EG-SIXV-TEC

is it necessary to put thrush washer?? on the oil drain bolt

Hi i feel kinda panic right now because one of the shops where i work part time lube technician and its my first time.

I did a customer car that is a 1999 Honda CRV.
drained oil, remove oil filter,
then went to lunch brake

Later put back new oil filter and the oil drain plug, -but forgot to put the dam thrust washer.

The time i put about couple of quarts of oil in the car i then realize i forgot to put the washer????
i realized that i didn't want to re drain the new oil just to put back the drain plug... that would be a waste of money dammit..


HELP ASAP - note I made the oil drain plug very tight. will it have comback problems in the future i just want to clear up my mind? no leaks i checked!!!

My co worker told me that he once ran his car without a thrust washer and it didn't leak its ok... please comments is it really OKAY?????

TTIWWOP

if it was tight and didn't leak, 99% likely it won't leak before it's next oil change. It's steel-on-steel which isn't forgiving but if the bolt was in good shape and clean and the mating surface on the pan was the same, no problem.

It is a little concerning that you made a decision about someone's car that you weren't sure about though. In the future, I hope you'll be a bit more proactive when it comes to the welfare of other people's automobiles. Just sayin.

Edit: Also, with a quick enough hand, you could have installed the washer with only having lost an ounce or two of oil.

EG-SIXV-TEC

Yes its my mistake about the washer part. first time working on customer cars. since now im really cautious about customer cars and i now double check.
its my first week and im getting a hang of it i hope to get more comfortable with working on other.

at the time its my first time working in a shop and anxious about the so called time. For the draining part i taught i would of lost a lot of quarts and for the shop what ever parts they give i didn't want to ask to order another set. it was about 3 1/2 quarts when i figured out missing washer....
i more hopefull and confident now it won't likely to leak and 100% won't do it again....

Crx Jimmy

you could have taken it off, put the washer on, and lost less than 1/2 qt. The motor that I removed from my crv had no washer and no signs of leakage. I wouldnt make a habit of it though

Todd00

Wow. This is why I don't let anyone change my oil.

OP, you should have manned-up and put the washer on the drainplug. Period. No excuses.

And let's hope that you didn't screw up the oil pan by over-compensating and putting the drain plug on too tight.

ARMED

weird, i dont remember having a washer with my drain plug....but it doesnt leak

90sedan

This is directly on point.

The crush washer is used to protect the oil pan from the frequent torquing of the drain bolt. The crush washer's purpose isn't to help create a seal, it's to help "cushion" the oil pan from the drain bolt.

You probably won't have an oil leak come-back if you actually torqued it to the proper spec.

I'm not sure if you are working for a small shop, or a dealer, but your job is very important to the reputation of the "shop". Even though you are just an lube-tech, you will likely work on a larger % of the customer base when compared to a full-tech. As most people have regular oil changes and nothing else, it's very important that you are able to perform the job correctly, and if not, it could discourage the customer from bringing the car back for anything else.

What I'm trying to say is, try and develop a routine. Get into the habit of doing your oil changes in a relatively same manner and eventually you won't be able to forget things, and you won't have to worry if the job was completed correctly. I'm sure the other guys in the shop will be able to help you with that. Your goal is to be able to close your eyes and know it was done right. And never let time interfere will getting the job done right.

Another note, don't over torque drain bolts. Don't make it as tight as possible, make sure you know the spec first. Use a torque wrench, you will probably be surprised at how "loose" that feels.

Other than that, good luck with the new job. Just stay focused and you will do fine.

fatboy1185

1. Unscrew drain bolt.
2. Stick finger in drain hole.
3. Have someone put new washer over drain bolt and hand it to you.
4. Remove finger and screw in drain bolt.

EG-SIXV-TEC

yea its very true what u have said,
thanks for the advice, it was couple days just before started working its my first time at a shop. i noticed that every job i did in the beginning i paniced about time and what not anxiously forgetting, my coworker told me the exact same thing when i get the routine it will get easier and i will not forget things something like that. with experience"In time it will come just take your time and speed will come." in the beginning it seem to be more intimidating, but as i get it routine it became less and i feel more comfortable now.
i noticed that its getting easier and i just plan things and not worry as much as before, i just have to not worry and do it right the first time i hope to get more experience.