Oil drain plug leaking

[Mike]

Hi Guys
Do any of you have any tricks to stop an oil drain plug from leaking?
One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.
I've replaced the plug & ran a tap through to clean out the thread & now its
leaking worse!
I use the subaru crush washer but would gasket paper be a better option?
How much work is it to replace the sump pan?
Cheers
Mike

 

[Jim Stewart]

Hi Guys
Do any of you have any tricks to stop an oil drain plug from leaking?
One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.

Dickhead. With just the slightest bit of care,
it's bulletproof. I'm guessing you'll seek
compensation for the fix. These people need
to be taught a lesson.

I've replaced the plug & ran a tap through to clean out the thread & now its
leaking worse!
I use the subaru crush washer but would gasket paper be a better option?
How much work is it to replace the sump pan?

You should fix it right. You should be able
to find a good junkyard pan for a reasonable
price.

As to the job, look under the car and see if
the pan can come free without removing any
steering or suspension components. If it can,
the job is a pain, but not all that demanding.

If you have to pull suspension or steering
parts, all bets are off.

 

[Tlather]

Hi Guys

One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.

My suggestion would be take it back to the morons that stripped the
drainplug threads and have them eat it, and if you can't or don't want
to do that then buy an oil pan from Subaru OEM.It comes with a new
drain plug already installed. You must jack up the engine to replace
it. Loosen the Y pipe at the cyl heads, take the motor mount nuts off,
jack the engine up by the front of the trans., and replace the
pan...it uses Fuji Bond sealer no gasket. Have fun....

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Hi Guys
Do any of you have any tricks to stop an oil drain plug from leaking?
One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.
I've replaced the plug & ran a tap through to clean out the thread & now its
leaking worse!
I use the subaru crush washer but would gasket paper be a better option?
How much work is it to replace the sump pan?
Cheers
Mike

Is your vehicle new? Sometimes the original gasket is stuck on with
black paint and stacking a new one on top will yield leaks.

They probably have to repair a leaking pan once a month. Helicoil or
other system should get it going. If you don't trust them, get your
indie mech to fix it.

New pan would be the best but most expensive fix.

Carl

 

[Bob Noble]

I'd check someplace like a Napa parts store or a foreign auto parts type
store for an oversize repair plug. These usually come self-tapping type and
are easy to use.

 

[Tim H]

Hi Guys
Do any of you have any tricks to stop an oil drain plug from leaking?
One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.
I've replaced the plug & ran a tap through to clean out the thread & now its
leaking worse!
I use the subaru crush washer but would gasket paper be a better option?
How much work is it to replace the sump pan?
Cheers
Mike

No way would I pull the pan. That's a big job compared to you options:

There is this:
Go to automotive store. They sell repair kits for stripped oil drain plugs
for cars. The kit consist of a large self tapping bolt with a hole bored and
tapped through the middle of it for a included drain bolt. The self tapping
bolt has a thick cork seal on it. You turn in the self tapping bolt until it
seats. Then insert included drain bolt into the self tapper. Now you have a
drain bolt that does not leak, and very little work involved. Even if it
doesn't work, your in the same boat as you were before...you have to drop
the oil pan and put in a insert. It has worked for me in the past, and know
many others that have used it. Tips...don't strong arm the sef tapping
bolt...just put it in enough to compress the gasket. Snug, NOT TIGHT. When
you tighten or loosen the drain bolt, hold the sef tapping bolt with another
wrench so as not tighten or loosen the self tapping bolt. The posititve of
this fix is that you can select a drain plug with a magnet. Here's what they
look like.
http://www.cgenterprises.com/drain_plugs_oversize_repair.htm
http://www.mikes-afordable.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=T6731&Category_Code=1116

Then there is this: (read the second paragraph on page 2) - The positive of
this fix is that you will never have to worry about loosing the self tapping
bolt (described above) by accident. I've used these and they work great.
(Unfortunatly I was not able to find a picture of this plug)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272546.html?page=2

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

No way would I pull the pan. That's a big job compared to you options:

There is this:
Go to automotive store. They sell repair kits for stripped oil drain plugs
for cars. The kit consist of a large self tapping bolt with a hole bored and
tapped through the middle of it for a included drain bolt. The self tapping
bolt has a thick cork seal on it. You turn in the self tapping bolt until it
seats. Then insert included drain bolt into the self tapper. Now you have a
drain bolt that does not leak, and very little work involved. Even if it
doesn't work, your in the same boat as you were before...you have to drop
the oil pan and put in a insert. It has worked for me in the past, and know
many others that have used it. Tips...don't strong arm the sef tapping
bolt...just put it in enough to compress the gasket. Snug, NOT TIGHT. When
you tighten or loosen the drain bolt, hold the sef tapping bolt with another
wrench so as not tighten or loosen the self tapping bolt. The posititve of
this fix is that you can select a drain plug with a magnet. Here's what they
look like.
http://www.cgenterprises.com/drain_plugs_oversize_repair.htm
http://www.mikes-afordable.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=T6731&Category_Code=1116

Then there is this: (read the second paragraph on page 2) - The positive of
this fix is that you will never have to worry about loosing the self tapping
bolt (described above) by accident. I've used these and they work great.
(Unfortunatly I was not able to find a picture of this plug)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272546.html?page=2

Yep - I forgot about this;
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2029/article.html

Once the threads are repaired - if needed, a drain valve will make it
easier for whoever does the changes.

Sometimes there are 'group buys' for stuff like that at nasioc.com .

Carl

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Hi Guys
Do any of you have any tricks to stop an oil drain plug from leaking?
One of the survace guys overtightened it and damaged the thread and now I
can't stop it leaking.
I've replaced the plug & ran a tap through to clean out the thread & now its
leaking worse!
I use the subaru crush washer but would gasket paper be a better option?
How much work is it to replace the sump pan?
Cheers
Mike

Just FYI - here's a good thread on oil changing;
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=786772

Carl

 

[David]

Yep - I forgot about this;
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2029/article.html

Once the threads are repaired - if needed, a drain valve will make it
easier for whoever does the changes.

Sometimes there are 'group buys' for stuff like that at nasioc.com .

Carl

Clean the hole real well, then put in the Fumoto using epoxy on the
threads.

 

[John]

Yep - I forgot about this;
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2029/article.html

Once the threads are repaired - if needed, a drain valve will make it
easier for whoever does the changes.

Sometimes there are 'group buys' for stuff like that at nasioc.com .

Carl, did you with or sans the nipple? I've got my 00 OBW with a slight leak
even with a new crush washer so I'm thinking of one of these drains for the
repair.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Then there is this: (read the second paragraph on page 2) - The positive of
this fix is that you will never have to worry about *loosing* the self tapping
bolt (described above) by accident.

Did you mean "loosening" or "losing"?

Ben