I need some advice before I persue a problem any futher.
Thursday I went to a well known Tire Store and had a need set of tires put on the truck.
45,000 miles. While they were doing the change they also did an oil change using
a Wick filter and 15w40 Rotella. After listening to owner tell me how much better this
was how it was better then the Oil and Filter at the Dodge Dealership. I agreed to pay
25.00 more than my normal change.
When I got the truck back sitting at idle the smell of burning oil was terrible!
I took it back and they looked under the truck to find that the oil pan gasket was
leaking. The owner of the store says its because the Rotella is lighter then the
previous oil and that is why it is leaking. This doent make sense to me. If this is the
case then why send me back to the dealership for a new gasket instead of putting
the right oil in? Why didnt it leak with the previous oil that only had 3500 miles on it?
Is the the right oil for my truck?

 

The Rotella oil is just fine for your truck and always stinks for the first 500 miles or so. The Wix filter is good but not as good as a Fleetguard that the dealer probably would have used.
$25 is a heck of premium to pay for it though, think you got rooked.

Don't know what to tell you about the leak though. The Rotella shouldn't have caused it. Perhaps they just spilled oil or broke the drain plug (common)

 

Actually,
They did say the spilled some oil but also took me under the truck and showed
me the entire seal was leaking. A fine bead of oil was around the entire oil
pan. My concerns is that Dodge wont warrenty the seal because I used a different
oil.

 

Rotella 15 W 40 is just fine but they would have eaten that oil change had it been me there. On the rare ocassion I take mine anywhere, like for tires, I tell them explicitly, very directly, and very clearly "DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS TRUCK FOR NO REASON".
I went to a tire store a month or so ago to get six new Michelins and as soon as they pulled the truck in the bay, they popped the hood. I said to close the hood immediately, there are no tires under that hood. The writer just looked at me funny. Guess they just wanted to see what was under there but I didn't like it left them know it very shortly that it was not necessary to open the hood to change six tires.

 

Wix makes a good filter and the Rotella is an approved oil. I usually get my filters from the dealer but when I cant get down there I use wix oil filters. I have only used wix fuel filters. Like what was posted above rotella stinks. It is still a quality oil. I dont think that caused a problem, but you were ripped off on the price

 

I did tell them to change the oil thinking I would kill 2 birds with one stop.
Have the tires rotated for free with every 5000 mile oil change. The oil change
was 89.95 with filter. After showing them the receipts from the dealership
showing a 59.95 oil change they lowered the price to 69.95 saying that they
did not realize the Dodge took less oil than anticipated. So after smelling up
the truck, gashing one of my rims and trying to sell me an alignment I didnt
need I'm just concerned that they didnt know what the heck they were getting
themselves into when I pulled up. I cant live with these little puddles of oil
in my driveway. Will Dodge do this repair under warenty or Im I going to have
to deal with the tire shop?

 

Shawn , Did you check the oil level maybe they overfilled the crankcase. Thanks Steve B.

 

Rotella is a good oil. That is all I've run the Ram. I use Fleetguard oil filters and Wix fuel filters.

If the oil isn't all from spilling it (or an overfilled crankcase), I would check the torque on the pan bolts.

 

I did mention overfilling to the tech when he showed me the seal leaking.
He got defensive and said that He filled it right on the money.
I guess I'll have to take it to the dealership and hope they still warrenty it.

 

What does the dipstick say now?

 

I took that the wrong way I'm sure from what you had intended.

 

For what it's worth, my Dodge dealership changed my oil the first time and installed Rotella T 15w40. It smells more than factory even if there's no leak. The warranty will be no problem unless you infer some inept mechanic at a discount tire store caused the problem. They may not have. Wix, (you do mean WIX don't you?) makes a premium filter. No problem there either. Also, no one has mentioned this yet so I will ask if yours has the crankcase vent tube extended under the engine beyond the firewall to eliminate crankcase vapors. Mine was extended by the dealership before I bought it so there must have been a TSB for it.
Nat

 

You just pointed out two of the MANY MANY reason I dont EVER leave my vehicle out of site for any reason when I visit the "Mechanic in training shops". They WILL screw something up and then say it was like that. Nothing ticks me off more than paying thousands and thousands of hard earned dollars for something and then having a minimum wage rookie, that looks as if he's trying out for the next Nascar pit crew, tear it up! The last time I had a tire that was out of balance checked the guy drops my center cap and then does the old clown trick where every time he tried to take a step to pick it up he kicked it another foot or two. After a couple of those I quickly ran over and picked it up to make sure there was no scratches. For some amazing reason there wasnt. But had there been, I guarantee there would have been a new one on there before I left.
And think your safe at the dealer? Think again...I know a guy that works at a Dodge dealer and he tells me that after the mechanic works on the trucks he takes them out four wheeling in the mud and muck then takes them back and washes them up. Reason?...he says he would rather have it break on him out there then out on the costumers!!! If I EVER saw a mechanic out four bying my $40,000 truck I would do two things: 1) stop him and beat the tar out of him and take my truck back, leaving him to walk back to his no longer job, or 2) wait for him to get back to the dealer and demand his job and/or a new ride! I used to be a mechanic for a small shop, and I clearly remember what went on behind closed doors, or simply just when the owners of the cars were not there!

 

To me, it sounds like they may have used Rotella T synthetic. This is a 5w-40 and would explan why the guy said "thinner oil". It would also explain the 25 dollar up charge.

The increased smell is normal for the first say 500 miles after an oil change. A maybe they did spill some oil. Are you sure it is leaking? They should have cleaned up the mess, but have you wiped it all clean to see if the leaking continues?

If your warrant covers oil leaks, then it will be covered. Rotella T and rotella t synthetic meet all cummins specs. Let us know how you came out. Kevin