plug fail, filter cut open, under oil cap pics

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So instead of using ST 5w20 this round, I ended up getting a good deal on O'Reilly's full synthetic 5w20 with a Bosch filter. I decided to hang on to the Bosch for another change and ended up using an OEM Hyundai filter.

First things first, the drain plug. For reference, this is the very first oil change I have ever personally done on my car. All other changes were primarily done at Firestone Complete Auto Care and at the Hyundai dealer early on. To my surprise, both the plug and filter were very easy to get off. No over tightening
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However, this is what I saw when I pulled the plug off.....made me [censored]......
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I guess no one ever bothers to change gaskets anymore??? There were 2 nylon/plastic washers and about 4 metal ones. I had to grab them using pliers and a vice grip for support. Tisk tisk.... I replaced them all with a single, new aluminum crush washer.

Before refilling with the O'Reilly's 5w20 syn, I snapped a few oil cap pics...hard to see inside, but looks like the semi syn 5w20 Kendall was doing its job!

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I then got curious to see what the FS filter looked like on the inside, so I cut it open with a hacksaw. Note the metal shavings are from the saw, NOT my car...
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Is this an ecore? How can you tell if a filter is ecore? It seems like a solid filter regardless.

Discuss
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This is what blows my mind....how much trouble is it to use a crush washer that is at least adequate and new???!!!!!

These chain stores wonder why they have such horrible repuatations. LOL

I'm shocked that the plug wasn't dripping. What a hack job.
On something that is simple to do right and costs a shop a few pennies in volume purchases.
 
Engine looks extremely clean inside - It will stay that way I am sure. How many miles out of curiosity?
Drain bolt looks like it's ok, you can always change it out with a new one if you want. It's really hard to believe that someone, along the way, did not have enough sense to pull all those washers off and put ONE single, new crush washer on that bolt.
I swear, I don't think I could make it working at one of those quick lube places, I'm just too intelligent and honest.
So many people on this forum have said 'that is why I change my oil myself' - I have read it here dozens of times
 
Who built that filter?

Not a lot of filter area but it looks like it's done a good job.

If Firestone is using them, I'm sure it's inexpensive.
 
My daughter's Elantra had a similar situation on her drain plug. While away at college she had a some changes at the local Hyundai dealer near the college. Now, while I could rag on a quick lube place for doing something like this, the dealer should know better. They had tightened the aluminum gasket (which originally was about 3/32" thick) until it was smashed into oblivion. I nearly shredded my fingers getting it off the drain plug. I bought a pack of five washers from a local dealer in Houston and peeled the mess off the plug and all was well afterwards. Sure makes one wonder why they would do such a thing when a 5 pack of washers was about $2.00.
 
Originally Posted By: yougoJAY
Engine looks extremely clean inside - It will stay that way I am sure. How many miles out of curiosity?
Drain bolt looks like it's ok, you can always change it out with a new one if you want. It's really hard to believe that someone, along the way, did not have enough sense to pull all those washers off and put ONE single, new crush washer on that bolt.
I swear, I don't think I could make it working at one of those quick lube places, I'm just too intelligent and honest.
So many people on this forum have said 'that is why I change my oil myself' - I have read it here dozens of times


It's got a little over 54,xxx on it
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Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Who built that filter?

Not a lot of filter area but it looks like it's done a good job.

If Firestone is using them, I'm sure it's inexpensive.


End caps looks like wix...
 
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
My daughter's Elantra had a similar situation on her drain plug. While away at college she had a some changes at the local Hyundai dealer near the college. Now, while I could rag on a quick lube place for doing something like this, the dealer should know better. They had tightened the aluminum gasket (which originally was about 3/32" thick) until it was smashed into oblivion. I nearly shredded my fingers getting it off the drain plug. I bought a pack of five washers from a local dealer in Houston and peeled the mess off the plug and all was well afterwards. Sure makes one wonder why they would do such a thing when a 5 pack of washers was about $2.00.


