Damn you, EricTheCarGuy! 😭I just LOOOOOVE YOU!😭 🥰 I have been researching for days on which rethreading, retapping, helicoil kit to buy, ended up buying a EcoPlug which is too small and then I see this video. YOU HAVE SAVED ME!😭 Mind you these are tears of JOY! ❤❤ Today is June 16, 2023. I've been a sub of your for years and didn't know how much I needed you.
As an added level of peace of mind, I always install a nut before cutting the bolt. Once the bolt is cut, the nut acts kinda like a chaser to smooth down any rough edges left after cutting and grinding. The nut can also be used as a test piece to ensure smooth engagement into the oil pan or whatever other item is being repaired. Keep up the good work Eric.
It's 12 years later and this video saved my ass. Changing the oil on my 2018 BMW X5 with the N55 engine and torqued my oil plug bolt to 25 ft lbs and sure enough it stripped the aluminum threads in the pan.The OEM bolt is M12 x 1. and is 16mm long. I went to Ace Hardware and they had a M12 x 1.5 25mm long, so almost the 2x length that Eric recommended. Threaded it in and.....voila, it tightened right up and works like a charm. NO leaks. Thanks Eric! The video that keeps on giving.
As a manager at a Walmart tire shop: THANK YOU. It's nice to see somebody else with a passionate hatred towards people who screw up something as simple as putting a bolt into a hole. And for the record, I can assure you and everyone else that every drain plug that comes through my shop not only goes in with a wrench, it gets torqued to the manufacturer's spec.
Eric, I’ve been watching you for many years, and I was still a lube tech at the time you posted this, and since then every time I changed my oil or anyone else’s, I always remembered this video. I was extremely careful ever since that day and never stripped a drain plug or pan threads once. Tonight, I just changed the oil on my own 2009 car for what will probably be the last time before I sell it; the car has around 161,000 of your American miles on it, and it still to this day has the drain plug it came with from the factory, right down to the built-in rubber gasket. I just felt the need to make this announcement for no other reason that to let you know that, even though I’m not a tech anymore, this video got me through the remainder of my lube tech career and many years of maintaining my own car without a single dollar spent on drain plugs, helicoils, or anything else of the like. Cheers and thanks for the lesson.
Just wanted to say thanks for the great tip on getting a longer bolt. For those that don’t want to buy a bolt and cut it down, you can source a Mercedes Benz drain bolt - they are the same M14 x 1.5 thread but about double the length - only difference is you’ll need a 13mm wrench or socket as the hex head is smaller.
@@DiamondScuff i believe it was from a 2013 benz but aslong as it’s a m14x1.5 thread it’ll work i still have that bolt in the oil pan to this day. great hack
@@DiamondScuff the head of the bolt it smaller than the original so don’t crush the washer pass spec or it won’t crush even and will have a slight leak but nothing crazy prolly half of quart gone every oil change.and my threads were all gone except that last ones which is why the longer bolt worked because it was able to grab those. and still going
THANK YOU!!! My 2005 Accord oil pan (aluminum) threads were getting stripped over time...I had some shavings on the drain plug the last few times when I took it out, but it always tightened up ok. I'm real careful about over tightening and only use a socket wrench. I've been doing oil changes on vehicles for close to 50 years. When I went to change the oil this time, the stock oil drain plug bolt wouldn't tighten up. It was spinning once it got to a certain point. I figured I'd have to spring for a new pan, which I might have to do eventually at some point anyway. I searched online and found this vid. I went up to NAPA and bought a longer bolt with the same thread size. The new bolt is about twice as long as the old one. I put it in...and voila! It tightened right up. Once I got past the bad section of thread, it must have hit good threads and was fine. I'm hoping it buys me some time before I have to do the oil pan. Maybe, it even lasts for the life of the car. I can dream, can't I? Thanks again!
If you cut a bolt put a nut on the bolt first. After the cut unscrew the nut and the threads that were cut will line back up and then use a wire wheel to clean up
Eric you need to be praised for being precisely what people need. Smart, efficient, logical and all without the smart ass or vulgar stuff that so many UA-cam posters have. I can't thank you enough for doing it right and being a person with class. Tipping my hat to you sir. Awesome!!!!!
You can screw a nut befor cutting and grinding the edge, unscrewing the nut will "repair" the edgeof the threads. I like your videos. Greetings from Romania !
Finally a safe fast and permanent solution to a nighymare when pan threads strip out! I have been purchasing and installing Ecoplugs these magnetic drain plugs solved my problems on stripped pan threads in seconds best of all you never have to deal with threads or oil leaks again.I have been buying Ecoplugs at Walmart or Autozone.
Exactly. Aluminum is much stronger due to it's thickness on the oil pan, versus thin steel. By having fins, it adds to dexterity of the oil pan and acts as a oil cooler, thus extending oil life and helping to further cool the engine. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor. Oil plays a very large role in engine heat management, and therefore it's in the best interest to keep oil cool.
Stupid question my only concern with this is it pushing metal shaving into the pan when you are screwing in the new bolt did you have any issues like that I don't really want to have to have the whole oil pan replaced
@Timothayyy I still stand by my bolt method as the most economical and practical method of dealing with this issue which unfortunately I have extensive experience with, in fact I have a stock of these bolts in my toolbox and I've never had to do anything else up to this point. Thanks for your comment.
Actually I have used one of those universal drain plugs to take care of a drain bolt that was stripped out, and it worked fine for me....I dug new threads in just fine and held snug just fine as long as you didn't man handle it. And it didn't leak at all
If people don’t know about Eric the car guy, they have no clue what there missing!!!! This guy knows his shit! He also gives you great tips and advice unlike bad mechanics that just aren’t there to help you...
