Oil Drainplug Crush ring/washers

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How many of you out there... reuse, don't use, use aluminum or nylon/plastic crushring washers.

I ditched all the aluminum crushrings that came with the OEM filters, I am sick of peeling and cutting off the crushrings from the plug- so far the nylon/plastic washers are holding up and working out much better.
 
Unless you seriously overtorqued it, otherwise, copper or aluminium washers should be able to take approx. 3~5 crushes before it needs to be replaced (and the Alu ones shouldn't distort to the point where you have to "peel" it off of the drainplug).

I've never had any troubles using washers of any kind so far. The only one that I hated the most is nylon washers.

Q.
 
In 45 years of changing my own oil, I've replaces maybe 2 crush washers. This is with 5000 mi. oil changes and keeping vehicles up to 300,000 miles. Never had a leak either.

Maybe I'm just about perfect.
 
I use a nylon one right now, kind of a soft nylon, and it has been on there for 2 drains and still holding out. However, I am itching to replace it at my next OCI. 3 for $1 or so they are very cheap, and the last thing you want is for something to go wrong a long way from home.

Although an aluminum one does sound good.
 
Truthfully I dont have the problem with the aluminum crushrings when I am in control of my oil changes. In the dead of winter when its cold here in New York, Hyundai does that one oil change... and always manage to torque the filter and drainplug on. Thats where I have the issue with the aluminum ones. Then again I am running a 6month oil and my vehicle is not required to be serviced for atleast 5k or 6months.
 
On a Kia I used to maintain, I used to not even use a drain plug gasket because I didn't know it came with one. When he first brought it to me, it didn't have one on it (previously changed by Wal-Mart). I found out it was supposed to use one, and I started using one about 3 oil changes into my maintenance of it, and all was well with no leaks (granted there were no leaks without one either). I've re-used an aluminum crush washer once and had leaks on a Daewoo Leganza... On my Acura I change it every time and the Daewoo, I change it every time now.
 
my OEM drain plug has a rubber gasket built in to the bolt head. Prior to this car, I have never changed a washer. Never had a drain plug leak before.
 
Thinking about the matter- maybe the crushrings purpose is not so much to prevent leakage, but to prevent you from damaging the pan by driving the bolthead into.
 
Reuse and reuse some more. I have some new ones in a bag somewhere. After some uses, a plastic/nylon one got cracked after tightening, left it on and checked, still didn't leak.
 
I just buy a 10 at a time from the dealer. Most auto parts stores sell assortments of copper sealing washers, too.
If I were out of OEM washers I would use those, but I like to change them for peace of mind.
 
I purchased about a dozen or so, I don't even think I paid five bucks for them. The Toyota ones are a nylon/composite, and do hold up to re-use (although the current one is due to be replaced). Current one has been through three OCI's.
 
on my Volvo the crush washer gets replaced every oil change, and the drain plug every other oil change.

on my moms grand marquis it still has the original drain plug and gasket (rubber integral style) however i will be putting a new drain plug in.

all my drain plugs get torqued to factory spec just like when i worked at Sears and torqued every drain plug.
 
I use aluminum crush washers all the time and never have a problem. I follow the recommendation of tighten by hand to touch and turn XX degrees or torque to xx ft/lbs to tighten. If you over tighten, you have issues. I am refering to a true crush washer and not a flat washer.
 
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I believe the ideal drain plug would be one that has an o-ring groove machined under the washer head to accept a popular size, replaceable o-ring. It would make a good seal with no need to replace the washer every time, only when it gets funky. I should manufacture and open a line of Kestas' drain plugs.
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
I believe the ideal drain plug would be one that has an o-ring groove machined under the washer head to accept a popular size, replaceable o-ring. It would make a good seal with no need to replace the washer every time, only when it gets funky. I should manufacture and open a line of Kestas' drain plugs.


I agree, aircraft have had those types of plugs for 50 years. The other benefit is the o-ring does the sealing so torque/pressure has no effect on the seal.
 
I usually don't replace drain plug gaskets for a while. On my MarkVIII, it has a built in. I was getting some metal/rubber gaskets for the Corolla, but they were toast after two OCI's. I put on a plastic FelPro gasket and expect it to last quite a while. I've never had leak issues from a drain plug (knock on wood).
 
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