Oil Drain Plug - repair or what?

[EatDog]

Can someone englighten me about this type of oil drain plug.

What is it used for and how do I get it off? Thanks.

[jolotter]

Looks like a cowboy fix for stripped threads.  Presumably as you screw it in it pulls the toggle down on the inside to seat the rubber on the outside of the oilpan.  Unscrew it to collapse the toggle and withdraw it from the hole.

Johann

[EatDog]

Thanks... so now... new oil pan? Are there any upgraded (shielded?) oil pans or just stock oil pans will do?

[trev]

Stripped oil plugs are not a new thing. There are oversize plugs available, some that tap their own new threads, though you gotta be pretty careful that you do not add more chunks to the inside of your engine.

 Tapping a hole to an available size is not rocket surgery, either.

 Did you look at the threads in the hole? Are there threads? Best case scenario is that the rubber seal plug was due to a lost plug, and this was what was available in a one-size-fits-all roadside fix.

 Longshot, but worth a look-see.

[jtanguay]

is it leaking? seems like it would work okay.  any real pressure should escape from the breather and or the dipstick tube.  that type of plug looks like it would loosen by spinning it counter clockwise.  if it wasn't lubricated while tightening it, chances are the rubber gasket would have torn a bit.  (same reason you lube up the gasket on the oil filter)

i used some expiring gift cards i got at crappy tire for one of those fram oil drain plugs.  its a pretty cool invention.  they give you the replacement plug and a protective cap.  just tighten it on and then screw on the protective cap.  when time comes to drain the oil simply unscrew the protective cap, and use the special piece of hose they give you, stick it in and it guides the oil right into your pan. (i hate losing the oil plug right in the pan.. that sucks! not to mention the oil droplets that splash around...)

say what you will about it.. sort of expensive..$15 but i'll never have to remove that drain plug ever again which means no stripped threads    and its more convenient to drain the oil!  plus the gift cards were expiring from xmas anyways.

[subsonic]

:lol: That's ghetto :lol:

[EatDog]

:lol: That's ghetto :lol:

Yeah the car is super ghetto.

Seriously though, anyone have success with the Fram Suredrain or similar products? What about the Pela oil extractors?
http://www.pelaproducts.com/
Fumo drain valve?
http://www.fumotousa.com/

I'd rather not have to jack up the car and have hot oil all over the place. Although, none of these products address the mess from an oil filter, so I guess it'll be messy anyway.

I live in an apartment complex right now, and move around a lot. Don't always have space to work underneath the car. Nor do I want anyone else changing the fluids - the people I trust to work on my car get plenty of my money anyway.

[BlackTieTD]

find a nice quiet parking lot and lay down cardboard first. if the car isn't lowered you shouldn't need a jack. i'd just change to another OE pan, dime a dozen. new gasket.

[jtanguay]

if you're changing the pan, throw in a windage tray.  comes with a re-useable rubber gasket  

[tylernt]

find a nice quiet parking lot and lay down cardboard first. if the car isn't lowered you shouldn't need a jack.

Ditto. I've never jacked up any of my VWs to change the oil, heck I've even done a water pump on my Fox with the wheels on the ground.

I had a pan leak, apparently a prior owner's helicoil leaked between the helicoil and the pan. Shame I didn't know about the toggle bolt thingie, instead, I had to replace the whole pan.

Great chance to upgrade to the windage tray with its integrated rubber gasket ( = fewer leaks than the cork) while you're at it. Be real careful with those two bolts between the engine and the transmission. I stripped mine. I'm very very lucky the Permatex Gray Ultra Gasket Maker I put in that area hasn't leaked.... yet...