KevinEF7

Hey guys, Ive been dreading this day for a long time. My 5.5qt moroso aluminum oil pan drain plug is basically stripped out. I bought the pan used, and the PO must have stripped it and re-tapped it because when I got it, it was simply an 5/8-11 bolt in there, and there never was much thread "depth" like the hole was drilled to big before tapping. But for years Ive been careful and tried not tightening to much.

Well yesterday upon doing an oil change I tightened the bolt and felt that feeling many of us have felt, when the bolt is getting tighter.... tighter.... and all of the sudden you feel it getting loose.... the threads are stripping

I stopped, but oil is dripping out, very slowly, a drop an hour maybe, but I need to fix it this weekend.

First best option to me is to retap to a bigger size, I just so happen to have an M18X1.5 tap for making 02 sensor bungs, and it doesnt seem to much bigger than an 5/8" tap so that may work upon some measuring. Only downfalls are that I would have to buy a pricey drill bit, drain and flush the pan.

Another option could be somehow patching/repairing the threads I have. I have never used a helicoil, but arent they for this?

Im really just seeing if I have any options here. Any ideas are welcome. I would love to not have to drop the pan as moroso pans are notoriuos for leaking but mine is trouble free so Id love to keep it that way. Would grease on the drill bit/tap and a single oil flush keep all shavings out??

Throw some ideas at me!

KevinEF7

I was also thinking of being slightly ghetto, but no drilling or making chips. And simply jb welding in a 5/8-11 insert of some kind into the stripped hole. Maybe they sell some sort of "fitting" that has an outside thread of 5/8-11, but has a smaller hole drilled through the center of it that can be plugged and used as the new drain plug. Just jbweld to help adhere permanently to the stripped threads

Pros of that idea would be no drilling into my oil pan and just a few hours of cure time for the jb weld. But finding a plug like that may be difficult, I could probably make it though actually, just take a simple 5/8-11 bolt and drill through the center of it and tap it on the work bench

Would that work well??

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Drill or out and re-tap it larger just be sure to use correct size drill for the tap. Be sure to remove the pan though

DirtyDA9

Buy a larger self-tapping drain plug.

Slacker93eg

Self Tapper or new pan, I'd go with new pan. Only because, why risk the new tap failing mid drive and your oil end up on the street. My last car oil pan shattered when I hit a brick and I lost the oil, (didn't notice till about 10 seconds later). Once I put a new pan on the oil pump was screwed. Luckily the motor was okay

93h2beg

ok well, there is another option. they make drain plugs that you don't have to weld. I use them on automatic transmissions. pull the pan, seal the original mistake, and get something like this, I have not used this brand but its to show the idea. http://compare.ebay.com/like/2509873...Types&var=sbar

KevinEF7

Wat is a self tapping drain plug I dont see any info on that on the net?

Do you guys think there is a way to keep chips to a minimum and get them surely flushed other than grease on the bit and tap?

Boosted_01 R

self tapping drain plug...WTF lol, don't think its what he meant.....

Do it properly, pull the pan..... grease on the tap will help but it will never be 100%.... tapping on the engine is asking for trouble

Brad

he may have meant an oversized drain plug. it would be like 5/8-11 size, but actual size is slightly bigger to help with stripped threads. they sell them at most auto parts stores.

spoolinlude

Same thing happened to mine years ago.

Just cut the old one off and weld a piece of aluminum stock to it. Then drill/tap for a larger drain plug. That's what I did.

You don't need a new pan, just someone who can weld aluminum.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

X2

LightningTeg

Arent they just zinc plated?

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Most are zinc plated but they do have aluminum ones too or they DID at least at some point

spoolinlude

Mine is full-on aluminum plates welded together.....

Then again, mine is 10 years old.... lol.

Been doing this too long.

DirtyDA9

No, I meant a self-tapping plug, anyone that has worked at a dealership and ran into a stripped drain plug, you would know what im talking about.

KevinEF7

I managed to find an M18 X 1.5 drain plug today, so im going to go ahead and redrill and tap assuming I have the proper drill bit size, still have to check for that.

Really would like to avoid pulling the pan at this point though. Do you guys think that grease on the drill bit and tap, aswell as a cheap oil flush, flushing about a liter at a time, 5 times, would ensure no chips in the pan??

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

YOU HAVE TO PULL THE PAN, STOP BEING LAZY

lsturbo33

Metric tap drill sizing is easy to remember. Diameter minus pitch.
M18x1.5...18-1.5=16.5mm tap drill
I agree pull the pan. Just think about how much work your going to do when the oil pump sucks up a chip because you didn't take the pan off.

rich7777

X2. If any of the excess material gets into the oil supply you can kiss your engine good bye. It doesn't take much.

KevinEF7

Pulling and installing the pan is going to be a pita in this weather

Bye bye saturday

dcmatt

iTrader: (7)

If its your common straight tap it will actually push the chips into the pan if you dont pull it. Also there's no way you can drill and tap the hole while keeping ALL the chips out. Shouldn't take a whole day. Impact guns are your friend.

KevinEF7

Impact guns? I dont need no impact guns. Its just getting access to the oil pan bolts that are very hard to reach even from straight under on the big sumped moroso pan, and doing it in -10c weather that bites

If the pan was steel I would drill it without removing, but because its aluminum Im going to have to I guess.

Was just looking for options to avoid that, atleast enough to stop the leak, without pulling the pan

dcmatt

iTrader: (7)

Oops just remembered how much of a pain it is with a moroso.....

DirtyDA9

I hope you have a garage haha screw that weather.

KevinEF7

My saturday is saved!! The leak was simply my nylon drain plug washer split.

The feeling I felt when tightening the drain plug was the washer splitting, and it expanding open as I twisted. Sure felt like the threads where stripping thats why I stopped, it was very brittle and didnt like canadian winter I suppose

Threads are fine, new COPPER crush washer, refill oil, done

Warmed up the garage for nothing