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oil pan plug and hole stripped Posted by TML [Email]  (#2212)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from TML) on Mon, 21 Mar 2022 05:55:44
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A previous owner of my car messed up my oil pan. On the first oil change after I got it, I found the threads on the plug stripped. I did think this odd, since the steel plug should win in a battle with the threaded aluminum hole. I replaced the plug, but the next oil change revealed a stripped plug again. Upon closer inspection of the hole, what appears to have happened is that they either over-torqued or cross threaded the plug and completed destroyed the threads in the hole. Then they installed a Helicoil, and either installed the wrong size or somehow didn't install it correctly, which is what has been stripping the plugs.
So what to do about it? Right now the plug is in there, barely. Not much more than finger tight, because I could feel it yielding.
Is this a common enough thing for an average repair shop to be equipped to handle, or is this a case where I should order an M14 Helicoil repair kit and do it myself? I perceive some risk with both options. The shop could be clueless, completely wreck the hole and then I'm without a car while they track down a replacement oil pan (not to mention the cost of replacement). On the other hand, if I tackle it myself, I may find out that the hole is already buggered up enough that a new Helicoil won't take. Then I'm facing the same repair as above, but with the added bonus that I have to tow the car somewhere (from a semi-remote rural location).
Opinions, or other options I haven't thought of? How difficult is replacing the pan? I did one on a 9000 a long time ago, and I remember I had to disconnect most or all of the engine mounts and jack it up, and still barely could reach some of the bolts.
*edit: A bit of searching on here leads me to the fact that there is a Helicoil type insert in the hole from the factory. So the most likely sequence was simply cross-threading the plug, and this damaged/dislodged the insert so that all future plugs would get stripped.
->Posting last edited on Mon, 21 Mar 2022 06:27:57.
, Mon, 21 Mar 2022 05:55:44 <-- Viewing This Message, Wed, 30 Mar 2022 09:23:47
, Fri, 1 Apr 2022 11:27:19
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