You can helicoil or use a thread insert , we use them in the motorcycle industry a lot because we come across the problem of stripped out threads a lot
I have a 99 Acura TL that had a this issue. I am so glad I happened to find this video. It saved me a lot of time and money. 1.50 for a new bolt and basically the same time as changing the oil...and the car is fixed! Thanks a million Eric the Car Guy! Very helpful indeed.
Bought a used Acura MDX and soon noticed a slow oil drip on the garage floor, on closer inspection saw oil on the drain plug and a black plastic washer instead of a crush washer. So I thought I just need to put a new crush washer on when I change the oil. Fast forward, I'm trying to torque on the drain plug to the recommended foot lbs and it just keeps turning. Last thing on the Car Fax report was a trip to Grease Monkey, go figure. 1st option longer drain plug bolt (14mm x 1.5mm x 30mm) $2.00 2nd option Helicoil/Fix-a-thread repair kit $40 3rd option New oil pan $200++ Thankfully the 1st option worked like a champ. Thank you Eric!
I just watched another UA-cam Video by Ron Williams where he used a spark plug helicoil repair kit for aluminum cylinder heads. This replaces the aluminum threads with steel threads in the insert. In addition, you need not remove the oil pan from the engine. All in all, a superior amd more durable repair in my view. What do you think?
@fancynot Nothing makes me more proud than the "art" crowd stopping in to watch my little "mechanical" videos. I think it brings a touch of culture to the mix. Thanks for the comment.
Eric - yesterday I took my 2006 Ford Escape for an oil change - Tires Plus in Burtonsville, MD, so any readers in that area know to avoid them - and the store manager comes back after an hour and tells me "So sorry, but your pan is stripped out, the plug won't tighten, and you need a new one. With the oil change, that'll be 600 bucks." When I asked how it happened, namely, did the guy putting it back in strip it?, he told me "it just fell out when he went to remove it. Amazing it didn't fall out sooner." Yeah, amazing indeed. Being three hundred miles from home I thought it over and said ok. Then I thought better, did a quick search, found this video, and told him to stop - that I was taking the car as it was. Bought the bolt, cut it down, and voila - donezo. When I put the new oil back in, I noticed in the catch pan all the metal strippings from when the guy put the plug back in. Took them back to the shop to say "thanks for nothing", and the manager rattled off all kinds bs excuses and refused to accept responsibility (and I wasn't asking for more than an apology, since it's been fixed for now). Oh well. Bottom line - you saved me six hundred dollars. Thanks man. Big time.
@@oby-1607 that's exactly why you do though... because they got insurance for when they have to take that L. When a DIYer fucks up, there is no insurance, you're left fucked and you still gotta take that big fat L
The same thing happened to me the other day at Steve Shannon tires in Stroudsburg PA. I went to get a patch for my tire as I had a plug. I came across this bright idea of getting oil change which I usually do it my self unless it is winter. Guy comes back to me and says my bolt is stripped. I was wondering, if it was stripped how in God's name was it holding in the pan, it should have fallen on the road somewhere. I am usually sharp about checking threads with my pinkie (old habit) and besides I just use simple wrench on any oil drain bolt so I knew that could not be right. Nevertheless the less it was my last visit. Been going there for over 15 years for tires .... 5 vehicles. Very sad.. Either the mechanic was a moron or it was an organization thing could not say for sure.
Short Story for my Acura - The Dorman# 090-164 is a M14-1.50 plug with a 19mm flange, is 24mm long and includes a 20mm copper alloy washer. I hung the washer on a nail and replaced it with a Dorman# 095-015 24mm aluminum washer to ensure a greater area of seal. Long Story - What a great lesson from ETCG! My fix was for a 2003 Acura TL Type S. I removed the original oil drain plug to find about 5 rows of aluminum thread from the oil pan that were still on it. In a panic I came to ETCG’s channel and my hope was restored. I put on my granny glasses and looked into the drain hole to see 10mm of thread were now missing but there was an estimated 12mm of unused threads deeper inside. I also found that there were a few shards of aluminum to remove so as to avoid additional damage to the remaining threads. After a little research, I learned that there are many other makes/models that use M14-1.50 thread size oil drain plugs but on most, the flange is too wide to seat into the 25mm recessed area of the Acura oil pan drain hole. Then I learned that most Mercedes-Benz oil pans also have an M14-1.50 thread and the drain plugs are more than twice as long (24mm) as the Acura’s 10mm plug. I used the above combination of parts to “pass through” the stripped-out area of oil pan threads, gain purchase onto the threads that had never been used, and spent a total of $2.78 on the fix. Like every good citizen I also paid a 24¢ tax and as is customary with do-it-yourself people, I did not include the cost of fuel to travel to O,O,O,O’Reilly Auto Parts. I already owned a 13mm wrench for the new plug and you will need one too.
3 years later and I find myself in the same predicament with my TL 🤣 threads came with the bolt, heart sank, removed the oil pan in plans to drill and tap helicoil in, decided to do a google on Eric Dr Honda, and longer bolt looks like will get me by 😂 new pan seal never hurt no one
+gizzy nc I don't get it either. I work on oil changes and tires all day and I get drain plugs that seize when you loosen them/rough coming out, and the same thing goes for lugnuts and studs. I just don't get it. Some of this dirty work comes from bad apples at dealerships too. Seriously how long is it going to take you to just finger tighten the damn things in properly?
Herb Bees yep, me too, biggest cause of damaged lugnuts is over tightened lugs. I've had wheels supposed to be at 80ft/lb that a 150 ft/lb impact struggled to remove. people need to stop cranking everything down. some drain plugs need as little as 10in/lbs.
Sears guys, used 5 different types of drain plugs in my VW with an impact, and wondered how it did not fit ( they showed my how it would just spin out and or fall out) yeah I was pretty ticked off. First time I didntt do oil change myself never again!
