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View Full Version : OK you mechanics, I need help with an oil change ?



2biguns
08-09-2005, 08:54 AM
As many of you know, I'm a small town lawyer and handle just about anything that comes in the door. Well, a former civil attorney/current Assistant DA filed a case for a lady involving her 2002 Dodge pickup. The lawyer quit practicing and went to the DA's office and asked me to help his client. I'm all for doing favors for the DA because you just never know when the water patrol might be overly anxious on the lake!

Client's engine locked up after 23,000 miles. DaimlerChrysler checked it out and claims that engine failed due to lack of maintenance ("the cause of the engine failure was due to lack of maintenance. Heavy sludge amd metal were found after removal of the oil pan and the oil pickup screen was blocked due to the sludge").

My client swears she had her oil changed regularly.

My question is assuming that the client did NOT change her oil for a year/23,000 miles, would the oil change to sludge? You hear stories all the time about people running engines 100,000 miles without an oil change so what's the scoop?

Free beer or a get-out-of-jail free card good for anywhere in Cullman County, Alabama to the best helper :smash:

txtaz
08-09-2005, 09:05 AM
I have a neighbor who works for Southwest Research. They do the engine oil tests. Send the make and size of the engine and I'll give him a call.
The 100,000 mile test was with original oil, but they changed the filter and topped off the oil.
Wes

2biguns
08-09-2005, 09:12 AM
Hey, thanks.

It's a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 4.7 liter engine.

txtaz
08-09-2005, 09:20 AM
Give me a few days, I'm working on 3 projects at the moment. The shame is none of them are for the boat.
Wes

gold-n-rod
08-09-2005, 10:37 AM
My client swears she had her oil changed regularly.

Receipts??

If she had it done at a dealer, it's in their database. Jiffy Lube? They must have copies of their own invoices. Herself? Maybe a VISA receipt from Autozone or the lube place.

As you know, "swears" isn't enough. If she hasn't already provided any proof, I'm guessing she's SOL.

Ranman
08-09-2005, 03:30 PM
This is a topic that has hit the news recently. Maybe you can use some of that documentation to bolster your case. Chrysler and Toyota seem to be the most affected.

http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=122&did=1113


http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=149&did=1118

http://www.autosafety.org/getcat.php?cid=28


http://www.consumerreports.org/main/content/display_report.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=665845&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=333137&bmUID=1122998928440


or simply do a search on "Chrysler" and "sludge".