Oil pan bolt

[saved2]

Last time I changed oil in my 98 when tightining the drain bolt it seemed to get loose as I tighened it , I thought the last man to change the oil stripted the threads , so is ther a replacement bolt that will cut new threads and where do you get it , Thanks

[saved2]

My mechanic says he can fix them he has 3 larger size bolts that cut new threads.

[noR]

I suppose that'll do.

I'd recommend you drop the oil pan, use a thread tap to cut new threads in a slightly larger size, and then a matching bolt for that. Careful about length.

Also, be sure to pick up ALOT of spare copper washers that fit. it's likely to be more leaky than originally.

[wawalker]

Personally I'd Heli-Coil (tm) or Time-Sert (tm) the oil drain hole.

[Fowvay]

Originally Posted by wawalker

Personally I'd Heli-Coil (tm) or Time-Sert (tm) the oil drain hole.

Awesome!!!

Thanks for volunteering to do mine.

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by Fowvay

Awesome!!!

Thanks for volunteering to do mine.

What? Didn't Aaron put on a new pan?

[simonsi]

I´d go for a new pan but maybe that is just me.... thread repairs can work or they can be never quite right....

[Fowvay]

Originally Posted by wawalker

What? Didn't Aaron put on a new pan?

Ya but... I kinda want to sell the old pan and I'm... err... lazy.

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by Fowvay

Ya but... I kinda want to sell the old pan and I'm... err... lazy.

Oh, I didn't think of that. Yeah, I could do it sometime--if you get the kit--but it's very easy, especially when you don't have to do it on the car and worry about shavings getting in th engine. I've done spark plug holes on cars and motorcycles and Type 1 cases with helicoils.

[Fowvay]

I've done it too. I was just kidding, Bill. It's actually about the easiest repair you can make on a car aside from replacing a filter... well... maybe even easier than the air filter on the Focus.

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by Fowvay

I've done it too. I was just kidding, Bill. It's actually about the easiest repair you can make on a car aside from replacing a filter... well... maybe even easier than the air filter on the Focus.

Yes, but do you think it is easier than attaching a wheel? You know how I did with that.

[Fowvay]

Originally Posted by wawalker

Yes, but do you think it is easier than attaching a wheel? You know how I did with that.

Third times the charm?

edit:

2 wheels, 1 intercooler pipe.... so fourth time?

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by Fowvay

Third times the charm?

edit:

2 wheels, 1 intercooler pipe.... so fourth time?

Ha, well, I never seem to have these problems when I'm working on my car--so maybe I'm just one of those mechanics who just shags it up or just doesn't give a crap (in the back of my mind somewhere?) when working on somebody else's car? You do have to admit though that my hillbilly plastic undertray "repairs" were pretty good...

[Fowvay]

Those F'n rock and are still holding strong. Much stronger in fact than the rest of that stupid plastic.

[john96gw]

This is a simple problem, and an easy fix. Go to local Auto Zone and ask for a self taping oil plug ( take the old one with you )you will find there are several sizes, get the one next to standard. Grease the plug and screw it in then remove it and clean the metal off and reinstall it.

[simonsi]

Originally Posted by john96gw

This is a simple problem, and an easy fix. Go to local Auto Zone and ask for a self taping oil plug ( take the old one with you )you will find there are several sizes, get the one next to standard. Grease the plug and screw it in then remove it and clean the metal off and reinstall it.

Hmmm - is it easy to cross thread those whenever they are removed and refitted though? I would think it is forever easy to cut a new thread - or do you just go up a size of bolt on any future oil change???

[macdave]

you can get a new oil pan with a steel bottom. then the plug goes into steel threads.

[lkchris]

And now you know why the car is designed to have motor oil vacuumed out the dipstick tube!

[Smileybug]

Originally Posted by lkchris

And now you know why the car is designed to have motor oil vacuumed out the dipstick tube!

I would think if it were designed for that, then there wouldn't be a drain plug. Pretty sure that the Bentley says to drain it from the bottom. Plus, its a lot easier to get all of the old oil out via gravity than fighting gravity and using a vacuum. And you also still have to get under the car to remove the oil filter so why not do everything at once in one place?

Its easy to mess up and strip bolts. You just have to be careful. If I had mine stripped, I would probably just invest in a new oil pan. Make sure that the bolt is nice and tight in there and not risk leaking from a fix that might not entirely work.

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by lkchris

And now you know why the car is designed to have motor oil vacuumed out the dipstick tube!

"designed to have motor oil vacuumed out the dipstick tube" Sorry, but it's not.