@motorztv It happes way more than you might think, at the dealer I was getting at least one or two of these a month, brand new cars too, we used to joke that the first thing to go bad in a car was the drain plug. I've even put engines in cars because of stuff like this, hence my animosity or in the case of this video my quiet rage. Thanks for taking the time to watch motorztv.
I found the bolt I needed at Home Depot for my 06 Odyssey, I think the length was 40 or 45 mm. I added some yellow "black pipe" Teflon for good measure, I didn't cut it as it appeared close to the correct length, I just added a washer, put on the Teflon, and threaded it in. Fixed my problem, no leaks at all!!! Thanks for saving me a ton of cash and time!!!
@CivicFiberglassDoor That sucks. I've had to replace a few pans myself because of such carelessness, after I found this trick however I replaced them a lot less unless I knew the place that had damaged it in the first place was footing the bill, then I changed the pan and charged full price.
Thanks a Ton Eric. We sat around for a half hour trying to figure out how to fix this issue with out stripped out threads on the oil pan before we saw your video. Followed your directions exactly and back on the road 30 minutes later. Thanks Sir ! !
Thank you! Saved me a giant headache! Changing the oil for the first time in my son's used car. Drainplug totally stripped, surprised it wasn't leaking oil. Local hardware stores didn't have the right size bolt but the after market one I bought at Autozone was almost double the length of the drainplug. Worked perfect.
You were a life saver on this, saved me $400+! I just bought a M14-1.5 hexagonal metric bolt that was 30mm long and added a washer, didn't have to cut it down or smooth it out. The hardest part was finding the bolt at a local hardware store, Lowes and Home Depot didn't have it. I should add that to anyone that stripped out their oil pan, you probably want to run a lot of oil through it, because it flushed out most of the metal shavings from it getting stripped.
David Richey what kind of vehicle did you use this longer bolt in? I just found that exact bolt at an Ace Hardware to use for my 2006 Honda Ridgeline and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to cut it to make it work. Thanks in advance.
@EricTheCarGuy I work as a mechanic on the east coast of Canada. Ive replaced quite a few steel oil pans and transmission pans because they have rusted out to the point that they leak quite badly. The fact that aluminum pans don't rust out and leak the way steel pans can, may or may not have anything to do with it but i am glad my oil pan is aluminum. The newest vehicle i replaced a rusted leaking steel pan was on a 2007.
Great tip Eric !! Fortunately I've had enough common sense that you NEVER over tighten the drain plug bolt.. I always rub a little oil on the threads and feed it manually with my hands so I can feel and confirm it isn't cross threaded. I only give it a little "umpphh" when I tighten it back down but god forbit if I strip it I now know a cheap fix. What did that bolt cost you maybe $1-2 at the local Home Depot/Lowe's ? I love cheap and solid workarounds like this !! Saves time and money.
Great video!! I came across that situation on my Honda Civic a month ago, i had to replace the oil pan, I spent $285 to fix it. I went to home depot and no one could tell me sizes or were able to help me, so i end up replacing it. If only i`ve found your UA-cam channel before and watched this video i could have safe some money. Thanks Eric, great job!!!
Eric the word GENIUS was reserved just for you I think I enjoy your videos because they're down to earth no-nonesense mechanical tips and tutorials, also you admit when you make mistakes which is humbling to see PLEASE whatever you do don't stop making videos like this they are more educational and entertaining to view than you could imagine! Stay dirty and stay on youtube! Peace out
I work in industrial maintenance and am occasionally annoyed at how others will hugely overtighten bolts, screws and other connections on the factory equipment, all its doing is wearing out the threads. This is a well edited comprehensive video that gets to the point. I gave it a like.
Just wanted to say thanks for the tip! over torqued my 02 Civic drain bolt enough to screw up the threads (by hand) and this saved me a new pan. I would add that I needed to FULLY strip out the damaged threads before the new bolt threaded, then I also found that you CAN have too much thread. I needed to trim my bolt down a second time to roughly 15 threads showing or else it seemed to bottom out. Can't believe my factory plug had only FIVE threads biting in that ALUMINUM pan!! Ugh
@KillerZero259 If you get a stock drain plug it will be of the same length and will do you no good, the idea here is to use a longer bolt to catch the undamaged threads deeper in the pan casting and the longer bolt will accomplish this.
@AGreedyTree I've never used a torque wrench on a drain plug but that doesn't mean you couldn't. The point is not to over tighten which seems to be the tendency.
@Begbucks That would take longer and put metal shavings in the oil pan. Also, have you ever tried to drill an oil pan while it's still on the car? It's often not as easy as you might think. As for plastic oil pans, I haven't seen too many of them but I would be just as careful if not more so working with them.
@ErickTheCarGuy....wow, you just saved me $590. I was searching for an oil pan for my 02 Acura RL...just like the Legend, it's a beast to take out and I've been getting quoted more than I can afford. I must admit, I tried the rubber plugs, but after seeing your video, and reading the comments, I'm off to the Mercedes dealership to purchase a longer drain plug! You really don't understand how much this saving is going to help me and my wife out! Continued success with your youtube career!
Loved this video. Not sure how I got here but loved this video. Had to teach this same lesson to one of my friends whereas he just LOVES his air tools. I love mine too but whereas I have learned the painful mistake of aluminum & air tools, he did not know of my problem I had so many years ago and he just made this mistake a few months ago. And your method is CHEAP & Inexpensive. Unlike some of the Tap & Die, Welding, and other skills many people do not know or have or the funds to do so. Cheers.
@smitty6293 Not sure really but depending on your situation you may end up replacing the pan in the end. You might also consider taking it back where the oil was changed to see if they can do anything for you.
