Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 07:55:33 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: JiffyLube, extras
In-Reply-To: <BAY11-DAV24oRdUYPuj00000de2@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Fin, sounds like you have a nice vehicle. To save yourself lots of grief
you really need to study your vehicle and learn how to really take care
of a lot of things yourself.
Can't say much about the auto trans as I am a stick shift guy, except
that routine flush, filter cleaning, and fluid changes are always in
order. Prolongs life of the major components, and prevents inconvience
unschduled maintenance and/or breakdowns. On my manual tranny, I change
the tranny fluid every two years. I use Redline MT90. Shifting with that
in there is sweet!
So far as oil changes go, get yourself some Mann or Mahle oil filters
from one of our list vendors. They help prevent the infamous "Vanagon
Valve Lifter Clatter Syndrome." Oil changes on the van are relly easy
for the do it yourself sort of guy. Now-a-days it takes me 15 minutes to
change the oil, including the new filter. sure beats paying $25-30 bucks
to the other guy to do it. But at least get the right filter if you hire
the job done, and be sure to use a 20W50 high grade oil. Castrol is
good. I personally prefer 15W50 Mobil One synthetic.
Watch out for these guys that specialize in quick service oul changes.
Often they will charge for what is on their list, but it doesn't get
done. My local "Qwikky" oil operation has a 24 point check sheet to go
by. I caught them only doing aobut half. the list. First of all they had
no idea where the clutch and brake fluid tanks were. Checked it off as
having been serviced. Had no idea where the filler cap was for the
washer fluind tank, and one dude even asked where the engine was. Real
eye opener.
Get into it yourself to protect your investment, or at least know how to
direct and watch the hire help when they do the work.
Good luck,
John Rodgers
88 GL driver
Fin Beven wrote:
>Full confession.... I have virtually no expertise when it comes to the care-and-feeding of engines. But I do change my oil frequently. I bought my 1990 just one year ago, it now has about 145,000 on the original engine and trans, and I have no record of what service it had before that (there were several owners).
>
>Today I was at my local Jiffy-Lube, and they offered me two "extras":
>
> 1.. Flushing and re-filling the Automatic Transmission Fluid. They wanted $89.99 for this.
> 2.. "Fuel System Cleaning". They were to put some sort of additive into the gas-tank, then open up one of the vacuum tubes and drain some sort of cleaning fluid into the system. They wanted $59.99 for this.
>My impression is that shops like this use the oil change as the inducement to get you into the shop, then "get you" with the extras.
>
>Does anyone have an opinion as to whether either of these processes are necessary, and if so, how often they should be done.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Fin Beven
>1990 Carat, Custom Camper Conversion
>Pasadena, CA
>
>
>
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