Hosers OVER-torqued my Oil Drain Plug!--> CROSS-threaded by MoFos!

[Curious Hound]

If it were me, I'd get the next size larger plug to have on hand before removing the present one. If I recall, they make self-tapping repair drain plugs for this reason.

 

[19Walt93]

OK, even though it's been years since I've pulled my own drain plug, I "remembered" it had a 15mm Hex head... can anyone VERIFY?

BUT... when I climbed under there yesterday, I needed a 16mm socket!... SO... I'm thinking the hoser-chimps accidentally grabbed someone ELSE's drain plug, with a slightly different thread, and really went to town with da impact tools!

What say ye, about my half-baked theory??

PS: ass-u-ming threads kinda-sorta OK, is this the correct replacement plug?... (M14-1.50 thread??)

https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/oil-drain-plug/p/needa-parts-engine-oil-drain-plug-653116/257263_0_0

The fox body/crown vic cruiser pan on my 351 has 16 mm heads on the drain plugs. 16mm is 5/8 to an old guy.

 

[Josh B]

Man, that's a heluva fix they've put you in. My 93 4.0 has a 9/16 or 15mm

I snug it up with an extra length 3/8 socket wrench, but not grunt tight. Backing it out sometimes takes a grunt maybe but nothing like you're talking.

When did they start putting oil in with tires, I'd think that was more or less shocks or alignment they'd push

I suppose tires and oil change are near the same mechanical level.

I can only suppose they assume if a wheel lug takes an impact and 100 ft lb torque it is only fitting for an oil plug too, but hek, that 15mm ain't gonna take a 100 ft lb, better use this old 16mm we forgot to put in that other cars pan

What's that TV show where they're always talking to the judge? Maybe you can be on TV

 

[ACostan44]

I had oil changed @ a dealership back in the 90s, they used a impact to put the plug back in the oil pan.
Took it back, "uh, maybe get a new plug".
It would thread on, but never tight. Wanted to leak, badly.
After some thought, I went to the local Auto-whatever store and got one of those repair kits with a rubber washer, a copper washer and a regular one.

The copper one did the trick.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

sizes are weird these days. Sometimes I try a 15mm and 9/16", neither fit well. Then I try them in different type of sockets/wrenches until one fits better (yes they do vary).

Also a lot of random sizes like 16mm and 18mm on Fords. Sometimes even the very random 11mm.

 

[pjtoledo]

11mm is 7/16

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Plugs can vary. Had a '97 Escort wagon. The 2.0 had an oil pan drain plug with a 15 mm drain plug. A shop tore up the pan (long story, involved a jack) and installed a new replacement. The drain plug on the new pan had a 13 mm head.

That car had a crossmember a few inches behind the plug that made it impossible to get an impact wrench on the plug. You had to use a socket wrench or standard wrench on the head. I liked that.

 

[Curious Hound]

Man, that's a heluva fix they've put you in. My 93 4.0 has a 9/16 or 15mm

9/16" compares to 14mm. Not 15. 15mm is a good bit bigger than 9/16"

 

[oldgeek]

Change motor oil? My lawn mower says it never has to be changed. So I figured something in the laws of the universe must have shifted. No more oil changes!!!

 

[DILLARD000]

Change motor oil? My lawn mower says it never has to be changed. So I figured something in the laws of the universe must have shifted. No more oil changes!!!

It's just the "1st Law Of Capitalism: convince poor suckers you've got the best product, they buy it & burn it up, & buy another & another & another &...."

 

[Josh B]

9/16" compares to 14mm. Not 15. 15mm is a good bit bigger than 9/16"

It takes me awhile to get the right one when changing the oil too, maybe now I'll remember it

 

[Curious Hound]

It takes me awhile to get the right one when changing the oil too, maybe now I'll remember it

I write it in the sticker on the radiator support, along with the size socket for the belt tensioner. Open the hood and there’s the info.

 

[fixizin]

OK, so the shop I'm calling the "hosers" is where the '68 Camaro crowd USED to go, when under original ownership... today I stopped by the new trusted shop for the classic car crowd, too late in the day for them to work on it, but they said oil drain plug probably A-OK, just "stuck" from being undisturbed for SO LONG, plus COLD engine... said if it had been cross-threaded it'd be leaking... said there's certain Ford ALUMINUM oil pans that can be "hurt", but that the steel jobbies on the Rangers can't really be bunged up... said "hoser" shop is still pretty good (except on my PVH hub issue!), that they even send them some work, and they (hosers) would never take an air tool to an oil plug...

... this weekend I'll add a pipe to my breaker bar, and/or get someone withOUT a hernia to give it a tug!

 

[Josh B]

That's sad dude, people used to be responsible for the things they did :/

 

[fixizin]

That's sad dude, people used to be responsible for the things they did :/

Yeah, but 3 years is kind of a long time to go back and make claims... and as my "new" shop says, may be nothing wrong at all... plug may be fine, but 3 years of low-usage means a LOT of time for humidity, salt-spray, condensation, etc. to "work" on the metal, rubber, etc... got a new plug in hand as a "backup"... "just in case"...