I can't say it's laziness because they've been putting new ones on there each time LOL
 
It's a Champ Labs econo filter (the 4 legged leaf spring is a dead give away) but your application is apparently not an ecore which is good. Ecores have felt endcaps and you can easily see the black plastic inner cage instead of a metal center tube.

Not replacing crush washers is a new one on me and reaches a realm of stupidity I'd not even thought a quickie lube place could reach.
 
wow I've never seen stacked gaskets on a drain plug before - thanks for posting. Hard to believe a shop couldn't take the old gasket(s) off - at least hey installed some new ones.
At least you caught it now and not another half dozen shop changes later.
I can't understand why someone would just continue stacking gaskets.
 
Hopefully that is the original drain plug and they weren't trying to "space" an aftermarket one that is to long and keep it from contacting something like the oil pump pick up. Don't know where the drain plug is located on the op's car, but that's a possibility. I can't believe some one would be careless enough to just keep stacking washers otherwise.
 
Have you seen the video of the Kendall motor teardowns? The compare two engines with 100k miles on them. One had Kendall 5w20 and the other had some name brand conventional 5w20. It is impressive.
 
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Hopefully that is the original drain plug and they weren't trying to "space" an aftermarket one that is to long and keep it from contacting something like the oil pump pick up. Don't know where the drain plug is located on the op's car, but that's a possibility. I can't believe some one would be careless enough to just keep stacking washers otherwise.


I dont think so. When I put it back it, it seated well with no resistance on the plug at all. But if this was the case, once again, makes no sense. If you have to go to the back to grab another plug, why not grab the right one?? I know for sure it's not my OEM plug.
 
At most oil change places, there is a box filled with oil drain plugs in the most common thread sizes. The head of the bolt doesn't have to look exactly like the head of the replacement bolt on order to function correctly.

That plug looks like one from a VW engine.

The fact that someone just added extra gaskets to the drain plug really bothers me. That just screams laziness and unprofessionalism.
 
I think the extra washers help preventing them from stripping the threads when they put the drain plug WITH A FREAKING IMPACT GUN. All shops do this except reputable ones. I'm surprised you didn't leak oil since that many washers may not allow the plug to create a good seal in the threads...

That drain plug also looks like it's after market... that may explain the many washers it has.
 
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Originally Posted By: accent2012
I think the extra washers help preventing them from stripping the threads when they put the drain plug WITH A FREAKING IMPACT GUN. All shops do this except reputable ones. I'm surprised you didn't leak oil since that many washers may not allow the plug to create a good seal in the threads...

That drain plug also looks like it's after market... that may explain the many washers it has.


they dont use impacts. They have a huge window into the shop and they havent ever used an impact on my plug. Im thinking it comes down to negligence.

even if the plug is aftermarket, when i removed all the mess of washers and replaced it with a single aluminum washer, it seated home and went in smooth.
 
Just think what would have happened if you had kept going to Firestone. I see all the techs huddled around the drain plug, the threads of which now completely covered with washers, scratching their heads. Frustrated, they throw it to the floor and encircle it, jumping up and down like the angry apes around the Monolith in the beginning of, "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Good on you for doing your own oil changes. I started also about where you are in mileage. Still at one washer per drain plug.
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Originally Posted By: accent2012
I think the extra washers help preventing them from stripping the threads when they put the drain plug WITH A FREAKING IMPACT GUN. All shops do this except reputable ones. I'm surprised you didn't leak oil since that many washers may not allow the plug to create a good seal in the threads...

That drain plug also looks like it's after market... that may explain the many washers it has.

Every time I see a replacement drain plug, there is only one washer. Also, the plug usually comes with the correct washer already wrapped around it.

There is one instance I see when there is more than one washer. That is when the old washer was crushed so many times that it would stick to the head of the bolt. This would only happen with metal washers, usually aluminum ones. Lazy people would simply install one more washer, and usually get away with it.
 
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