Again, idling a vehicle is apparently illegal in Germany but let's make other stuff unnecessarily disposable.
Clown world.
Does anyone replace the oil drain plug if specified?
- Thread starter AZjeff
- Start date
Clown world.
Ford uses a "one time use" plastic drain plug on many F150's.
I took a risk and bought these on Amazon for my VW. I use the proper tool instead of a flat tip screwdriver.
Silly ‘Merica/Mexico.
What could you possibly be keeping used crush washers for?
At a buck a piece, I’ll play along with changing out at every fill.
'18 GTI here. I bought one of those kits with the 'proper tool. It was made of plastic and lacked the ability to set the plug with the required torque. In other words the tool would twist and wouldn't set the plug. Back to a screwdriver. I do top side oil change and skip the plug, but they start leaking soon enough. Annoying to say the least. Really, the O-ring just needs to be replaced. But I haven't found anything suitable yet. Nothing from my HF stash looks correct.
I have this I bought on Amazon for the drain plug and oil filter housing.
ECS Tuning has this which includes Viton O-rings.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-par...MIyY6Fxd3mkgMVV0n_AR0CYxddEAQYBSABEgIKHvD_BwE
Drain plug, no, never. Crush washer, yes, as specified. Never heard that before.
So, it’s a metal drain plug? It’s not a plastic one with an O-Ring?
Which drain plug does she have?
We’re two pages in and we really don’t know what kind of drain plug it is. Everyone is just guessing.
Don’t some of these come with different oil pans based on the engine/trim? (Metal vs plastic)
Forgive my ignorance of VW specifics, but a little more info might be helpful. (Straight up, plastic pan with a plastic drain plug or a metal pan with a metal drain plug.)
It seems ridiculous to change the drain plug every-time, but there may be a reason to do so if it’s the plastic one. (Brittle, cheap, can’t replace the compromised O-Ring)
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3/4 turn past contact is the same whether you use a wrench or not.
Carlostrece
$100 Site Donor 2025
True, but doing it by hand pretty much guarantees it won't get turned tighter than that.
A lot of people don't know it should be ¾ turn tighter than first contact. If you hand em a wrench, then they have the leverage to potentially over tighten. With a bare hand they can't overtighten.
I see no need to use a wrench to tighten an oil filter.
Install a Fumoto or Valvomax and be done with fooling with the drain plug.
Ground clearance issues with many VW/Audi/Porsche vehicles. Recessed fitting is one reason I like the VW Group plastic plugs.
While not exactly the same. I have blue plastic drain plugs in my boat engine's cooling system. They have an o-ring to make the seal. The snap after 2 or 3 years. I need to then get the broken part out and use a new one. Guess I would like something that does not snap every 2 or 3 years. The only good thing is they snap when you are trying to pull them at the end of the season so they don't ruin a day out on the water.
My 22 Maverick has a metal drain plug, aluminum I believe, with an integrated O ring. They call for a new plug every oil change. They want 6 to 12 bucks depending on where you buy it. when the truck first came out they were over 9 dollars. I inspect the seal every oil change and just put it back in. The dealer has changed my oil a few times and it does look like they may have put a new one in. No leaks yet if it does I'll throw a plastic washer on.
I remember when I was under a '15 GTI I thought ignorance is bliss. Living in the country, you don't want to know how vulnerable that plastic pan appears. Just close your eyes, turn up the stereo and hope!
I'm not bashing VW -- it seems to work. I'd just rather not KNOW!Porsche specifies a new drain plug on all fluid changes. Seems you need a new one if you even look at it 
. Engine oil, PDK fluid, Transfer case and rear differential changed and reused every plug. I don't get what a new one is supposed to help with. They're not TTY bolts or anything.
. Engine oil, PDK fluid, Transfer case and rear differential changed and reused every plug. I don't get what a new one is supposed to help with. They're not TTY bolts or anything.Kestas
Staff member
The only reason would be arthritic hands.