Date:         Sat, 12 Feb 2000 05:12:32 -0800
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      Re: oil change/filter
In-Reply-To:  <017b01bf7520$14d57540$c10822d1@hpcustomer>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Must point out one more aspect of a professional. He recognizes immediatly
if he is not CERTAIN what is going on. And he ALWAYS verifies
specifications, no assumptions. What is amazing in the case below is they
drained ATF then installed something different. Jeeze Louise. Both color
and smell are quite distinct between GL and ATF.

At 12:12 AM 02/12/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>Though not a Vanagon, several years ago I took my Mercury Capri (Australian)
>to a Wa*M**t for an oil and filter change.  The running gear on this car is
>Mazda 323...nothing out of the ordinary.  Thirty minutes after entrering the
>bay, One of the techs came running in looking for a manager, and went back
>out.  There were now 3 of them surrounding my car.  I finally got them to
>tell me that they had drained the transaxle instead of the engine, and
>couldn't figure out how to refill it.  They wouldn't let me near the car,
>and wouldn't hear of letting me check the Ford service manual which was in
>the trunk.  They tried to refill it with 90 wt. gear lube through the drain.
>On this car, you remove the speedo drive connector and there is a dipstick,
>and the hole is the filler.  They got it full of gear lube, but this 5-speed
>uses ATF!  Talk about poor shifting!  Cost them a tranny overhaul (about
>$850)!
>
>
T.P. Stephens aka Doktor Tim
San Juan Island, WA