I have a 2000 Dodge Gr Caravan. Where the drain bolt is on the pan, the pan flares out and it seems I struck something that pushed it in. The oil was still draining out perfectly fine and sealed up nicely when I put the plug back in. while my mechanic had the pan off while replacing the timing chain gasket and decided to pound it back out for me which worked; however, it tweaked the hole and now the plug does not seal as good and I get an occasional drip on the garage floor. He put a metal washer between the rubber and the pan, but that has not helped either. Do any of you know of a fix WITHOUT removing the pan such as a certain type of washer to use with the bolt or are those universal winged oil drain plugs any good?
Oil drain plug problem
- Thread starter Mark72
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No wings! They work very well until they strip out, then you've got an unnecessary complication to deal with.
I'm assuming you have a steel pan. If it's an alloy pan is 'banged out' it is probably cracked and will need to be removed for repair or replacement. A rubber plug may be a decent temporary fix for a cracked pan.
I am fond of the drain plugs with an integrated silicone rubber gasket. The gasket is actually replaceable. These can work well with steel or alloy pans and can tolerate quite a bit of deformity. I'm not sure if these will be available with the correct thread pitch. If the rubber is around the outside of the head of the bolt instead of in the middle near the threads, well, those are just icky.
The squishy silicone rubber gasket with metal outer ring works similarly to the above, but with a regular all metal drain bolt so there's no issues finding one to fit your car. Make sure the head of your drain bolt contacts the metal part of the gasket all the way around.
If you have a steel pan on a Dodge you probably have a pretty fine thread pitch. A hollow crushable copper gasket, not a flat washer, should also work well. This type works very well but should be replaced every time the oil is drained. It can be difficult to remove if you reuse it too many times. A single edge razor blade helps with getting it off.
You could also try using a power sander with very fine paper to flatten the surface around the hole.
I'm assuming you have a steel pan. If it's an alloy pan is 'banged out' it is probably cracked and will need to be removed for repair or replacement. A rubber plug may be a decent temporary fix for a cracked pan.
I am fond of the drain plugs with an integrated silicone rubber gasket. The gasket is actually replaceable. These can work well with steel or alloy pans and can tolerate quite a bit of deformity. I'm not sure if these will be available with the correct thread pitch. If the rubber is around the outside of the head of the bolt instead of in the middle near the threads, well, those are just icky.
The squishy silicone rubber gasket with metal outer ring works similarly to the above, but with a regular all metal drain bolt so there's no issues finding one to fit your car. Make sure the head of your drain bolt contacts the metal part of the gasket all the way around.
If you have a steel pan on a Dodge you probably have a pretty fine thread pitch. A hollow crushable copper gasket, not a flat washer, should also work well. This type works very well but should be replaced every time the oil is drained. It can be difficult to remove if you reuse it too many times. A single edge razor blade helps with getting it off.
You could also try using a power sander with very fine paper to flatten the surface around the hole.
The only solution I can come up with is to drill it out for an oversized plug. While it is safer to do with the pan off, I think it could still be accomplished with it on. Here's what I would do:
1.Remove current drain plug and drain oil.
2.VERY CAREFULLY drill for the oversize plug. Go slow and don't drill in farther than the drain plug normally goes.
3. Don't install the new plug yet.... Pour a couple of quarts straight through the dipstick and let them run straight out the pan. This should take care of the shavings from drilling the new hole.
4. Install new drain plug and washer.
5. Refill with clean oil.
Hope this helps!
1.Remove current drain plug and drain oil.
2.VERY CAREFULLY drill for the oversize plug. Go slow and don't drill in farther than the drain plug normally goes.
3. Don't install the new plug yet.... Pour a couple of quarts straight through the dipstick and let them run straight out the pan. This should take care of the shavings from drilling the new hole.
4. Install new drain plug and washer.
5. Refill with clean oil.
Hope this helps!
The sealing surface under the plug is distorted.I did the same thing on my car which I bought with a badly dented pan.I knocked out the dents with the drain plug out of it.I should have left it in,the tension of the bolt head against the pan would have kept the sealing surface intact while all the rest of the dents got hammered out.
Just by drilling out a new over-sized hole in a drain pan is not going to help.
The newly drilled hole, if you choose to go this route, still needs to be re-threaded, to the right dimensions, to accept a new screw in oil plug.
IMO....you have to remove the pan, to do the job properly. IMO...you have to make sure a new hole is threaded correctly and accepts a new plug, without any leaks.
It might be worthwhile to check the local "bone-yards" to see if they can find you a replacement oil drain pan.
The newly drilled hole, if you choose to go this route, still needs to be re-threaded, to the right dimensions, to accept a new screw in oil plug.
IMO....you have to remove the pan, to do the job properly. IMO...you have to make sure a new hole is threaded correctly and accepts a new plug, without any leaks.
It might be worthwhile to check the local "bone-yards" to see if they can find you a replacement oil drain pan.
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Would it work to simply get one of those felpro gaskets to put between the oil pan and drain plug? would that help mesh better with the drain plug intself since I have an uneven survace? I think that is why I'm getting this drip. it's the drain hole that was damaged.
