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Stripped oil drain plug

A

Armitage

Banned
My ex was complaning that her car (ie. the car I had to give her) is leaking oil and they want $300+ to replace the oil pan. Now I'm a little curious because the oil pan isn't the first place I think of to look for an oil leak, so I go take a look. First thing I see is that the oil is dripping off of the drain plug itself, with no other visible source. I wipe that off and and everything around it and go look for a wrench on the off chance that the plug simply isn't tight. < 5 minutes later and there is another drip.

I put the wrench on it and it feels loose and I think the schmucks simply didn't tighten it. But of course that wasn't it - the idiots stripped it out. It's always gone to the same place (Dublin Auto Care, corner of Dublin & Academy) so I know it was them. But obviously can't prove it.

So the question ... is it possible to drill out & tap the how for a bigger plug? Or is she stuck geting a new pan. It's a 1992 Honda Civic.
 
Drilling and tapping = metal shavings.

Metal shavings don't belong inside the oil pan.

If you were to remove the pan first, it is certainly possible, yes.

Or you could buy a new pan and replace it yourself, 250$ of that quote is probably by the book labor.. lol
 
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
 
Originally posted by: Rastus
I think you can get a kit at autozone for that. Drill it out and install an insert.
Click to expand...

:Q

I hope there aren't idiots drilling up into their oilpan without removing it first.
 
There are repair plugs made just for this situation, call your local parts store and tell them the deal, they will fix you up.
 
Originally posted by: Eli
Drilling and tapping = metal shavings.

Metal shavings don't belong inside the oil pan.

If you were to remove the pan first, it is certainly possible, yes.

Or you could buy a new pan and replace it yourself, 250$ of that quote is probably by the book labor.. lol
Click to expand...

Yep, I probably could. But it's not my car or responsibility anymore so I'm not going to blow the better part of a weekend on it.
 
Originally posted by: Wags1974
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea for aluminum engines since aluminum is non-magnetic and the shavings will still get into the oil system.

Remove the oil pan before re-tapping it. It's the only correct way to do it.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Wags1974
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea for aluminum engines since aluminum is non-magnetic and the shavings will still get into the oil system.

Remove the oil pan before re-tapping it. It's the only correct way to do it.

ZV
Click to expand...

The cylinder walls in aluminum engines have iron inserts. 😕
 
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Wags1974
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea for aluminum engines since aluminum is non-magnetic and the shavings will still get into the oil system.

Remove the oil pan before re-tapping it. It's the only correct way to do it.

ZV
Click to expand...

The cylinder walls in aluminum engines have iron inserts. 😕
Click to expand...
The hell does that have to do with oil pans? 😛

 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Wags1974
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea for aluminum engines since aluminum is non-magnetic and the shavings will still get into the oil system.

Remove the oil pan before re-tapping it. It's the only correct way to do it.

ZV
Click to expand...
Since when are oil pans aluminum unless you're talking big-dollar aftermarket ones?
 
let it drip, dino oil is cheap.

<--has a leaky rear main seal, front main seal, valve covers, cracked oil pan(hairline crack that oil seeps through) AND a leaky drain plug. dino oil is chean enough where i don't mind pouring in half a quart every week.
 
Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
let it drip, dino oil is cheap.

<--has a leaky rear main seal, front main seal, valve covers, cracked oil pan(hairline crack that oil seeps through) AND a leaky drain plug. dino oil is chean enough where i don't mind pouring in half a quart every week.
Click to expand...
Yay for polution!
 
Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
let it drip, dino oil is cheap.

<--has a leaky rear main seal, front main seal, valve covers, cracked oil pan(hairline crack that oil seeps through) AND a leaky drain plug. dino oil is chean enough where i don't mind pouring in half a quart every week.
Click to expand...

Yea, I gave her that option as well. But she won't keep up with it - it was 2 quarts low when I checked it. But again - not my problem.
 
Thanks for your response.

I am a retired mastertech and there are a few alluminum oil pans out there. Since he gave his make and model, I knew he didnt have one.

 
For a 1992 car I am sure you can get a pan from the wreckers, you might have to take it off your self though.
 
Read this first, then go to your local auto parts store and ask for a rubber self expanding drain plug, this is a quick fix that's cheap and effective, the only problem is that these plugs require replacement once a year because over time they tend to swell.
 
Originally posted by: crustyoldman
Read this first, then go to your local auto parts store and ask for a rubber self expanding drain plug, this is a quick fix that's cheap and effective, the only problem is that these plugs require replacement once a year because over time they tend to swell.
Click to expand...

Interesting - thanks!
 
I know they make this tool that digs into the head of the plug and you can screw it out with it.

It has little spikes on it that you can clamp down into the metal head and then unscrew it out. I think they sell it at Sears Auto.
 
If you want to tap it. Load the first third of the tap's flutes with heavy grease.
Tap the drain hole about half way. Remove the tap, clean, re-grease, then finish
the hole. Now wiggle a small magenet inside to pick-up the on or two tiny chips
that might be in there.

I've used self tapping drain plugs also, and never had a problem.

Just make sure that the self tapping plug or tap is started stright.


...Galvanized
 
Originally posted by: NutBucket
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Wags1974
No drill and tap, put a self tapping oversized plug in it, they are readily available at your local auto parts store. The reason the shavings made from running this into your oil pan isnt a problem is because they are magnetic.

If you want to do it right , I would remove oil pan drill and tap , clean and reinstall. I have had several customers who didnt want to pay the labor for this and the magnetic oversized ones do work.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea for aluminum engines since aluminum is non-magnetic and the shavings will still get into the oil system.

Remove the oil pan before re-tapping it. It's the only correct way to do it.

ZV
Click to expand...
Since when are oil pans aluminum unless you're talking big-dollar aftermarket ones?
Click to expand...
So the Ford Focus is a big-dollar car? The GM 3.1 and 3.4 V6's? Ford Escorts? Rangers? Saturns? The GM "Quad 4" engine? The Ford Contour? Numerous Acuras and Hondas?

Hell, Kholer lawn-mower engines have aluminum oil pans.

ZV
 
I hate it when auto service places screw up something as simple and routine as an oil change. I took my Escort to Midas recently for an oil change and some other stuff and the filter and plug were on WAY too tight. The filter was all crushed by the time they got it out. Luckily the threads weren't damaged at all. The car was previously serviced at a Ford dealership.
 
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