Drain plug leaks after last oil change. Extra torque didn't stop it. I drained the oil and replaced the crush washer with a new one plus a used, good one. Bad idea?
Drain plug leaks after last oil change. Extra torque didn't stop it. I drained the oil and replaced the crush washer with a new one plus a used, good one. Bad idea?
Not a bad idea if it works, it's not too uncommon to find old cars running double crush washers like that.
Always anneal the copper crush washers before use. Just heat them to a dull red. Let them cool and they will be dead soft and ready to seal.
Or use a bonded seal washer from a hydraulic shop. Those are the cheat code for a surface to rough to seal with the copper or aluminum washers
Double srush washer didn't help. Went back to a new crush washer, didn't help. Tried wrapping the bolt with teflon tape; still leaks.
Added more teflon tape, then more. Still leaks. Pulled off all the teflon, started again with teflon plus a new crush washer. Will keep you posted. :-(
Still leaks.
It's never leaked in the 13 previous oil changes since new. I can't think what changed. I checked the threads in the drain pan as well as on the drain plug.
Any thoughts are appreciated!
Teflon won't help on that style of bolt, it's meant to seal with the washer. My jeep 4.0 uses a plastic crush washer and it works great.
I have seen people put a green o ring on the bolt instead of the crush washer. I guess it worked but needs to be replaced with each oil change.
I would assume it needs to be an o ring designed for oil and heat.
Is the sealing surface of the pan flat? If the pan twisted a bit due to over tightening it will leak. Does the drain bolt take torque? If not threads could be buggered. My rebuilt suby motor came with a crappy chinese oil pan that deflected the first time I tightened the plug. Two new crush washers and some tape on the threads stopped the leak. On the next oil change I put in a mishimoto drain valve with the leak fixes applied again. No more leaks. Once you find the fix a drain valve might be a good idea.
Could there be a hairline crack in the oil pan around the drain? Tightening the bolt could allow the crack to open and leak
I recently had to replace an oil pan in a Kia for this. The pan must have had a hairline crack above the drain plug because nothing would keep it from leaking. Any special gasket you can think of, I tried. (I am a major fan of drain plugs with integral O rings, or Stat-o-seal type gaskets.)
Stat-o-seals ordered off eBay, 20 for $20.32 with tax and shipping. Crossing fingers and anxiously awaiting arrival.
Stat-o-seal installed. Internet said it would seal at finger torque. I tried lightly torquing, then harder, then harder still and it still leaks.
I did check for any cracks around the drain plug and I can't find any. The rest of the drain pan is clean so I know it's leaking from the drain plug, somehow... :-(
Tomorrow I'll head to NAPA and see if they can source a green (Viton) A/C seal or even a white one (Viton silicone).
I feel like an idiot having this much trouble and time and still not being able to stop the simple leak.
Just because you can't see a crack doesn't mean something isn't there.
I saw that Kia that I mentioned upthread, late last week. The oil pan was bone dry. Finally.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I hear you. I did the best visual inspection these old eyes could. Today I will drag a knifeblade over it and see if I can find an edge. I will also try to use some sort of a flat plane to look for any sort of possible non-flat surface on the pan. I'm off to NAPA to source rubber/silicone/viton o-rings.
time to break out the anti-fugal foot spray... No not kidding.
Clean the area with brake cleaner and blow dry. Shake up the foot spray can and paint a light coating wait 3-4 min the spray will turn white except where the crack or leak is.
Green Viton o-ring didn't fix it. I tried different levels of torque on the green o-ring and it still leaks. I dragged an Xacto blade around the hole to feel for a crack and found nothing. All this is complicated by the steady drip-drip of oil leaking out.
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