@BHownsall I believe that is the default setting of the AC when it detects a problem for Toyota. The battery may have nothing to do with it as it could just have a low charge. I recommend taking it to a shop to have the AC diagnosed.
@OMG55699 Those aren't long enough, the reason you use the longer bolt is because the standard ones are stripped out and the threads wont' catch, just installing a new plug will not work if it's stripped out.
IT WORKS !!! You're AWESOMENESS good sir. Thank you so much for this fix. My 2010 Mazda 3 got a stripped drain plug from Valvoline Quickie Lube place so now I will not be so lazy and do my own again.
I have a 2006 Dodge Magnum. The longer bolt worked great. No more drip... I had to go to 3 different hardware stores before I found it.... Thanks dude .... You saved me a bunch of money..... 14mm x 1.5 pitch...... :)
@ncrdisabled I don't recommend drilling into an oil pan to avoid the risk of getting metal shavings in the oil. In addition drilling into oil pans on cars can be harder than you might imagine. Thanks for the comment.
Wow you saved my rear, 04 Pilot I stripped the theads myself. My heart sank, then found this video, I can breath now!. Save me hundreds of dollars & easy fix. I have learned my lesson on aluminum pans, easy go with it.
@jambe1234567 The regular drain plug threads would be damaged, there are threads deeper in the pan that are not damaged that the longer bolt will be able to take advantage of. It's not that they are designed that way but when you make a threaded hole it depends on how deep the hole is how far the threads go.
Much love for Eric and his channel had this issue with a 2006 Honda Civic hybrid I only had 1 or 2 threads left with my pan, I was freaking out called my mechanic best course in that situation retap the pan 9/16 and upsize the bolt. 9/16 is between 14mm and 15mm if it strips again you can then retap to 15mm saved me a ton of time and worry if you have no threads left you can still save your pan just need a good fine bolt with a rubber coated washer
it works very good and when i went to buy the bolt i bought M14 X1.5MM 30MM ,I ihave nothing to cut it was just the perfect size (30 MM). Thanks you EricTheCarGuy
Found a plug a little longer than the last and it worked perfectly didn't even have to cut. I would not have though of this. Saved a bunch with a $2 purchase. Thanks!
I use Fumoto drain valves on all my cars. Love them. One time install and never have to worry about stripping oil pans. I've never had one leak so much as a drop of oil.
@ChrisTwitty I should just copy and paste this response: drilling might leave metal in the oil pan, the bolt is much cheeper and much easier to install and works very well. In short, you could but knowing all that, why?
Before I take a cutting blade to any bolt, I'll spin a pair of hex nuts all the way down the bolt. After cutting the bolt, you slowly remove the nuts. They will work similar to a die set and help form a nice tapered thread at the start of the bolt. The other option for fixing a stripped thread (depending on severity) is to use a tap set to re-cut the threads, then use a proper drain plug, new sealant washer, and of course a torque wrench to tighten the plug to the proper spec. Great video!
I stripped out my drain plug on my bike before, hard lesson. Installed a Heli-Coil instead though, turned out really nice and saved the cost of buying a new pan, but i did take the pan off... so very labor intensive.
Thank you!! You helped me out when my sibling stripped their oil pan.. the bolt was fine, just would not grab anymore. Took 5 visits to different hardware stores but finally got the right sized bolt m14 x 1.5 and cut it down, sanded the edges and it worked beautifully.
Bam! Love it. I’ve never let anyone work on my car. I’m 44. Turned wrenches from age 16 to 32 and hung it up because, well let’s face it, it’s a tough way to make a buck. Anyway I let some ass clown change the oil a few months ago as I was really busy. One time won’t hurt right? Went to change it today and the genius either cross threaded or torqued the plug with a 1/2 impact. I will never let anyone ever touch my car again. Was ready to order an oil pan and bum a ride to work tomorrow and I found this fix. $3 and a trip to menards and I’m back back in business. Thank you.
Thanks for this tip! I haad the same problem from the fine work done by Mobile Lube Express on our 05 Honda Odyssey. Stripped the pan, and I had been limping it along with the universal Dorman rubber plug, but that fell out last night on our way home from the fireworks. A good alternative is to buy an oil drain plug at the local Mercedes dealer for a 190d model. It has the same 14x1.50 pitch and is about 1/2" longer than the stock Honda plug. $5 and it uses a 13mm wrench. No machining!
@310stanger I would say it would apply to aluminum oil pans in general. As you run the fastener in by hand you should be able to feel if it's binding or something, if it is then back it out and try again. The point is to take your time and do it right if not you'll be putting a new pan in. Thanks for the comment.
For decades i have used plumbers teflon tape on oil pan bolt before i put it back in. It always seals well without using excessive force tightening the bolt. Just wrap about 2 turns around bolt thread before reinstalling the bolt. Works great every time with no oil leaks.
I've had to do similar adjustments with bolts. And not having a die grinder or a bench grinder I had to use a hacksaw. To maintain the integrity of the threads, I put a nut on the longer bolt and using the vise and hacksaw, cut it at the very end of the nut. It acts sort of like a tap-and-die threader when I remove the nut. Finish off the end of the bold with a fine "toothed" file just to round it off a bit. Just my method. :) Thanks for the tips!! Awesome quality.
@SystemXpander To answer the first question because the threads are stripped and there is nothing for the new bolt to thread into, as for the second question yes you can but it will take longer.
@spelunkerd I would say drain plug torque is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 ftlbs, not much really, the point is to only use hand tools for this not air tools. As for oil filters just turn them 1/2 turn after the gasket makes contact, I've never had one leak yet that I didn't double gasket.
