Reuse drain plug gasket???

[91344George]

I have a VW Golf and they use a soft brass crush washer on the car I have MKIII generation.


If I replace the bolt without that washer there is ALWAYS a tiny leak....I can say that I have used washers a dozen times without a problem.

I think one of the overlooked reasons for the washer is to actually PREVENT deforming or stripping of the threads for the pan bolt. Because like many say here how often does anyone use a torque wrench for tightening a drain plug ?

 

[steveh]

I only replaced one in the last 30 years.

 

[Gilstein]

i've only replaced it once on the Santa Fe because I had to replace the drain plug after a quiklube stripped the plug. A new gasket came with the new plug. The mustang has the gasket embedded in the drain plug.

 

[fdcg27]

Well, the '86 Civic we drove past 200K was on its original washer.
I know this, because I bought the car new, and nobody else ever changed the oil.
This is also true for our '99 Accord, with 147K.
Maybe not true for the '97 Accord, since it had 64K when we bought it in '03, but it has had the same washer since then.
The newer Subie is on its original washer, and I don't know about the older one, or the BMW, since we bought them used.
Relax, drain plug washers seem to last a long time.