Oil Leaking from Drain Plug

Only time I see a leak is with a mangled warsher. I have an assortment in the top drawer of the roll around roll away. And plenty of Honda, Toyletta and Nissan warshers.
If the drain plug does not spin easily with fingers after breaking torque, it goes in the trash. I have no problem reusing warshers that look OK. After 3 uses they go bye-bye. I am not against using a torque wrench on a drain plug if I feel like it. Or if she's cute... Ha!

Then again, the MityVac saves me million$ in warsher costs...
 
odie said:
Before and after the install of the drain plug with a new washer I clean the plug and pan with window cleaner and wipe clean with paper towels . Also check plug and oil filter with paper towels to detect a leak for about a week after the O.C.. Did have the drain plug / washer ( new ) of the '18 Accent start to weep after an oil change . I think it was due to a swing in temperatures . Went from 60 or 70 to the teens . Tightened a bit more and no more leaking . Now I always check the drain plug with new washer and oil filter when temps get colder .
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Another possible reason was the pan being hot . Changed not long after the other 1/2 got back from work . So, could of been both .
 
camrydriver111 said:
You can buy one for x number of cents. However how do you know its the right thickness? How do you know its the right material?

Yes, there is the money cost which is tiny, but then there is also the time cost of seeking out the correct washer. If you buy your filter at a parts store, then you gotta drive to the dealer to get the proper washer. If you never had issues not replacing washers, there is no reason to waste your time.

I haven't done any oil changes on this car btw. I will look into the washer and possible damaged threads.
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Crush washers are a commodity. My Tundra uses blue fiber washers. Less than fifty cents from the dealer. Bought in bulk once I knew what the truck needed.

Mercedes uses copper washers. They’re 10 cents each when bought in bulk on Amazon. Spent nearly a minute measuring the size with calipers and finding them for sale in bulk.

You were given the part number by another member. You need to spend zero effort next time, just remember to get the washer.

“It’s hard to figure out what you need” is specious. The filter takes some effort.

The washer does not.
 
I would go w the aluminum ones myself, not a fan of the copper washers. Only time I have had either one of them leak was with copper washers on a Mercedes. Replaced w an aluminum one and leak free. 2¢
 
Astro14 said:
Crush washers are a commodity. My Tundra uses blue fiber washers. Less than fifty cents from the dealer. Bought in bulk once I knew what the truck needed.

Mercedes uses copper washers. They’re 10 cents each when bought in bulk on Amazon. Spent nearly a minute measuring the size with calipers and finding them for sale in bulk.

You were given the part number by another member. You need to spend zero effort next time, just remember to get the washer.

“It’s hard to figure out what you need” is specious. The filter takes some effort.

The washer does not.
Click to expand...

It's not rocket science is it... get a washer that's softer than the oil pan. Aluminum or copper for a steel pan, rubber or fibre for aluminum pans. Plastic pans likely have o-rings to seal them?

The thickness and width isn't critical if it's a washer.
 
Let me add, that many years ago, when I couldn’t find a copper ring of the proper size* I would anneal the copper ring by heating it cherry red. This softened the ring so it would seal again. The “crush” work hardens the copper, so that it’s not as soft, and not as good at sealing if re-used.

A trick I learned from talking to old car guys.

Now, I just keep new ones on hand when I know the size, and an assortment for when I need one. $20 on Amazon gets a whole bunch of copper rings. Same for aluminum.


* think Packard, pre-internet, not easy to find odd size hardware.
 
GSCJR said:
Are you reading my posts? I even gave you the part number, aluminum or copper is the way to go. When you go to the parts store as I already mentioned, get a box and keep them at hand, while your getting your filter, so you don't need to go to the dealer. Real part stores stock drain plug gaskets, it's a about being proactive and not having to do the job twice.
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Nobody reads posts. That's why you get 40+ responses saying the same thing.
 
pan, plug, washer - 3 elements and Tq.
Many kindza washers (and none).
Ck threads on pan'n plug for goring (happens when Speedy or others change yer oil & over tq).
Striped plug? Damaged pan threads? Get new plug. Pan might B corrected (if ruined slightly) w/new plug, if not use tap. Still no good? new pan.
Be very certain YOU tq properly. Find out proper tq - (8 - 12 lbs?) and do so. Remember that (muscle memory in wrist) and replicate EVERY time U change yer own oil. No more, no less. I do not use washers even when equipped with them (copper, alu, steel w/rubber innards, rubber, hrd plastic, there seems 2 B 3, 4 more styles). To each his/her own. My main wrk @ oil change is that, of course (every other I might change cabin air, intake air filter if visually needed), but really - safety checks, damage inspection, peek for nxt needed maintenance, breaks, tires, exh, etc) and jaw bone w/the owner on all this~
 
For the guys that say thickness doesn't matter, how is using a different thickness different from re-using a washer?

