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

[fixizin]

Granted it's unusual for a '99 vehicle to have only 83k miles, and the past 36 months has been it's lowest-use, longest-oil-change period yet, but... I don't see any obvious signs of rust/corrosion... will hit it with PB Blaster anyway... can't hurt.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Fun fact, I had a tractor I had to pull the pan, drain the oil and heat the pan/plug with a torch.

But it had been sitting for 30 years and had condensation in the bottom of the pan. Plug was also a regular ol' square headed pipe plug.

 

[DILLARD000]

Fumoto Valve for the PanDrain; makes for quick+clean oil changes & no more worries about stripping threads.

 

[Curious Hound]

Back in the 80's, before I had a house and place to do my own oil changes, Jiffy Lube cross-threaded my drain plug once. They also topped off the windshield fluid with plain water. That was pretty useless driving home to PA in a snow storm.

 

[DILLARD000]

Back in the 80's, before I had a house and place to do my own oil changes, Jiffy Lube cross-threaded my drain plug once. They also topped off the windshield fluid with plain water. That was pretty useless driving home to PA in a snow storm.

My trust in such services decreases exponentially with my age.

 

[4.0blue98]

Yeah someone mentioned cross threaded before. May be the case. See if warm engine helps. Dorman sells the orings. I change mine every 3-4 oil changes.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

You would think the oil-change shops would have figured out overtightening drain plugs causes them trouble and loss of reputation.

I change the engine oil myself, partly because I run Amsoil oil and filters. Snug on the drain plug with a socket wrench is plenty, and these idiot techs need to learn that. Hand-tight on the filter enough to compress the gasket is plenty too. (The Amsoil filter is textured and allows a good grip.)

 

[19Walt93]

I've had hernias before, use a longer bar or put a pipe on it, don't hurt yourself. If it was cross threaded it would probably be leaking because the gasket wouldn't be clamped evenly.
You guys realize that techs develop strong hands and upper body strength just by doing their job, right? "Hand tight" isn't really a spec. I tighten my drain plugs with a 3/8" ratchet and have to give it a hard tug to break it loose every time. I have never stripped a drain plug or pulled the threads out of a pan and I definitely tighten to more than 20 lb/ft. If you aren't happy that the plug is tight, imagine if it was left loose and fell out.
There are no techs working at Jiffy Lube and the like, those guys are untrained chimps. We had a Jiffy Lube a mile from our shop and made a lot of money fixing vehicles they had "serviced".

 

[Eddo Rogue]

You would think the oil-change shops would have figured out overtightening drain plugs causes them trouble and loss of reputation.

I change the engine oil myself, partly because I run Amsoil oil and filters. Snug on the drain plug with a socket wrench is plenty, and these idiot techs need to learn that. Hand-tight on the filter enough to compress the gasket is plenty too. (The Amsoil filter is textured and allows a good grip.)

They did. Jiffy lube doesn't touch drain bolts anymore. They have have this device that sucks the oil out, so all they have to do is stick a hose down the dipstick tube. Takes forever.

My tire shop guy is across from the jiffy lube is why I know this. I would never go to one.

 

[Shran]

Drain plugs seem to tighten up on their own... I just snug them up with a 3/8 ratchet and I'm sure I never exceed 20 ft/lbs but 3-5k later they might as well be welded in place. My wife's Prius is really bad about that, and it's a steel plug in a steel pan too. I could understand steel on aluminum but I've never had a problem with steel on steel before.

There are no techs working at Jiffy Lube and the like, those guys are untrained chimps.

Totally accurate... same goes for most tire guys and parts store guys. The O'Reilly I usually go to is staffed by a guy on oxygen who cannot read labels and a cross eyed dude who couldn't figure out why codes weren't present after he erased them on another customer's car... I watched that unfold the otherday. It's bad.

 

[DILLARD000]

Why you should change your own motor oil;
yeh, yeh, it's a lowly dirty greasy job & I too am old+fat with bad knees+back, but still get it done;
take the opportunity to inspect+maintain entire bottom side of your vehicle, which you should be doing anyway;
do it yourself if you possibly can; same good logic\principals generally apply to many other things in life....

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Going to Jiffy lube is pretty much like eating really crappy food from a busy drive through when the amount of time and effort it took you could have easily enjoyed a healthy meal.

 

[Josh B]

I started out on bicycles and then a little motorbike. A friend had a little Honda and mine was a Suzuki and when one was broke down we'd all ride the same bike. You'd be surprised how many of those bike parts could be made to work on the other brand. We eventually moved on to bigger bikes and cars and trucks and bigger groups but one thing we all took along was the experiences and things we'd learned about mechanics.

It can be counted on one hand the times I have taken my vehicle to be fixed by a shop, and I have regretted it Every Time. Possibly the last time was simply due to me being a bit lazy. Was a decent shop and a good mechanic, but it still bit a bit much at the checkout. Seems you really just can't win at that game

 

[fixizin]

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

 

[bobbywalter]

hard to say.


might be totally fine. you just need some more leverage.


might be a train wreck. if you are not prepared to deal with the train wreck....dont open pandoras box...


i dont know you so i can not even speculate what your capacitites are for pulling on a wrench.

i dont have any problems breaking 3/4 in wrenches and i am getting older and the weakest i have ever been since i crested 6 feet in height.


if i suspected a crossed situation...i would put my torque wrench on at 60 foot pounds....and i would be ready to deal with the results.... if it did not pop loose ... i would be going back to the shop and having them read this little pow wow.

i suspect it will turn out under 50 though.