Express Oil Change diagnostic service for $75

[95wtlb]

My truck seems to idle and run not quite right. I called Express Oil Change and they said they have a machine that connects to the GM1 whatever and reads o2 sensor, etc. He said whatever the problem is that he can diagnose it. Is anyone familiar with their service and what it does? And if it's worth paying for? I heard that on my 95 I could read the codes with a paper clip somehow. Could I do the same thing they're charging $75 for?

[mudbuddy]

why would you go to a cheap ass oil change place for that kind of work? if they had a good tech there I would be suprised seeing how there are ton's of better places to work than a 8 dollar a hour oil change place for any tech worth a damn.

disclaimer: if you work in a jiffy lube place and are insulted by this response then get off you lazy ass and get a real job in a quality repair facility.

[95wtlb]

I was asking about the machine they have and its diagnostic power. I never said I would let them do any work.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by 95wtlb

My truck seems to idle and run not quite right. I called Express Oil Change and they said they have a machine that connects to the GM1 whatever and reads o2 sensor, etc. He said whatever the problem is that he can diagnose it. Is anyone familiar with their service and what it does? And if it's worth paying for? I heard that on my 95 I could read the codes with a paper clip somehow. Could I do the same thing they're charging $75 for?

They could have the machine to read codes, but you don't go to Pizza Hut for a hamburger do you?

Hell, I don't go to oil places for an oil change any more

[sonjaab]

Why bother????????

Most major big box part places have a OBD 2 scanner
and will plug it in your truck and tell you if and
what codes your truck may be showing..........

Best of all..they do it for FREE!

[kcb37]

So long as it's your 95 you can jump the two bottom right or two top right connections on the plug mounted to the bottom of your dash.

Turn the key forward to run. Do not start.
The engine light will flash 1 pause then flash 2. That is a code 12. Then you will have a longer pause, and it will flash code 12 2 more times. That means it is in diagnostic mode.

Any codes you get after that are what your problems are. They will each flash 3 times. Then once they are done it will flash 12 3 more times. If you leave it go it will start all over again.

Dosen't really seem like spending 75 dollars for does it?

[95wtlb]

My question is not can I pull codes myself. My question is is anyone familiar with the service the they are offering and is it the same thing as pulling codes. The guy told me his machine monitors the truck's systems in real time to tell if it's running rich, lean, and other stuff I can't remember. Again, I know I can pull stored codes myself, but can I do myself what his machine can do? If you just want to yell at me about using Express Oil Change for anything at all, please start a new topic and bash me there. I am just looking for advice from people who know about the service Express Oil Change is offering.

[4x4chevydude]

Go to an auto parts store and rent a scanner for free...if they have the good one like i got it tells codes and how efficient your car is running whether it is open loop or not and a bunch of other cool things i forget. It was worth the price of 0.00 after you return it.

[mudbuddy]

let's see I just ran over to oil express and looked at the tool they are using and it is the same one auto zone has I bet they bought it there so why don't you run over to auto zone and use it for free. how the heck are we supposed to know what scanner they are using and what it will do? sure you can get one that does what my scanner can do just run out and buy a tech 2 and then you too can have real time diagnostics.

[FinalBreath]

alot of parts stores around here do not have obd1 stuff available. Idk about where you guys are...

[86Burb]

95wtlb,

I do not have any experience with the diagnostic machine that you are inquiring about, but I do have an opinion on why you may want to to look elsewhere for services other than the lube that they provide, I am in no way bashing you or the lube center you use, just using some logic to help you see why folks here may not support the idea.

Those quick lube places do one thing as their main business, and that is to provide oil change services, the other services provided are usually brought in to help the bottom line as an add on sale, the lube techs are usually not highly trained to provide them, if they were able to provide expert services in those areas they would be working at a dedicated service center making a much better salary.

Would I trust the machine? Maybe, but would I trust the tech operating it? No.

[mudbuddy]

86 burb nicely said alot nicer than I said pretty much the same thing lol I guess I am just a crabby ole fart

[95wtlb]

Again, to draw attention to it: I never said I wanted Express to do any work on my truck, I was asking people's opinion on their diagnostic machine.
Now, thanks for the replies. I called my local Advance Auto, AutoZone, and O'Reilly's. None have a machine that reads live time data as the car runs like Express Oil Change's machine does. Our O'Reilly has nothing. Advance and AutoZone only have machines that read trouble codes and only for OBD2. I then called a local GMC dealer and found out they get $85 for the service Express Oil Change provides, so for $10 more it's a no-brainer where to go.

[kcb37]

If you felt like I was bashing you I appologize.
Anyway, I misunderstood you too.

Why do you feel you need to know what it is doing as it's running?
I know that's kinda a stupid ? but if you can fix it without knowing real time data, it will save you $75 dollars.

If you do it, I think I would go to the dealer.

Just like a couple others said, it's not the equipment, it's who's using it.

I have had to put 2 drain plugs in my truck in 5 years from other people changing the oil. Curious to know if the oil pan is going to strip out before I can do it myself all the time.

[Bob T]

There is a lot of difference between a piece of equipment that can "pull codes" and one that can read and log sensor outputs while you are running. The "code puller" machine can give you clues, but a device like the "Auto Xray" can show you what is going in in detail. I had an Auto Xray until my son backed over it with a '70 Camaro.

With either device, it can give you information. Interpreting the info. and solving the problem is dependent on the skill of the person using it. The reading can be tricky. Example: If you have a low flowing injector, sometimes the 'puter will try to compensate by increasing fuel from the other injectors, so it will be rich, not what you might expect from a clogged injector.

[70sbudget]

So long as it's your 95 you can jump the two bottom right or two top right connections on the plug mounted to the bottom of your dash.

Turn the key forward to run. Do not start.
The engine light will flash 1 pause then flash 2. That is a code 12. Then you will have a longer pause, and it will flash code 12 2 more times. That means it is in diagnostic mode.

Any codes you get after that are what your problems are. They will each flash 3 times. Then once they are done it will flash 12 3 more times. If you leave it go it will start all over again.

Dosen't really seem like spending 75 dollars for does it?



EXACTLY! this is almost verbatem from the manual. a paperclip or autozone will give you a "key" for free. the "scanner" is hard to come by and for an OBD 1 is about 300 bucks. sounds like an expensive paperclip to me. it is as simple as reading the flashing check engine light code. then the real fun comes in. example, mine was a code 43 or 42, dont remember but for a knock sensor. yet the problem was a clogged catalitic converter. now i just keep the "key" in the glove box.

[dieknow]

Just reading a trouble code and scanning the ecm data is totally different. I am surprised how many people have a good scanner and only use it for a code reader. Maybe they dont understand the data reading they are looking at..???

Originally Posted by 70sbudget

So long as it's your 95 you can jump the two bottom right or two top right connections on the plug mounted to the bottom of your dash.

Turn the key forward to run. Do not start.
The engine light will flash 1 pause then flash 2. That is a code 12. Then you will have a longer pause, and it will flash code 12 2 more times. That means it is in diagnostic mode.

Any codes you get after that are what your problems are. They will each flash 3 times. Then once they are done it will flash 12 3 more times. If you leave it go it will start all over again.

Dosen't really seem like spending 75 dollars for does it?



EXACTLY! this is almost verbatem from the manual. a paperclip or autozone will give you a "key" for free. the "scanner" is hard to come by and for an OBD 1 is about 300 bucks. sounds like an expensive paperclip to me. it is as simple as reading the flashing check engine light code. then the real fun comes in. example, mine was a code 43 or 42, dont remember but for a knock sensor. yet the problem was a clogged catalitic converter. now i just keep the "key" in the glove box.