Stripped Oil Pan Drain hole

[Heckraiser]

I'm pretty sure my oil pan drain plug hole is stripped. I changed the oil the other day and as I was re-installing the drain plug, I noticed the telltale "tighter, tighter, thighter, LOOSER, tighter, tighter, tighter, LOOSER" feel. I backed out and inspected the plug--looked fine. I then re-tightened and being an optimist, rather than attempting to torque to 30#, I left it in a spot where it felt "tighter" and filled her up. A few days later, and yep, it's definitely leaking bad. Re-tightening confirms it will just turn indefinitely with varying resistance. Last oil change was "professionally" done, meaning someone probably ugga duggad the drain bolt in.

I'm inclined to replace the oil pan. Looks very accessible, but a new pan is $200, kinda lame. I haven't used helicoil or time-sert much, but I imagine that would be a much cheaper way to get it done, but I'd still want to remove the pan to make sure I didn't get any shavings or anything in there. And not having a lot of experience with the product, I'm also a little nervous I would screw it up. I also have a tap and die set and could try just chasing the hole with the correct tap and hope the result holds. That would also still require dropping the oil pan to make sure I don't leave any shavings in there. Whichever way, I want a solution that ends up with a standard stock sized hole and thread pitch so I can "keep it stock" and install a drain valve if I want.

What would MUD do? Any options I'm not considering?

 

[tbisaacs]

Find a friend with a welder and weld a new nut on top of the drain plug. Doesn’t have to be pretty.

 

[Sandroad]

I'm pretty sure my oil pan drain plug hole is stripped. I changed the oil the other day and as I was re-installing the drain plug, I noticed the telltale "tighter, tighter, thighter, LOOSER, tighter, tighter, tighter, LOOSER" feel. I backed out and inspected the plug--looked fine. I then re-tightened and being an optimist, rather than attempting to torque to 30#, I left it in a spot where it felt "tighter" and filled her up. A few days later, and yep, it's definitely leaking bad. Re-tightening confirms it will just turn indefinitely with varying resistance. Last oil change was "professionally" done, meaning someone probably ugga duggad the drain bolt in.

I'm inclined to replace the oil pan. Looks very accessible, but a new pan is $200, kinda lame. I haven't used helicoil or time-sert much, but I imagine that would be a much cheaper way to get it done, but I'd still want to remove the pan to make sure I didn't get any shavings or anything in there. And not having a lot of experience with the product, I'm also a little nervous I would screw it up. I also have a tap and die set and could try just chasing the hole with the correct tap and hope the result holds. That would also still require dropping the oil pan to make sure I don't leave any shavings in there. Whichever way, I want a solution that ends up with a standard stock sized hole and thread pitch so I can "keep it stock" and install a drain valve if I want.

What would MUD do? Any options I'm not considering?

I have not looked at the pan, but if it’s accessible and $200, I’d for sure replace it.

 

[bloc]

Helicoil will not be reliable in this application. When you look at the back there isn't much meat to the female threaded portion.. it is more of a weld-in insert than a true nut on the back. Which is part of why they strip in the first place.

It's really easy to get to.. Just change the lower pan and know it'll be done totally right. You can even collect your existing oil into a new clean bucket and reuse it.

And do your own oil changes! Stuff like this is why no one touches my vehicle with a wrench other than me.

 

[lx200inAR]

I'm due for my next and was lamenting the fact that i'm also not excited about handing mine off to oil change monkeys. Stories like this make me glad i still do them myself.

 

[FxFormat]

Just retap it with the next size up, if you mess up then replace pan which is just a few 10mm bolts.

 

[bloc]

Just retap it with the next size up, if you mess up then replace pan which is just a few 10mm bolts.

Same issue as helicoil. There isn't enough meat. The threaded part isn't a full nut, it's more of a T-nut with the flange part on the face of the pan and the narrow sleeve section where the threads are.

 

[Tex68w]

New pan and done.

 

[TomEf]

Any chance to hold the shop that did the last oil change accountable?

 

[KLF]

Whichever way, I want a solution that ends up with a standard stock sized hole and thread pitch so I can "keep it stock" and install a drain valve if I want.

If this is important, then your only option is a new pan. I'm with @bloc there isn't a lot of meat there to try to install a Helicoil, and like you say, the pan would have to come off anyway.

 

[Heckraiser]

Thanks guys for the input. I sorta came to the same conclusion and ordered a new pan from the local dealership last night.


For posterity, in case it helps anyone searching in the future, part number is 121020S010

And torque spec on the oil pan bolts/nuts is 7ft lbs. Black FIPG, no gasket.

 

[bloc]

I haven't done one of these but have done the pan on other vehicles, and one challenge will be the constant drip of oil along the sides from above fouling your mating surface before you get the pan bolted back on.

One thing I've done in the past is drain the oil a day or two before I do the work to get most of that dripping down into the lower pan out of the way. This usually buys you a lot more time between drips running across that nice clean surface the FIPG is supposed to stick to.

 

[KLF]

Saw this the other day, pretty clever.

 

[CharlieS]

New oil pan. The "cost" of failure and loss of oil too catastrophic to risk anything over a $200 part.

If you were in the boonies stuck, or in an underdeveloped nation, or the part was rare/expensive then there are lots of other solutions. If you are home and the part is readily available for a reasonable price, I'd go for it.

 

[SteveH]

1x and 2x oversize drain plugs are sold on Amazon. These work well. Amazon product ASIN B000COCX0E

 

[bicycleagent003]

Years ago I stripped the drain plug on the ATF on my 80 Series. I took it to a trans shop and had the owner remove the pan, remove the factory female nut receiving the drain plug, and weld in a new nut with much deeper threads, and the original size and pitch (M12x1.25?). He said the new nut had more than 2x the original thread depth, and he used a hardened nut. It's been bomber since then, and it was a good solution for me in that instance. Total cost was about the same as a new pan. It's a route worth considering. I feel like I got an upgraded solution for the cost of the new OEM part.

 

[bloc]

If a torque wrench (or a mechanic that doesn’t have green skin) is used the stock part will easily outlast the rest of the vehicle.

 

[KLF]

Years ago I stripped the drain plug on the ATF on my 80 Series. I took it to a trans shop and had the owner remove the pan, remove the factory female nut receiving the drain plug, and weld in a new nut with much deeper threads, and the original size and pitch (M12x1.25?). He said the new nut had more than 2x the original thread depth, and he used a hardened nut. It's been bomber since then, and it was a good solution for me in that instance. Total cost was about the same as a new pan. It's a route worth considering. I feel like I got an upgraded solution for the cost of the new OEM part.

I probably would still go with a new pan, as the new deeper nut inside would create a "sump" that wouldn't allow it to fully drain when doing oil changes.

 

[INTP]

I’m a bit of a hack, but I would just JB weld a fumoto drain valve in place.

 

[Heckraiser]

New parts came in yesterday afternoon. Got all the bolts/nuts off (none broke, which is a win any time I'm dealing with 10mm bolts lol), but the old FIPG is holding super strong. Pan won't budge. Gonna go out there and figure a way to pry the old pan off once it warms up outside.