there at the shop?

My guess, it is a small independent everything garage where the problem happened, not a Jiffy Lube but they are more than capable*. Again, just a guess. Wait, wait, you said "store manager". Wally World? The store manager may get his ass fired, because his foundation is crumbling!

*BTW, before I bought my 1993 944 the PO confessed that the engine had to be replaced because Jiffy Lube forgot to replace the drain bolt when filled with oil. Receipts were there, replaced at a Volvo dealership and it even showed up in CarFax as an independent inspection (by Jiffy Lube's liability insurance co).

Anyway, the oil drain bolt is supposed to be tightened to 35 ft-lbs, not 65 ft-lbs. I admit that that the 1" drain bolt head infers a torque till your face turn red plus another 1/4 turn to some who should know better. Maybe "torque oil drain bolt to 35 ft-lbs" needs to be stenciled on the oil pan for those few.

Unless the shop can take responsibility, get it towed out to an independent that specializes in Volvos among others, order a (red) pan from the link in TurboBricks and have the shop install it. Then go to the county court house and file a small claim.

But one more thing, if you had the same shop change the oil many times, it is indeed their fault. I agree that it is definitely not and never will be a wear item.

Tom

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=251986

The place you go to get your oil changes is crooked. They destroyed your oil pan, and are charging at least five times what the job should cost to fix.

Thats exactly how I feel...especially since they forgot to put the oil filler cap back on the engine so when i got home late at night there was smoke coming from under the hood. This especially frusterates me because I take good care of the car and it is driving great with no significant abnormalities so the fact that I will be out a substantial amount of money due to rather incompetent work on what is supposed to be the easiest job there is to do besides filling the car with gas pisses me off to no end...I am in the Joliet IL area if anyone knows a reliable volvo repair shop
>Jeff J

These guys are supposed to be great but quite a hike from Joliet...

http://swedishcarspecialists.com/Swedish_Car_Specialists.html

Honestly, for this type of repair, you likely do not need a Volvo specialist unless they do end up pulling the pan. More than 50% of the time, chasing the threads on the pan and replacing the plug with one that has not been cross-threaded and over torqued by these yahoos a few dozen times is all you need.

Remember, new crush washer every time...did you supply the shop with one? If not, would you know if they changed it?

All the way around, the others are right that you need to document, file a BBB complaint and consider small claims court if an independent or their claims department if a major chain.

There are many types of plugs designed for this at most auto supply stores.
Expanding rubber plugs,internal tees,oversize self tappers.They all work.I
have gotten over being anal about the"proper fix" after seing many of these
in construction equipment used for thousands of hours.However i would not be cheap about using a new one after a few oil changes,especialy the rubber ones.
--
Rene

On that note i would probably be anal about getting them to fix it.After all you paid them to do the work,and they were incompetent.I dont think you should let them touch your car If they cant cange oil properly can you trust them to change oil pan? They should pay a reputable shop to do the repair.
--
Rene

sorry to hear about yr disaster.

As you now well know...never ever take an older vehicle to any chain type oile changer.

the only time I've ever taken one of my volvos was when on an extened cross country road trip, I thought it would be a good idea to change the oil before the return trip.

I had to argue with them to NOT put in their "house" oil and instead use Valvoline.

The classic ...and I've worked on "training videos" for new hires...is to show the customer...aka the Mark... a black oily finger and say that the engine needs a "super detergent Flush"

Similar to the national tire chains for new tires...if you bring in an old car they will tell you it needs a new steering rack.

Own a 240...Do Your Own Work

PS

take pictures and Document it....Volvo 240s are now Cult cars...just Google for Youtube vids.

Sue them...threaten them with bad press...write to the corporate office...you will get satisfaction


Volvo 240s are now Cult cars...just Google for Youtube vids.

two examples:

http://vimeo.com/53367113

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKOVF1qwPzI

So the clowns doing an oil change messed up your drain plug. Go to Turbobricks.com and place a want ad for an oil pan. You will have one in no time.

There's no 'nut' exactly, but a welded on plate. A search of various Volvo sites or google images will show this.

Oh, from this point I suggest you get pics, and document everything, as you may have a claim. That is, it's highly likely that they overtorqued the drain plug.
Often though the plug is damaged, not the pan. Take it to someone who knows what they are doing and knows these cars also, if possible.

A pan can be gotten at a JY. It's not easy because of the crossmember, and how low the oil pump sits, but it is possible to do a swap in the car. They are probably estimating an engine r/r.