oil drain plug - threads stripped..

**wileyCoyote** · 08-08-2010, 10:50 AM

curious if anyone else has run into this problem.. my mechanic had to use a heli-coil thread insert to reinstall the drain plug following my last oil change. then he said he can't guarantee how many more oil changes the insert will last, and told me to swap out to a new oil pan he'd have to take the engine out!

it's a '99 TA, about to turn 150k miles..

**sunsetorangess** · 08-08-2010, 01:51 PM

First off, hes an idiot, you dont have to remove the engine to replace the oil pan, you can raise the engine an inch or two inorder to remove the pan from around the cross member. Second, He could tap the hole a tad bigger and get a bigger drain plug to fit the hole.
third, there are kits out there for "re-threading" oil pans that include new oil drain plugs in various sizes.
J

**cammed goat** · 08-08-2010, 02:12 PM

^^This.

**wileyCoyote** · 08-08-2010, 05:50 PM

thanks - i'm bring this up to him, ..seems like a reasonable thing to enlarge the hole, re-tap, then use a bigger diameter plug (assuming they make larger ones).

sounds like he's thinking of the hardest way to fix the problem..hopefully not trying to take me for a ride..

**SteveC** · 08-09-2010, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by sunsetorangess

First off, hes an idiot, you dont have to remove the engine to replace the oil pan, you can raise the engine an inch or two inorder to remove the pan from around the cross member. Second, He could tap the hole a tad bigger and get a bigger drain plug to fit the hole.
third, there are kits out there for "re-threading" oil pans that include new oil drain plugs in various sizes.
J

I respectfully disagree, you really can not re thread (or tap) an aluminum oil pan, and after replacing the helicoil twice, you will need a new oil pan.

Tapping (or re threadig) a steel pan is a horse of another color.

SteveC

**konigandy6** · 08-09-2010, 07:56 AM

At our shop we only offer, but don't recommend helicoils or retapping since there is absolutely no way of guaranteeing the work and how long it will last. The only way to truely fix the problem is to replace the oil pan... in which sunsetorangess was correct, do not have to remove engine to do so.

**Smittro** · 08-09-2010, 08:07 AM

My concern/wonder how he kept from getting metal shavings from getting inside the pan..? I've dipped taps into light weight grease to help catch the shavings but still had some of it left behind.. I've never tapped an oil pan.. If the threads get ruined for whatever reason I just replaced the pan. Better than chancing metal being distributed throughout the engine.. imho

**sunsetorangess** · 08-09-2010, 04:44 PM

I have tapped several pans with success, not saying it will always work but its an option. Personaly after Taping i have a small vacumm attachement that i use to pull out the shavings and i run a quart or two of oil through to push out any shavings i may have left behind.
J

**pajeff02** · 08-09-2010, 05:42 PM

I drained my 12 bolt that has an aluminum cover a few weeks ago and the threads came out with the drain plug. Drilled and tapped it to the next size up without any problem. Don't see why you can't do the same with the oil pan and then clean it out like SSOSS posted. That's what I would be doing if mine ever stripped.

**Smittro** · 08-09-2010, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by sunsetorangess

I have tapped several pans with success, not saying it will always work but its an option. Personaly after Taping i have a small vacumm attachement that i use to pull out the shavings and i run a quart or two of oil through to push out any shavings i may have left behind.
J

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I drained my 12 bolt that has an aluminum cover a few weeks ago and the threads came out with the drain plug. Drilled and tapped it to the next size up without any problem. Don't see why you can't do the same with the oil pan and then clean it out like SSOSS posted. That's what I would be doing if mine ever stripped.

Like I said, I'd never tapped a pan just replaced... It would be one of those peace of mind things for me.. Not so sure I could trust myself to get it all out since I can't see in there.. Just my.02..