Erik... really appreciate the video. When I stripped mine a few hours ago, I was thinking the same thing, cause I could look up into the tapped hole and saw several more threads left in the hole. I just happened to have a plug (minus crush washer) with 3 threads longer and some powdered loctite. Seems to be working fine. Like you I feel the guy who owned the Odyssey before me knew there were threads missing... cause I'm old school (only wrenches for torque). Appreciate the clean language!
@choi3ed Let me put it this way, if your engine is old and has run regular oil stay with it and save your money. I've seen more than one occasion where someone switched to synthetic or 'special' oil only to find that it leaks more and burns more oil after the switch. That stuff is good for new engines but I don't recommend it for old ones.
@AnUglyAmerican I think it's good practice to use 6pt sockets on everything instead of 12pt, the only time I use 12pt is when I have a 12pt fastener to remove. I agree about putting metal shavings in the oil pan, bad idea and would take more time than my method. Thanks for your suggestion and comment.
@soigne95035 The bolt cutting method has been mentioned several times and is a great idea. As for tapping however normally there are not enough threads to install a standard plug back in even after a repair, aside from that you would be putting metal shavings in the pan if you did that.
Thank you for the information. Oil lube place stripped my oil pan and they blamed me saying it was already like that when they started it. Mechanic wanted over $1000 to replace oil pan with labor. I simply cut off a 18 mm x 1.5 bolt to twice the length and it works. By the way I own a VOLVO.
@jwed6 I would start with the distributor code before I worried about the IAC code. If the distributor is an aftermarket replacement unit it is probably the cause of this problem as it is quite common with replacement distributors. The IAC valve may be faulty but you might try cleaning it first.
@luckycraftsammy The fan is not suppose to run constantly, this is most likely the source of you running cool and not the thermostat. Find the source of the fan problem and I suspect it will be back to normal. BTW make sure the AC is not on when you are performing the procedure as this will turn the fan on.
Great video, Sears decided to use 5 different plugs into my VW, with an impact and showed me how they spun out, and some fell out (I was super ticked off) and he was about to reach for yet a different plug.. first time I decide to have someone else do my oil. I will be posting my video when I start on it on my channel.
@pabllosee You could do that but first drilling into an oil pan is trickier than you might think. Also drilling into the pan may leave metal shavings in the pan which would not be good. Lastly my method takes about 10min, how long do you think it would take to put a helicoil in? How much do you think the thread repair kit would cost compared to my bolt?
Another great tip from u man!! one more tip u can first put a nut on the bolt and cut it then u can go with the grinder and after that u take out the nut and when u do that the threads are going to align again so u are not going to get troubles put it on again. hope u would understand what im talking about. regards from Lima-Peru
9 years later and still helping the working man. Thank you. You’re an automotive icon.
Damn you, EricTheCarGuy! 😭I just LOOOOOVE YOU!😭 🥰 I have been researching for days on which rethreading, retapping, helicoil kit to buy, ended up buying a EcoPlug which is too small and then I see this video. YOU HAVE SAVED ME!😭 Mind you these are tears of JOY! ❤❤ Today is June 16, 2023. I've been a sub of your for years and didn't know how much I needed you.
As an added level of peace of mind, I always install a nut before cutting the bolt. Once the bolt is cut, the nut acts kinda like a chaser to smooth down any rough edges left after cutting and grinding. The nut can also be used as a test piece to ensure smooth engagement into the oil pan or whatever other item is being repaired.
Keep up the good work Eric.
I see you like ZZTOP as well
It's 12 years later and this video saved my ass. Changing the oil on my 2018 BMW X5 with the N55 engine and torqued my oil plug bolt to 25 ft lbs and sure enough it stripped the aluminum threads in the pan.The OEM bolt is M12 x 1. and is 16mm long. I went to Ace Hardware and they had a M12 x 1.5 25mm long, so almost the 2x length that Eric recommended. Threaded it in and.....voila, it tightened right up and works like a charm. NO leaks. Thanks Eric! The video that keeps on giving.
As a manager at a Walmart tire shop: THANK YOU. It's nice to see somebody else with a passionate hatred towards people who screw up something as simple as putting a bolt into a hole. And for the record, I can assure you and everyone else that every drain plug that comes through my shop not only goes in with a wrench, it gets torqued to the manufacturer's spec.
Eric, I’ve been watching you for many years, and I was still a lube tech at the time you posted this, and since then every time I changed my oil or anyone else’s, I always remembered this video. I was extremely careful ever since that day and never stripped a drain plug or pan threads once. Tonight, I just changed the oil on my own 2009 car for what will probably be the last time before I sell it; the car has around 161,000 of your American miles on it, and it still to this day has the drain plug it came with from the factory, right down to the built-in rubber gasket. I just felt the need to make this announcement for no other reason that to let you know that, even though I’m not a tech anymore, this video got me through the remainder of my lube tech career and many years of maintaining my own car without a single dollar spent on drain plugs, helicoils, or anything else of the like. Cheers and thanks for the lesson.
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Just wanted to say thanks for the great tip on getting a longer bolt. For those that don’t want to buy a bolt and cut it down, you can source a Mercedes Benz drain bolt - they are the same M14 x 1.5 thread but about double the length - only difference is you’ll need a 13mm wrench or socket as the hex head is smaller.
you saved my life
@@gofish6814 any mercedes specifically? i need to try this bolt
@@DiamondScuff i believe it was from a 2013 benz but aslong as it’s a m14x1.5 thread it’ll work i still have that bolt in the oil pan to this day. great hack
@@gofish6814 Just ordered one thanks. Im assuming no leak after every oil change? how much thread came out when you originally stripped your pan?
