Palantirion

I was swapping oil in my ZR1 today for the first time. The oil was changed twice by Selman since the changes were free. When I went to loosen the two drain bolts they were both SO tight I have to double my combination wrenches to get enough force to break them free. SO much tighter than any other drain plug I've ever serviced, and probably 4x the recommended torque. I glad as hell that the threads didn't strip. The filter was also so tight I nearly collapsed it using my spring loaded filter wrench to get it loose (using very controlled steady pressure).

Is there any explanation for these being so tight, other than dealer incompetence?

p.s. For some reason they also changed the front ride height - only on my driver side! Lowering it 1/2" relative to my lowered passenger side (I lowered the car using the factory adjustment bolts over a year ago). I have no idea why they would have done this, but I know they did because I was able to rack my ZR1 on my lift before, and today I couldn't fit the driver side front arm under the car. Had to roll onto plywood to raise the car enough to get the arm under it. Killed over an hour of my day trying to figure out how to get it lifted and then change the ride height back to how I had it.

Vetteman Jack

The dealer should have tightened both the drain plugs and the filter per specified torque numbers. I would let them know about it as most likely the tech has done it to other cars as well.

Hard to come up with a reason they would mess with your ride height.

Palantirion

There was a front end slow speed rebound squeak (like when stopping gently at a stop sign) after their last service that I intended to try to hunt down...now that I've reset the ride height to being level side-to-side the squeak is gone. Perhaps it was slight twisting of the front leaf spring because of the ride height difference.

Avanti

Having worked in dealerships many years ago, and having watched employees in current ones, I can confidently say that I've never seen anyone torque a drain-plug, much less an oil filter (most come with simple enough non-torguing installation instructions even a nitwit could do it correctly... if they bothered). What you have encountered is precisely why so many of us opt to do our own maintenance.

You were fortunate nothing seems to have been damaged, unlike with my Ram some years ago while in a hurry to go on a trip I had the dealer rotate the tires. My wife had taken it in and had them rotated while I was away previous swap-out. Well, guess what, the "technician" snapped a truck lug-bolt that is normally torqued to 130#s ! So, they had to remove the rear axle to replace it. Never, never EVER again. Learn and move on. All the best.

Elk

Dealer screw up, but not serious as nothing was harmed.

There are too many people allowed to perform oil changes who have no concept of proper torque. It is frustrating. And a good reason do perform one's own oil changes.

MMD

For a truck, 130 lb-ft is not that high and should not be that difficult to remove a bolt with a standard lug wrench. The current C8 wheel has a torque requirement of 140 lb-ft on their wheels. Most shops now have techs that use portable impact drivers that zap everything down. Some of those portable drivers can easily zap a lug nut down to 800+ lb-ft. Now that's a real problem as that level of torque can easily damage your brakes and weaken wheel studs.

javenius

I have on a previous post here that drain plugs should be tightened to 18 ft lbs.

MMD

18 lb-ft is equivalent to snugging up the bolt enough to compress the gasket. It's not a critical value. Critical components are structural in nature or relate to engine assembly requirements. Almost nobody will torque their oil drain bolts. Torquing wheel lug nuts is more important. Torquing the oil filter also is not critical. All you need to do is compress the gasket.

Vegas1500

pretty much guarantee no one uses a torque wrench on drain plugs....and techs most likely are not doing the oil change.

MMD

I agree. When is the last time you ever see a tech torque lug nuts? I am OCD with my vehicle. I always set torque lug nuts to spec by hand. When I picked up my car back from local Chevy dealer having them install a new set of new shoes I knew when I got the car back the lug nuts would be over tightened. Sure enough they were all tightened down to around 200 lb-ft. They should have only been set for 100 lb-ft. This is routinely done. One blast on their impact driver, then they're on to the next lug.

orrwhat

I torque mine and even started to torque the oil filter 22ft lbs since they always leak on me after time.

MMD

I have installed many hundreds of oil filters over many years. Never had a single one leak a drop of oil and all I've ever done was hand tighten. If you compress the gasket and it leaks then either the gasket is defective or you have installed the wrong filter.

orrwhat

Im becoming a old pansy. What felt tight by hand is not tight enough anymore. The gasket does shrink slightly with heat cycles.

SmittyC7

The torque specs for drain plugs is so low that most torque wrenches won't work. I have a mini 1/4 in for this, but do I ever go to the trouble to find it, find an adaptor and socket - no. Snug, not tight.

Decent shops should at least be using torque sticks for wheels. I didn't used to trust these but they are color coded and work like a torsion bar, giving way at a preset torque. Basically the twist in the torque stick works with the ratchet in the air gun so that a a given torque the ratchet releases and goes no further. They look like a standard extension about 8 in. long. Not perfect but much better than a standard extension that just keeps hammering away at the lug nut. And of course, always use a good torque wrench.

eprest1983

I had a dealer torque my lugnuts to somewhere around 300 pound feet. I ruined a long breaker bar loosening them.

Gary barnes 1098

Normal Chevy servicing!!!! I’m sorry but 90% of them suck ***!!!

DALE#3

Sad but in my area
One dealer in East Providence added a large area with lifts to display their Corvette inventory. Call them for service and sorry we only service what we sell.
Premature tire wear and free oil changes had me in another direction.Brocton Ma.One visit.Lets forget to tighten the oil filter.Luckly I spotted the oil on the garage floor.

Showed same dealer my rear tires waisted on the inside.With bent rims and new tires returned for alignment.The rear adjustments never changed.
Move onto another dealer in Plymouth Ma.Explained I had recently lowered it and then drove in the rain(dopler radar driven,no rain) on a Saturday.Sorry Corvette tech don't work Saturdays after waiting 2 weeks with a lengthy phone call before the appointment.
This Dealer sucks,see ya.
Call a dealer in Hingham Ma.For the alignment.Sir you will have to leave the car,we will get to it.Ha,Not my car.See ya..
Now car has shutter.I may have to drive 90 miles to McMulkin in New Hampshire to have piece of mind.
Dealers in my area are F'N Worthless

64drvr

Hey at least they didn’t overfill the engine oil and refuse to correct it on the spot!

the blur

I had a Dodge dealer destroy my lug nuts by using the wrong size socket. 22mm instead of a 21mm. He called me & said "YOUR LUG NUTS ARE SWOLLEN". I drove down there and went berserko on them. I went into the shop & looked at the impact socket the guy used, called him out on it. Made a big commotion.
Then afterwards I ordered 100% solid lug nuts, instead of the 2 piece factory lug nuts. Most dealers suck, and if they are good, they rip you off anyway.

c5arlen

A suggestion.... Find a privateer Corvette wrench... You may have to drive a bit.... ask around.