First time i am doing the oil change on my car.

Got a honda filter with castrol gtx 5-30w.
I lifted my car, removed the oil plug, and stupid thing flew into the oil pan with oil...lol took it out dried it with paper towel. then powerd some fresh oil in till fresh oil was comming out. put in new o ring washer. Then started to turn the oil plug... i realized at first it was little hard then it got very very very soft where i needed almost no force with the wrench...... i figured oo it might be a saftey or something...
so i changed oil filter. then i realize i am leaking oil not much but I AM....

did i dethread the bolt or the threads on the oil plan or do i just need to screw it in more??

 

First off, jack it up and check where the oil is coming from!!

Sounds like you may have stripped that thread. which would not be a good situation. If the leak is indeed coming from the drain bolt, try tightening it a little, if it doesn't seem to grab or tighten correctly, it is most likely stripped and I think the only way to fix it would be to replace the oil pan

 

its comming from the bolt. took it to my mechanic, he started turning it with his fingure and said its been dethreaded. he said wait till monday he can take off the bolt and put a peice of plastic instead for the thread???

 

What is a toggle plug?
What is this plastic thing that my mechanic was talking about?
Can't I just use an oversize plug and make new threads by forcing it in?

 

I don't know that any of those methods will work, but good luck with your problem.

 

worse case scenerio is a new pan?
how much is it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tilhasbb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What is a toggle plug?
What is this plastic thing that my mechanic was talking about?
Can't I just use an oversize plug and make new threads by forcing it in?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If your engine has high mileage, you might as well change the oil pan. If you use a bigger bolt, metal shreds might get into your engine causing internal damage. You don't want that. Just change the oil pan. Your engine will thank you for it.

 

Get under there and see where it is leaking from. If it is from the oil plug because you stripped out the threads, then you are screwed. Next time, put that plug in with your fingers. It is coated with oil, never rusted or corroded, and will go right in by gently tightening it with your fingers. If you cannot get it in with your fingers, then it is cross threaded and you will have to try again. If you use a wrench or socket, you run the risk of just cross threading the plug and stripping it to hell. Not good.

What to do about it. Well, if it is a new car, then bite the bullet and replace the oil pan. It will be expensive but this is the correct way to fix this. If it is an older car and you are low on money, they make a universal rubber oil plug. It comes with a plastic "screwdriver" of sorts. You put the plug on the screwdriver, stretch it down and turn to fasten it in a stretched condition. Then you insert it into the hole, turn the screwdriver to release it, and the plug expands and stays in the hole, totally sealing the oil plug. I used to use these when I was a kid and back then, who in the world had money or even cars that were worth much money? But the universal oil plug did indeed work and I used it for the life of the car. You can do that or just do it until you can get a deal on an oil pan and get it done properly.

<FONT COLOR="green">"It is not strictly necessary to replace the whole oil pan, the threads can, sometimes, be repaired and a new drain plug installed. There is also a rubber plug that you can get at any parts store. It comes with a tool that you can install and remove it with. It does not rely on threads so it can be used no matter how bad it is stripped out. Oil pan replacement is a last resort."</FONT>

Here is a picture of what you want.


<FONT COLOR="gray">This simple rubber plug can rescue a stripped-out oil-drain-plug hole. Insert the rod to install and remove it.</FONT>

Found it at the bottom of this page:
http://men.msn.com/articlepm.a...92883

Almost any auto parts store has these things and they last a long time. You can get months or years out of a plug like this, plenty of time to get a new oil pan if you want or drill out the hole and tap it for a larger thread plug.

<FONT COLOR="red">Do not drill out the hole with the pan on the car! You will get metal chips in the pan and it will kill your engine. You must remove the oil pan to do this!</FONT>

HTH,
Paul


Modified by Ohmster at 4:39 PM 8/11/2007

 

better yet take it to ur local valvoline express care and ask them what needs to be done. Just tell them u accidentley stripped out ur oil pan. (or just have them change the oil and theyll figure it out.) Either way i work at one and alot of times (especially on imports) the manufacturer recommends a torque to high for the threads and the steel plug strips the soft aluminium threads out. **** look on the walls and theyll probably even have a sign that says that. (We do.) Best chance is a piggy back plug. Its a over sized plug with REVERSE THREAD BACK which means it pushes the metal shavings back at u instead of in the oil pan. Then it has a mini plug in the middle of that. So big one stays for good and u just take little one out. There u go. Problem solved.

 

Ohmster&gt; thanks a lot man

the leak is from the oil plug. i dethreaded it...
its a 99 civic ex with 155km on it.

i am trying to wonder where I can get this rubber plug
I am located in Canada, Montreal. So no Autozone for me.

I dont want to get a new pan,


fatboi07&gt; Hummm, will look for that too, dont think we have a valvoline express here but will search tomorrow. I don't think there open on weekends but will try.

Why do they make it out of alumium?? not Steel?

 

cause theyre gay

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tilhasbb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Why do they make it out of alumium?? not Steel?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Because with aluminum parts, you will know that VTEC kicked in yO!!

 

i run the oil rack at a honda dealer and u need to make sure that the plug is really tight. i pull almost as hard as i can on a wrench to tighten the plug in... but if ur plug is stripped get a new one and if its not but the plug still wont go tight then u need a new insert in the oil pan. i jus put a new one in my 92 si last week

 

take pan off, tap and die, get bigger plug

 

EG6 Love &gt;new insert in the oil pan
as in seal the hole and drill a new one???

vtecftw&gt; tap and die?? remove the old threading?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EG6 Love &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i run the oil rack at a honda dealer and u need to make sure that the plug is really tight. i pull as hard as i can on a wrench to tighten the plug in... but if ur plug is stripped get a new one and if its not but the plug still wont go tight then u need a new insert in the oil pan. i jus put a new one in my 92 si last week</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nice way to strip your threads. May I ask why you put in a new insert in your 92 SI?

 

Yeah that really is terrible advise.... Best rule, it has always worked for me, is to tighten until it seals, then 1/2 turn more...

 

Here's my mechanics solution. He said it shouldnt leak. when I want to change my oil i just turn it out...



what do you guys think?
it will hold up?