@@DiamondScuff the head of the bolt it smaller than the original so don’t crush the washer pass spec or it won’t crush even and will have a slight leak but nothing crazy prolly half of quart gone every oil change.and my threads were all gone except that last ones which is why the longer bolt worked because it was able to grab those. and still going
THANK YOU!!! My 2005 Accord oil pan (aluminum) threads were getting stripped over time...I had some shavings on the drain plug the last few times when I took it out, but it always tightened up ok. I'm real careful about over tightening and only use a socket wrench. I've been doing oil changes on vehicles for close to 50 years. When I went to change the oil this time, the stock oil drain plug bolt wouldn't tighten up. It was spinning once it got to a certain point. I figured I'd have to spring for a new pan, which I might have to do eventually at some point anyway. I searched online and found this vid. I went up to NAPA and bought a longer bolt with the same thread size. The new bolt is about twice as long as the old one. I put it in...and voila! It tightened right up. Once I got past the bad section of thread, it must have hit good threads and was fine. I'm hoping it buys me some time before I have to do the oil pan. Maybe, it even lasts for the life of the car. I can dream, can't I? Thanks again!
If you cut a bolt put a nut on the bolt first. After the cut unscrew the nut and the threads that were cut will line back up and then use a wire wheel to clean up
+skojo3e good idea
YES!!!!!
skojo3e Great tip!
Wire wheel the cut end before removing the nut, and after inspecting it after nut is removed, do it again if necessary.
Absolutely I second this motion!!
Eric you need to be praised for being precisely what people need. Smart, efficient, logical and all without the smart ass or vulgar stuff that so many UA-cam posters have. I can't thank you enough for doing it right and being a person with class. Tipping my hat to you sir. Awesome!!!!!
You can screw a nut befor cutting and grinding the edge, unscrewing the nut will "repair" the edgeof the threads.
I like your videos.
Greetings from Romania !
Finally a safe fast and permanent solution to a nighymare when pan threads strip out!
I have been purchasing and installing Ecoplugs these magnetic drain plugs solved my problems on stripped pan threads in seconds best of all you never have to deal with threads or oil leaks again.I have been buying Ecoplugs at Walmart or Autozone.
Exactly. Aluminum is much stronger due to it's thickness on the oil pan, versus thin steel. By having fins, it adds to dexterity of the oil pan and acts as a oil cooler, thus extending oil life and helping to further cool the engine. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor. Oil plays a very large role in engine heat management, and therefore it's in the best interest to keep oil cool.
I've never used this trick on an oil pan, but it's been a life saver for me on so many other applications with partially stripped bolt holes.
Dude!!!! You are the man!! You just saved me $550!!!
Stupid question my only concern with this is it pushing metal shaving into the pan when you are screwing in the new bolt did you have any issues like that I don't really want to have to have the whole oil pan replaced
@@jerryduvall3715 no
@Timothayyy I still stand by my bolt method as the most economical and practical method of dealing with this issue which unfortunately I have extensive experience with, in fact I have a stock of these bolts in my toolbox and I've never had to do anything else up to this point. Thanks for your comment.
Actually I have used one of those universal drain plugs to take care of a drain bolt that was stripped out, and it worked fine for me....I dug new threads in just fine and held snug just fine as long as you didn't man handle it. And it didn't leak at all
If people don’t know about Eric the car guy, they have no clue what there missing!!!! This guy knows his shit! He also gives you great tips and advice unlike bad mechanics that just aren’t there to help you...
You can helicoil or use a thread insert , we use them in the motorcycle industry a lot because we come across the problem of stripped out threads a lot
You are a genius and very kind to share this fix. I did it for the daughter after the local lube joint stripped her pan. Worked 100%
If you put a nut on the bolt before cutting the end off, then when you take the nut off, it trues up the threads where the die grinder mars them.
Great tip
I have a 99 Acura TL that had a this issue. I am so glad I happened to find this video. It saved me a lot of time and money. 1.50 for a new bolt and basically the same time as changing the oil...and the car is fixed! Thanks a million Eric the Car Guy! Very helpful indeed.
2:53 my ex wife's words exactly pretty much.
Bought a used Acura MDX and soon noticed a slow oil drip on the garage floor, on closer inspection saw oil on the drain plug and a black plastic washer instead of a crush washer. So I thought I just need to put a new crush washer on when I change the oil. Fast forward, I'm trying to torque on the drain plug to the recommended foot lbs and it just keeps turning. Last thing on the Car Fax report was a trip to Grease Monkey, go figure.
1st option longer drain plug bolt (14mm x 1.5mm x 30mm) $2.00
2nd option Helicoil/Fix-a-thread repair kit $40
3rd option New oil pan $200++
Thankfully the 1st option worked like a champ.
Thank you Eric!
I just watched another UA-cam Video by Ron Williams where he used a spark plug helicoil repair kit for aluminum cylinder heads. This replaces the aluminum threads with steel threads in the insert. In addition, you need not remove the oil pan from the engine. All in all, a superior amd more durable repair in my view. What do you think?
and more expensive.
@fancynot Nothing makes me more proud than the "art" crowd stopping in to watch my little "mechanical" videos. I think it brings a touch of culture to the mix. Thanks for the comment.
Eric - yesterday I took my 2006 Ford Escape for an oil change - Tires Plus in Burtonsville, MD, so any readers in that area know to avoid them - and the store manager comes back after an hour and tells me "So sorry, but your pan is stripped out, the plug won't tighten, and you need a new one. With the oil change, that'll be 600 bucks." When I asked how it happened, namely, did the guy putting it back in strip it?, he told me "it just fell out when he went to remove it. Amazing it didn't fall out sooner." Yeah, amazing indeed. Being three hundred miles from home I thought it over and said ok. Then I thought better, did a quick search, found this video, and told him to stop - that I was taking the car as it was. Bought the bolt, cut it down, and voila - donezo. When I put the new oil back in, I noticed in the catch pan all the metal strippings from when the guy put the plug back in. Took them back to the shop to say "thanks for nothing", and the manager rattled off all kinds bs excuses and refused to accept responsibility (and I wasn't asking for more than an apology, since it's been fixed for now). Oh well. Bottom line - you saved me six hundred dollars. Thanks man. Big time.
