Wondering how anyone here has handled this issue. I went to change the oil in the yellow Mav (first time since I've owned it, had it done at a garage while it was being tuned up when I bought it) and it appears that someone overtightened the oil drain plug. It turned out hard all the way. The threads in the pan "looked" ok, so I bought a new drain plug and washer. When I put the new plug back in, it appeared to twist in fine and secure, so I figured I was all set. However, now I see I've got a constant oil drip, not a lot, but it's still dripping. I've tightened the nut as much as I dare to (for fear of stripping out the threads in the oil pan), and it's still dripping. Besides replacing the entire oil pan, what have you guys done to remedy this problem? Just to confirm, on a 3.3L I-6, do I need a thread size of 1/2"-20? Did some Internet searches, here are a couple ideas.... anyone tried them? Time-Sert repair kit: http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html Qwik Valve replacement: http://www.qwikvalve.com/home.php
I have Qwik valves on my John Deere and PowerStroke but that won't help your thread issue if it was stripped in the past. Your auto parts store should sell single and double oversize drain plugs.
yeah, go to your local parts house and get a single oversized drain plug. it's a hair bigger and will cut it's own new threads when you install it
Very cool! I didn't know they made self-tapping plugs. I've been fortunate to only have damaged plugs and haven't had to re-tap a pan. It also might be a good idea to clean around the hole with a small magnet (like a retriever magnet - a must for every toolbox). It'll pick up any shavings that might come from tapping new threads.
When mine stripped decades ago I brazed a small brass valve into the pan. Just turn the knob to drain the oil.
I probably do more than you want to hear, but I'll throw it out there in case anyone else wants a heads up on a trick... The threads are just a flat piece of metal tack welded into the bottom of the pan. It is more or less a very thin nut held in place by welds. I grind the welds loose and remove the chinsy little piece of steel. Then I take a Ford 1/2x20 lug nut and cut about an eigth inch slice out of it with threads. Clean it up, deburr, and make sure one side is very smooth and flat. Then install that into the pan with a few tacks. I do this to damaged pans, but I also do this to pans without plugs, like tranny pans. Drill a hole, tack the threads, done. Just have to make sure that either the hole is somewhere that doesn't interfere with internal workings, or that the drain plug (bolt) is not too long. I did an E4OD tranny one time, like I do them all, but used a plug that had a long nose on the end after the threads. I didn't think anything of it, but found out later that it drove up into the filter pickup and split the plastic. This caused the fluid to bypass the filter element. Just a thought.... Ford lug nuts are the correct thread to make repairs or mods.
Also, they make washers with rubber coating. I use those over plastic or fiber. You don't confirm that it is stripped, just that you got it tight and have a drip. Your plastic washer may have split. You MUST have a good washer no matter what, or you will have a drip. Get a rubber coated steel washer for 1/2" plug bolt and try that before getting an oversize plug! Once you use the oversize plug, you are on a downhill slope to wearing out the oil pan. Make sense?
the over sized plug can also grab the threaded plate described earlyer and twist it and brake the tack welds that hold it in place. ive had sucess with them and failuer with them. my first thought was that the washer was bad or missing also. try that first before anything else. as for replacing the thin steel with a sloted nut you can use a cassel nut like what is used for tie rods and ball joints. you just tack it against the metal so the holes allow the oil to drain.
Well, to tell you the truth, the threads on the pan didn't "look" bad, but I'm sure had "some" damage perhaps. The bolt looked screwed up, so that's why I went with a replacement. I bought a set, which included a new fiber washer. When I started twisting the new bolt in, if felt good, not loose or wobbly, so I figure I was all set. It felt "firm" when it was tight as well, and I thought I had tightened it up as much as I dare (over the years I've learned I tend to over tighten stuff, can't tell you how many times I've broken bolts, lol). Anyway, I'm wondering if the fiber washer is junk (even though it's new) and I should try a rubber coated washer as Ratio411 suggested. If I bought one of those Qwik Valve units, I think I could put some pipe dope on the threads just to be sure it sealed....
Yes, but they can split. The rubber/steel washer costs 3x as much, 50c instead of 15c, but it lasts and the soft rubber seals with even minimal snugging. It's almost like a captured o-ring. Not trying to argue too much, plastic is good for one time use, but the rubber has definate advantages. To the OP: Rather than pipe dope to build on the threads, maybe some teflon tape would be a better choice...
