oil dripping at drain plug

[wavinwayne]

After I changed the oil the other day on my father-in-law's '94 Blazer, it has started dripping a very small amount of oil at the drain plug. I checked to make sure it was snug & it was.

Since I drive & maintain a VW, with an aluminum oil pan, I am very careful not to over-torque oil drain plugs. I know for a fact that the threads are not stripped. Is it possible that this very slow & very small amount of leakage will stop afer a few days, or should I just slap a new drain plug on?

FWIW, I used Mobil 1 5w30 oil. This is the first time the vehicle has ever seen synthetic. It has 140k miles on it. Is there any way the synthetic oil will "leak" easier at the drain plug?

 

[427Z06]

What kind of gasket was on the drain plug? Replacing it may solve your drip problem.

 

[wavinwayne]

Replaced with new $1.99 drain plug/washer From AZ about 15 minutes ago. The washer on the old drain plug was dry & brittle(hard plastic). The new one came with a hard plastic washer, too. Weird.

I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days for any leaks.

 

[Hajoca]

I use a dab of silicone RTV on the threads of the drain bolt, just a little bead on the bolt's inside threads which will seal after being tightened. I hate over tight drain bolts.

 

[serious II]

1) What is "silicone RTV"?

2) Where can I get some?

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

---

Originally posted by serious II:
1) What is "silicone RTV"?

2) Where can I get some?

---

Don't use RTV sealant on your drain plug threads.

Use a proper plug and a proper plug gasket.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Hajoca, Is basicly useing the threads to deposit the rtv in a unifom fashion at the head of the bolt in the shape of an o-ring. I have never done this on a drain pan bolt but it was a common thing to do on the output flange of Toyota T/C.

 

[TCP442]

Here's a little Trick I learned from an ol'timer many years ago...when changing oil, after cleaning plug threads, pat a dab of wheel bearing grease at base of thread, work around gasket, tighten etc....my experience in over 35 years since...never had a drip, or had to replace a gasket!!..ps- also helps to torque plug ..

 

[Steve S]

What works great is the teflon paste pipe sealanr that locktite or permatex sells .

 

[MADMIKE]

Or you could just weld it.

 

[wavinwayne]

UPDATE:

The Blazer's drain plug leak was fixed by installing the new drain plug/washer that I mentioned previously in this thread.