Oil Filter Seeping on Top

[swexlin]

Longer post, so please bear with me. Upon taking delivery of my new (to me) car last October, I had to also make a switch to dealer with a very trusted Viper tech who services the cars of several local Viper owners here, one of whom is a good friend of mine. Since Bill P had just serviced the car prior to delivering, I just had a the PA state inspection done, which it passed with flying colors of course. I only put a 3-400 miles on the car before it sat in my garage all winter. So now, I've been driving quite a bit, and decided to take the car on for fresh oil, and any software updates (none needed it turns out). Not doing the airbag recall at this time, I'll have it done in the fall.

Now, this tech could probably take apart and put one of these cars back together blindfolded. So after sitting in the waiting room about 1/2 hour, car was done. I paid, (didn't look at the invoice CAREFULLY, my fault) and went to the back and chatted with him for a few minutes. Drove back home, and then I noticed that the filter number on the invoice was NOT the Viper part number (0503XXX) but something different. Figuring maybe just an input error, I went out and check, and there was the black Mopar filter on the car. Looked up the part number online, and it's the 5.7 Hemi filter. (Remember, I'm doing all this on one of my rare days off from work). Called the service manager back, he was very apologetic, said he would go speak with the tech, and call me back. A few minutes later, he called back, and said they didn't have the correct filter in stock (even though I made the appoint at least two weeks ago), as it is so "new". (I didn't waste my time explaining it's the same since 2008). What pissed me off MORE is that the tech, who should know better, put the wrong filter on, probably thinking I wouldn't notice. Or maybe he is of the opinion that filter is a filter, and it honestly doesn't matter, who knows? There are several other Dodge dealers local, I'm sure a couple phone calls could have tracked one down, and I could have brought the car back later in the day.

Well, it so happens that I had a spare filter that Bill P sent along when he delivered the car (thanks Bill, it came in handy!). So I took it back with me, and the tech swapped it out, and they gave me a credit for the wrong filter. I had barely sat down in the waiting room, and the car was ready. All good.

So I put about 230 miles on the car yesterday, high speed, some heavy traffic, and chauffeuring some ill kids from their prom back to their treating hospital. When I went out to detail the car this morning, I notice a little seepage on the top of the filter. I figured maybe it was just a little spillage from when it was swapped out. I cleaned it off, and went for a 23 mile drive. I checked it again, and yes, there it is, some seepage. So, I'm guessing either the filter gasket was bad, or perhaps cross threaded. It is on tight, and there is nothing on the ground.

Before you guys say "change your own oil". By the time I buy the oil, and bin for old oil, jack the car up in my driveway, etc, I can drive to the dealer, have it done, and be back home in an hour or less. For about the same cost. And as long as the car is under warranty, only they will do it. So I'll have to call them back tomorrow, make another appointment to swap in another one (one they get one in). The moral of this story is, CHECK the work that you tech does before you leave the dealer.