"Lube Job?"

[MadMax]

They are called zerk fittings and some vehicles, such as my 2005 Jeep, still have them. However, I have yet to see any on my Yaris and even if they did exist; I wouldn't want some hamfisted bozo at these quick lube places to overfill them as that makes quite a mess (this from experience).

[jambo101]

Recommend staying away from those Quick Lube places as they can be amazingly incompetent.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Recommend staying away from those Quick Lube places as they can be amazingly incompetent.

My last boss in dialysis was a character we called "Jiffy Lube Jack". Before he started as a foot soldier in dialysis he was a Jiffy Lube manager. He was hired on the "management track" and once a not for profit operation opened up nearby a few dissidents set up shop, taking Jack along for a management position.

For years he earned in the low $40,000 range to work seven hours a day, drink himself each evening into a near stupor and then come to work "hung over". Jack had a bad drinking and gambling problem. One day he announced that he would no longer cover Saturdays because he was taking a second job to pay for his gambling habit. Not long thereafter a buddy called me up for a job in R&D. Sayonara, Jack.

His other claim to fame was refusing to push for NANT (National Association of Nephrology Technicians) training because he didn't want some of his subordinates to "get ideas". These kids had the most bizarre ideas about how to repair things. One of them created a "ground strap" out of wire - you're supposed to have some resistance in a ground strap for safety purposes but the boy figured "less is more". I used to call it his "employee intelligence improvement device", if it killed him the aggregate IQ of the staff would rise sharply.

As far as I know Jack is still there, muddling along, and getting ripped several nights a week, coming home, having fist fights with his kids and then sacking out. The fights were extraordinary, sometimes the kids would get knocked out or put through walls. He'd come in banged up talking about how he had to "straighten one of them out" but he sounded concerned that they were "growing larger" and would one day, "knock me on the my ass".

I'll never go to one of those places... they put rot gut oil into your car and hire whoever will work for the wages they pay. Apparently their managers aren't much better.

Gene

[The little red pill]

Originally Posted by GeneW

For years he earned in the low $40,000 range to work seven hours a day, drink himself each evening into a near stupor and then come to work "hung over".

Wow. $40,000 a year working only 7 hours a day. Sign me up! lol. That's amazing pay for a lube shop.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by MadMax

They are called zerk fittings and some vehicles, such as my 2005 Jeep, still have them. However, I have yet to see any on my Yaris and even if they did exist; I wouldn't want some hamfisted bozo at these quick lube places to overfill them as that makes quite a mess (this from experience).

In the bad old days when grease fittings were common sometimes people would over fill the joints, causing them to "burst" or unseat. This allowed water to get in and caused accelerated wear. You especialy were taking your chances with tie-rod ends and upper ball joints, which would accumulate water if they opened up.

A good mechanic will give just enough to push some grease out of a slot cut in the boot for that purpose and no more.

Tune up? The Yaris has no points, breakers or anything that could be adjusted. A mechanic might test the oxygen sensor and other emission components to see if they're close to failure. Another good idea would be to check the catalytic converter for plugging by measuring back pressure. Just to check a oxygen sensor is time consuming and may not even be necessary in OBD-II units.

Aside filters, alignment and consumables like tires and wiper blades the Yaris is close to maintenance free.

Gene