Oil Filter Problem, N E 1 have this issue?

[Asp Man]

This is weird.
I thought I should change the oil before I park it for the season, simple enough right? Should have taken me 10 or 15 mins, took 2 hours! The dealer did the last change as part of the sale, this is the first one I've done on it.
Drop the oil, no prob. Spin the filter off and here's where it all goes wrong.
The filter should just drop right out between the frame rail, the frame
crossmember, the engine and the frame diagonal brace, right? Well it would if it were not for the triangular plate riveted on covering the open space where the diagonal brace runs. Couldn't pull it out anywhere, now there's oil everywhere, dripping, slippery, son of a b&*%h!
Called my bro, same car, same year, even made on the same day. Says his filter
drops right out and that the triangle plate is mounted forward of the
crossmember. ***. Eventually I did manage to get the old one out, between the
frame and filter adaptor/oil cooler line fixture. New one wouldn't fit in the
same way, it has a larger dia. at the base! Had to remove the bottom forward
bolt on the adaptor to slip it past. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[whitebluevipe]

sounds like they screwed up when they did the frame recall and welded an extra piece? i just changed oil in my 02 with no problems.

 

[Janni]

Your 999/998 recall was done incorrectly.

Think logically.... it strengthen the frame horn, WHY rivet the plate where the frame was already reinforaced by triangluation??? The triangle pieces are suposed to be IN FRONT of the cross member....

Your recall dealer screwed up royally.....

Either Tom Session at D&E or the Viper Wizard can fix this!

 

[Asp Man]

That's pretty much as I figured. Nice. I'll attempt it myself when I have my bro's car side by side in the spring for comparison.
Thanks for the quick response, Janni.

 

[ViperJoe]

They didn't weld an extra piece on.......they placed the triangular braces in the wrong way.

"Search" 998 997 recall

998 recall - FRONT and REAR on cars built between 1996 - 1st March 1999
999 recall - FRONT ONLY on cars built after the 1st March 1999 to the end of 2000
Most of the work is in the rear of the car.
The rear end has to be dropped to add the gussets to the driver’s side of the frame.
The repair in the rear is asymmetrical, only the driver’s side receives reinforcement.

Several folks here have had that heartache, usually to be discovered during an oil change.

Get to a DC dealer and have them run the VIN through the DC VIP VIN info request to find out which dealer did the recall. Hopefully they are local to you.

Those that have had this headache and have fought to get it corrected will hopefully chime in as to what they had to go through.


GOOD LUCK!

 

[Gerald Levin]

Asp Man, This has been done incorrectly way too many times and has been discussed in great depth on this board. If you do a search on the 998/999 recall(above)I believe you will find some incorrect and the correct installation photos. And I also believe you will find the way to properly correct the holes that were drilled into your frame by the incorrect installation.

 

[Asp Man]

Just got off the phone with local dealer and their Viper tech. HE sez to stop, they'll run the vin to find out who/when/where it was done and that they may have to send to the body shop to have it fixed, at DC's expense. Will post back once I've done this.
What a headache, I just wantd to change the oil!

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Boy if this doesnt bring back old crappy memories. The Dodge dealership I went to didnt have a certified welder on staff, so they subbed out the job to a welding shop down the street. As soon as I got to the dealership to pick up my car, they inform me that the welding shop didnt do the rear part of the frame recall, and the car would have to go back to them. That scared me already. When I did my 1st oil change after the recall I ran into the same problem you did. I went back to the Dodge dealer and complained and they sent the car back to the welding shop who said the work was done correctly the 1st time. The Viper tech at the Dodge dealership had never done/seen a 998 recall before so he couldnt confirm or deny that it was done right. To get my oil filter off now, I have to slip it between the A-arm and the wheel. Comes off quite easy that way, but I'm still not sure my recall is done correctly. Can someone post pics of a properly done recall so I can compare my car to the pics?

 

[PDCjonny]

DC will cover having the recall REdone, and I believe they back bill the original screw up dealer.

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

DC will cover having the recall REdone, and I believe they back bill the original screw up dealer.

Yep!

 

[PSilverGTS]

I have pictures of the recall in my gallery.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I have pictures of the recall in my gallery.

Thanks so much! Now I'll finally be able to tell if my 998 was botched or not

 

[Asp Man]

Update.
Took the car in on Fri. AM, met the Viper tech, service mgr. etc. Very high rate of 'A' kissing going on. Never had that kind of service with any dealer, any car/truck in my life!
Parts were there, all they had to do was sub-out the welding. Welder didn't show until Sat. about 11 AM, Viper tech not working Sat. Have to wait until tommorw to get it back. Service mgr. promised to finnish the car to my satisfaction and deliver it on a flat-deck back home.
Going through severe separation anxiety all weekend. Driving spouse nuts!

Thanks for all of the support, everyone. I would never have expected the great response I got with this post.