GSCJR said:
Are you reading my posts? I even gave you the part number, aluminum or copper is the way to go. When you go to the parts store as I already mentioned, get a box and keep them at hand, while your getting your filter, so you don't need to go to the dealer. Real part stores stock drain plug gaskets, it's a about being proactive and not having to do the job twice.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I missed your post. I was just making a general statement why some people may not want to seek out new washers. People were being mocked for not buying a 99 cent washer, but I was reminding people that time is a factor as well.
 
camrydriver111 said:
For the guys that say thickness doesn't matter, how is using a different thickness different from re-using a washer?
Click to expand...
A crush washer is deigned to do just that, crush (and seal), that's why it's considered disposable, it's done it's job once crushed. It's thickness will no longer change once crushed and therefore needs to be replaced. The crush washer is designed to take the stress off the threads from the repeated on and off (installation and removal) of the drain plug.
camrydriver111 said:
Sorry, I missed your post. I was just making a general statement why some people may not want to seek out new washers. People were being mocked for not buying a 99 cent washer, but I was reminding people that time is a factor as well.
Click to expand...
If you take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves. Plan to have EVERYTHING you may need, before you start. (y)
 
Astro14 said:
Crush washers are a commodity. My Tundra uses blue fiber washers. Less than fifty cents from the dealer. Bought in bulk once I knew what the truck needed.

Mercedes uses copper washers. They’re 10 cents each when bought in bulk on Amazon. Spent nearly a minute measuring the size with calipers and finding them for sale in bulk.

You were given the part number by another member. You need to spend zero effort next time, just remember to get the washer.

“It’s hard to figure out what you need” is specious. The filter takes some effort.

The washer does not.
Click to expand...
I hate those blue fiber/aluminum fiber washers...I always end up picking/prying it off the oil pan after a drain. I switched to aluminum crush washers. I bought a big bag on Amazon for cheap...I have so many I will have to replace my Tundra with another one to use them all. :)
 
JeffKeryk said:
Only time I see a leak is with a mangled warsher. I have an assortment in the top drawer of the roll around roll away. And plenty of Honda, Toyletta and Nissan warshers.
If the drain plug does not spin easily with fingers after breaking torque, it goes in the trash. I have no problem reusing warshers that look OK. After 3 uses they go bye-bye. I am not against using a torque wrench on a drain plug if I feel like it. Or if she's cute... Ha!

Then again, the MityVac saves me million$ in warsher costs...
Click to expand...
Warshers are nice to have, I use the warsher in the tube
1669928799409.jpg
 
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f355spider said:
I hate those blue fiber/aluminum fiber washers...I always end up picking/prying it off the oil pan after a drain. I switched to aluminum crush washers. I bought a big bag on Amazon for cheap...I have so many I will have to replace my Tundra with another one to use them all. :)
Click to expand...
I bought a bag of those blue fiber coated washers on eBay. They were listed as Toyota OEM. BS. It took a lot of effort to scrape off the fiber layer that stuck to the oil pan on a friend's 2013 Highlander.
 
& I, as said, use nuttin - have 80% return customers (1/3rd of them fam'n friends) and no leaks. Mostly toy'n honda but plenty p/u trucks from the big 3 too.
 
Imp4 said:
If a new 99¢ crush washer is breaking your bank then maybe some budgeting skills need to be honed.
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Some of us Scots refuse to pay a dollar to the stealership parts dept. for a 5c washer. So I re-use about 3x so it cost me 33c per oil change :) my FORD Cleveland 2.0L doesn't need it. It's got a "lifetime" rubber gasket molded into the drainplug flange.
 
I cannot believe this is a question. Sounds like a conversation with a former woman hairdresser. I don't go to her anymore. Bad haircuts. Also, I think she found out I was a guy due to my ear hair.
 
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Sometimes the crush washers for Nissan and Subaru are difficult to remove from the drain plug, so I bought some 12mmX18mmX1.5mm flat copper washers that I can use on two of my vehicles and my Yamaha golf cart, whose OEM washers are $3-4 each. I got a bag of 50 for $6.99 on Amazon.
 
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