Please tell me that you sued those fuckers.
This is what happens when you let someone else touch your stuff. You wouldn't let anybody else service your woman, would you?
@@oby-1607 that's exactly why you do though... because they got insurance for when they have to take that L.
When a DIYer fucks up, there is no insurance, you're left fucked and you still gotta take that big fat L
What size bolt did you get I am I the same boat
The same thing happened to me the other day at Steve Shannon tires in Stroudsburg PA. I went to get a patch for my tire as I had a plug. I came across this bright idea of getting oil change which I usually do it my self unless it is winter. Guy comes back to me and says my bolt is stripped. I was wondering, if it was stripped how in God's name was it holding in the pan, it should have fallen on the road somewhere.
I am usually sharp about checking threads with my pinkie (old habit) and besides I just use simple wrench on any oil drain bolt so I knew that could not be right. Nevertheless the less it was my last visit. Been going there for over 15 years for tires .... 5 vehicles. Very sad..
Either the mechanic was a moron or it was an organization thing could not say for sure.
Short Story for my Acura - The Dorman# 090-164 is a M14-1.50 plug with a 19mm flange, is 24mm long and includes a 20mm copper alloy washer. I hung the washer on a nail and replaced it with a Dorman# 095-015 24mm aluminum washer to ensure a greater area of seal.
Long Story - What a great lesson from ETCG! My fix was for a 2003 Acura TL Type S. I removed the original oil drain plug to find about 5 rows of aluminum thread from the oil pan that were still on it. In a panic I came to ETCG’s channel and my hope was restored. I put on my granny glasses and looked into the drain hole to see 10mm of thread were now missing but there was an estimated 12mm of unused threads deeper inside. I also found that there were a few shards of aluminum to remove so as to avoid additional damage to the remaining threads.
After a little research, I learned that there are many other makes/models that use M14-1.50 thread size oil drain plugs but on most, the flange is too wide to seat into the 25mm recessed area of the Acura oil pan drain hole. Then I learned that most Mercedes-Benz oil pans also have an M14-1.50 thread and the drain plugs are more than twice as long (24mm) as the Acura’s 10mm plug. I used the above combination of parts to “pass through” the stripped-out area of oil pan threads, gain purchase onto the threads that had never been used, and spent a total of $2.78 on the fix. Like every good citizen I also paid a 24¢ tax and as is customary with do-it-yourself people, I did not include the cost of fuel to travel to O,O,O,O’Reilly Auto Parts. I already owned a 13mm wrench for the new plug and you will need one too.
Thank you so much for posting all these details!! Gonna grab this Dorman plug tomorrow and see how it goes. Stripped the plug on my 04 Honda Element..
@@robertkiser4714 Hi Robert. Thanks for adding your comment. I hope it works for your Honda too!
3 years later and I find myself in the same predicament with my TL 🤣 threads came with the bolt, heart sank, removed the oil pan in plans to drill and tap helicoil in, decided to do a google on Eric Dr Honda, and longer bolt looks like will get me by 😂 new pan seal never hurt no one
who the hell uses an impact on an oil drain plug?
Lazy Dumbasses who don't give a fuck!!
+gizzy nc I don't get it either. I work on oil changes and tires all day and I get drain plugs that seize when you loosen them/rough coming out, and the same thing goes for lugnuts and studs. I just don't get it. Some of this dirty work comes from bad apples at dealerships too. Seriously how long is it going to take you to just finger tighten the damn things in properly?
Herb Bees yep, me too, biggest cause of damaged lugnuts is over tightened lugs. I've had wheels supposed to be at 80ft/lb that a 150 ft/lb impact struggled to remove. people need to stop cranking everything down. some drain plugs need as little as 10in/lbs.
+skojo3e Well said man.
Sears guys, used 5 different types of drain plugs in my VW with an impact, and wondered how it did not fit ( they showed my how it would just spin out and or fall out) yeah I was pretty ticked off. First time I didntt do oil change myself never again!
@motorztv It happes way more than you might think, at the dealer I was getting at least one or two of these a month, brand new cars too, we used to joke that the first thing to go bad in a car was the drain plug. I've even put engines in cars because of stuff like this, hence my animosity or in the case of this video my quiet rage. Thanks for taking the time to watch motorztv.
Whats wrong with the oversize drain plug?
He said it will strip and leak.
they still leak I put one in there..
I found the bolt I needed at Home Depot for my 06 Odyssey, I think the length was 40 or 45 mm. I added some yellow "black pipe" Teflon for good measure, I didn't cut it as it appeared close to the correct length, I just added a washer, put on the Teflon, and threaded it in. Fixed my problem, no leaks at all!!! Thanks for saving me a ton of cash and time!!!
if you put a nut all the way in before cutting, after taking the nut off, it will fix the thread and make it easier to screw on.. :)
Great insight, Grasshopper.
@CivicFiberglassDoor That sucks. I've had to replace a few pans myself because of such carelessness, after I found this trick however I replaced them a lot less unless I knew the place that had damaged it in the first place was footing the bill, then I changed the pan and charged full price.
A shop stripped my mothers oil pan plug.
HOW fucking hard is is to hand twist a 14mm nut.
Thanks a Ton Eric. We sat around for a half hour trying to figure out how to fix this issue with out stripped out threads on the oil pan before we saw your video. Followed your directions exactly and back on the road 30 minutes later. Thanks Sir ! !
Tap and dye...
That would work too. You could also use a helicoil also.