I would wonder what would happen it you put the drain plug back in and give it a few taps with a hammer with a socket on the bolt from the outside, you might improve the sealing surface of the washer/bolt. give it a few taps, look for a leak , if necessary tap again the next day if you see drips, other than that i would vote for another oil pan.
How about trying a new seal for the plug bolt?
Get a plug repair kit. This is a new plug that re threads into the old hole. Then the new plug may or may not have a removable center to act as the new drain hole.
You could buy a stainless steel thin flat washer and JB weld to the pan for a new flat surface
You could tap thread for NPT pipe thread and use a pipe thread plug.
Get a plug repair kit. This is a new plug that re threads into the old hole. Then the new plug may or may not have a removable center to act as the new drain hole.
You could buy a stainless steel thin flat washer and JB weld to the pan for a new flat surface
You could tap thread for NPT pipe thread and use a pipe thread plug.
A good gasket should be all that you need.
the rubber/metal ones would be best - you can tighten the plug, and soft other types do not allow proper bolt tightening.
Also, consider a bit of sealant to the surfaces. Sure - not factory, but an extra minute to an oil change over thousands of miles is not a concern.
the rubber/metal ones would be best - you can tighten the plug, and soft other types do not allow proper bolt tightening.
Also, consider a bit of sealant to the surfaces. Sure - not factory, but an extra minute to an oil change over thousands of miles is not a concern.
The brand (such as fel-pro) isn't as much of a concern as the material and construction of the gasket. Typically, a softer and thicker material can be used to create a seal against a more distorted surface (like your bent oil pan) more easily than a harder or thinner material.
Some gaskets material will have their own specific issues.
The common blue plastic washer is pretty squishy and can seal against some fairly nasty irregularities, but it can easily crack if overtightened. It can shrink as it cools taking tension off the bolt and allowing it to loosen. If you use this type of gasket please snug it up gently, then resnug it immediately after a good highway run.
Fiber gaskets (like paper) tend to compress some with exposure to oil and high temperatures. After installing a new one, recheck for tightness with the engine hot after a week and again after a month. When reusing this gasket it should not be necessary to recheck for tightness, but DO check for cracks around the edges. While it's off, check that it hasn't separated into layers. If it has cracks or is separated it is no longer usable.
Flat copper or aluminum washers won't loosen up on you but will tend to require more clamping force and thus more bolt tightening torque to seal against surface imperfections. The copper in particular might actually work well sealing against a curve such as a slightly bent pan provided there are no scratches, gouges, pitts, or burrs.
Hollow copper washers, a sort of ring of seamed thinwalled copper tubing, can be very cood for a slightly bent oil pan with no scratches. These also have the benefit of being potentially stackable which can help with a particularly bad surface. If stacking, loosen then retighten several times.
Some gaskets material will have their own specific issues.
The common blue plastic washer is pretty squishy and can seal against some fairly nasty irregularities, but it can easily crack if overtightened. It can shrink as it cools taking tension off the bolt and allowing it to loosen. If you use this type of gasket please snug it up gently, then resnug it immediately after a good highway run.
Fiber gaskets (like paper) tend to compress some with exposure to oil and high temperatures. After installing a new one, recheck for tightness with the engine hot after a week and again after a month. When reusing this gasket it should not be necessary to recheck for tightness, but DO check for cracks around the edges. While it's off, check that it hasn't separated into layers. If it has cracks or is separated it is no longer usable.
Flat copper or aluminum washers won't loosen up on you but will tend to require more clamping force and thus more bolt tightening torque to seal against surface imperfections. The copper in particular might actually work well sealing against a curve such as a slightly bent pan provided there are no scratches, gouges, pitts, or burrs.
Hollow copper washers, a sort of ring of seamed thinwalled copper tubing, can be very cood for a slightly bent oil pan with no scratches. These also have the benefit of being potentially stackable which can help with a particularly bad surface. If stacking, loosen then retighten several times.
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I would wonder what would happen it you put the drain plug back in and give it a few taps with a hammer with a socket on the bolt from the outside, you might improve the sealing surface of the washer/bolt. give it a few taps, look for a leak , if necessary tap again the next day if you see drips, other than that i would vote for another oil pan.
This, or using a hammer and something hard and flat to work the area flat again. It likely won't take much but will be a bit more particular on the seal, requiring a bit more frequent replacement.
Personally, I'd try to work something out with the mechanic that doesn't involve using a hammer. See if he'll replace it.
I would wonder what would happen it you put the drain plug back in and give it a few taps with a hammer with a socket on the bolt from the outside, you might improve the sealing surface of the washer/bolt. give it a few taps, look for a leak , if necessary tap again the next day if you see drips, other than that i would vote for another oil pan.
This, or using a hammer and something hard and flat to work the area flat again. It likely won't take much but will be a bit more particular on the seal, requiring a bit more frequent replacement.
Personally, I'd try to work something out with the mechanic that doesn't involve using a hammer. See if he'll replace it.
Kestas
Staff member
I'm not sure what the pan architecture looks like, but I've trued up some oil drain plug sealing surfaces with careful filing.
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