Engine: Oil change place recommendation.

[JBOYLE]

This is an unpaid unpolitical announcement.

Just came back from having the oil changed in the Avanti, its first since the engine rebuild and restoration.
Not having a hoist, I asked and Oil Can Henry's special ordered Valvoline VR-1 oil with zinc for me. I called a week ago and they said could get it. They called the other day and said come in anytime.
Very good service, though it took awhile to answer all the questions about the car.

A bit of humor, the differential has the "Fill only with Studebaker-Packard xxxxxx fluid" decal...and they couldn't find it in their computer. Hardly surprising. I said don't worry, the SDC guys can tell me what the modern equivelent is. They said bring in the fluid next time, and they'll service it. They also thought the windshield washer bag was humorous and were amazed at the amount of stock chrome under the hood.

They charged an extra $10 for the special oil, but that's what a container of zinc would have cost me so I can't complain. they even gave me the rest of an opened quart to do any top-offs. Can't beat that.
They also put in a new drain plug with the recessed socket hole. The one on there was an "outie" and hund down low, they were worried its extyra depth might make contact with aspeed bump and damage the pan. No charge for that.

One of the young guys there comes from a Studebaker family, his grandfather was into them big time, so his dad has a 50 that they're turning into a street rod (it was pretty rough when they got it he assured me) and they're finishing restoring grand dad's stock 55 four door. One of his co-workers took cell photo photos of the car for him.

He asked where he could get some emplems and I told him about S-I and SDC.

They were working off a check list (I hadn't head one that long since my B-1 flight) and you can watch the underneath guy on a closed curcuit TV.
Like I said, great service.

[StudeRich]

Sounds like a pretty good place, but as you know it's all about the people.
If you went to the wrong town at the same chain (if there are any) you could get one of those guys who leaves the drainplug out or the filter loose!

It is still best to buy some jackstands, a floor jack and a creeper. If you are still able to walk, it should not be too hard.

They must not have many of those shops, we don't have any up here on the "other side of the Mountains".

[JBOYLE]

Sounds like a pretty good place, but as you know it's all about the people.
If you went to the wrong town at the same chain (if there are any) you could get one of those guys who leaves the drainplug out or the filter loose!

It is still best to buy some jackstands, a floor jack and a creeper. If you are still able to walk, it should not be too hard.

I agree, it all depends on people. I've heard oil change horror stories from dealers too.

I have the equipment to do it myself, in fact I change the oil in the Bearcat myself. The nice thing with that is with 34" tires and a foot of ground clearance, I can safely do it myself.
I just don't trust jackstands.
When I was a kid my dad was with the Inspector General's office in the Air Force. One Saturday we were going to the off base toy store but my dad had to make a quick stop at he base motor pool, there had been an accident the day before and he needed to look at the scene. My dad though they'd cleaned it up, so he took me in with him...well...lots of blood on the floor and the civilian repair tech was seriously injured.
Not exactly CSI-level of blood and gore, but it kind of turned me off jack stands. If it's not a good lift or pit, no thanks.

[DEEPNHOCK]

This thread reminds me of one of my earliest Stude service memories...
My Dad thought cars were for transportation only, and the service station was to do the service work.
So, when he semi-retired the Hawk when I was 12 or 13, I decided to do the oil change myself.
Got the filter, 5 quarts of oil, and the push in spout gizmo
(that you never see any more)

Jacked up the car...Drained the oil...Put in the new oil.. Good to go!
Had Dad come out so we could test drive.
Dad drove it about a block and the car started acting up and making buzzing noises.
Came back home quick and looked into the problem.
Seems the untrepid tech drained the trans pan and double filled the crankcase.
Dad never got mad about that, but he did buy me a service manual right after that.
Still have it...Still use it... Thanks Dad!
Jeff

I agree, it all depends on people. I've heard oil change horror stories from dealers too.
<snip>

[studegary]

Jeff - Don't feel too bad. I have had this happen to one of my cars by a professional shop.
In the 1980s, Cathy was driving a Colt for her primary car. It had always been run on Mobil 1. There was a full service Mobil station about a mile from our home. It was run by a nice guy with two brothers working for him (that later took over the service bays) that even knew how to work o Studebakers. I was busy at work, so I had Cathy stop in there for a Mobil 1 change. When they finished, she left there to go to a couple of stores. The car didn't act right, so she came right home and called me. When I got home it took a little time and detective work, but I determined that the same thing happened as you did (drain transmission pan and put double fill of oil in). If the "technician" even looked at the dip stick he would have noticed a problem. I went right back to the station and finally convinced them that I was correct. It turns out that they had a new employee and he was not being watched closely enough. They rectified the fluids in the engine and transmission. The car never ran as good as it did before that.