Whats a heli coil
@@patrickodonnell9770 It's like Google
@@incandescentwithrage keep taking the tablets
Thank you! Saved me a giant headache! Changing the oil for the first time in my son's used car. Drainplug totally stripped, surprised it wasn't leaking oil. Local hardware stores didn't have the right size bolt but the after market one I bought at Autozone was almost double the length of the drainplug. Worked perfect.
Helicoil
+ratcamaro That can cause the pan to crack. That must be done very carefully.
You were a life saver on this, saved me $400+! I just bought a M14-1.5 hexagonal metric bolt that was 30mm long and added a washer, didn't have to cut it down or smooth it out. The hardest part was finding the bolt at a local hardware store, Lowes and Home Depot didn't have it.
I should add that to anyone that stripped out their oil pan, you probably want to run a lot of oil through it, because it flushed out most of the metal shavings from it getting stripped.
David Richey what kind of vehicle did you use this longer bolt in? I just found that exact bolt at an Ace Hardware to use for my 2006 Honda Ridgeline and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to cut it to make it work.
Thanks in advance.
You just put in an oversize drain plug:
You're giving bad advice to 241,050 people
+Indrekk Pringi Which potentially gets metal shavings in the oil pan. Great idea.
+nik12937
Never happened and never will
get a life
whatever works u could tap it out and pour oil in there flush it out or use longer bolt. same difference this is simpler
NO HE DIDN'T!
a "one over" is a temporary fix at best that essentially ruins the oil pan, even IF you get it started straight.
@EricTheCarGuy I work as a mechanic on the east coast of Canada. Ive replaced quite a few steel oil pans and transmission pans because they have rusted out to the point that they leak quite badly. The fact that aluminum pans don't rust out and leak the way steel pans can, may or may not have anything to do with it but i am glad my oil pan is aluminum. The newest vehicle i replaced a rusted leaking steel pan was on a 2007.
Great tip Eric !! Fortunately I've had enough common sense that you NEVER over tighten the drain plug bolt.. I always rub a little oil on the threads and feed it manually with my hands so I can feel and confirm it isn't cross threaded. I only give it a little "umpphh" when I tighten it back down but god forbit if I strip it I now know a cheap fix. What did that bolt cost you maybe $1-2 at the local Home Depot/Lowe's ? I love cheap and solid workarounds like this !! Saves time and money.
Great video!! I came across that situation on my Honda Civic a month ago, i had to replace the oil pan, I spent $285 to fix it. I went to home depot and no one could tell me sizes or were able to help me, so i end up replacing it. If only i`ve found your UA-cam channel before and watched this video i could have safe some money. Thanks Eric, great job!!!
Eric the word GENIUS was reserved just for you I think
I enjoy your videos because they're down to earth no-nonesense mechanical tips and tutorials, also you admit when you make mistakes which is humbling to see
PLEASE whatever you do don't stop making videos like this they are more educational and entertaining to view than you could imagine!
Stay dirty and stay on youtube!
Peace out
I work in industrial maintenance and am occasionally annoyed at how others will hugely overtighten bolts, screws and other connections on the factory equipment, all its doing is wearing out the threads.
This is a well edited comprehensive video that gets to the point. I gave it a like.
Just wanted to say thanks for the tip! over torqued my 02 Civic drain bolt enough to screw up the threads (by hand) and this saved me a new pan. I would add that I needed to FULLY strip out the damaged threads before the new bolt threaded, then I also found that you CAN have too much thread. I needed to trim my bolt down a second time to roughly 15 threads showing or else it seemed to bottom out. Can't believe my factory plug had only FIVE threads biting in that ALUMINUM pan!! Ugh
@KillerZero259 If you get a stock drain plug it will be of the same length and will do you no good, the idea here is to use a longer bolt to catch the undamaged threads deeper in the pan casting and the longer bolt will accomplish this.
Thanks Eric, this worked perfectly on my daughter's 2010 Ford Fusion. After 140,000 miles the old pan couldn't take it any longer!
@AGreedyTree I've never used a torque wrench on a drain plug but that doesn't mean you couldn't. The point is not to over tighten which seems to be the tendency.
@Begbucks That would take longer and put metal shavings in the oil pan. Also, have you ever tried to drill an oil pan while it's still on the car? It's often not as easy as you might think. As for plastic oil pans, I haven't seen too many of them but I would be just as careful if not more so working with them.
@ErickTheCarGuy....wow, you just saved me $590. I was searching for an oil pan for my 02 Acura RL...just like the Legend, it's a beast to take out and I've been getting quoted more than I can afford. I must admit, I tried the rubber plugs, but after seeing your video, and reading the comments, I'm off to the Mercedes dealership to purchase a longer drain plug! You really don't understand how much this saving is going to help me and my wife out! Continued success with your youtube career!
I've watched this a few times because it's not only informative, it's hilarious, thanks Eric. :)
I swear, Erics worth every friggin penny!!
Loved this video. Not sure how I got here but loved this video. Had to teach this same lesson to one of my friends whereas he just LOVES his air tools. I love mine too but whereas I have learned the painful mistake of aluminum & air tools, he did not know of my problem I had so many years ago and he just made this mistake a few months ago. And your method is CHEAP & Inexpensive. Unlike some of the Tap & Die, Welding, and other skills many people do not know or have or the funds to do so. Cheers.
@FaithfulAnnO Glad you liked the video and that you empathize. I look forward to that meeting. Thanks for your comment.
@smitty6293 Not sure really but depending on your situation you may end up replacing the pan in the end. You might also consider taking it back where the oil was changed to see if they can do anything for you.
@BHownsall I believe that is the default setting of the AC when it detects a problem for Toyota. The battery may have nothing to do with it as it could just have a low charge. I recommend taking it to a shop to have the AC diagnosed.
@OMG55699 Those aren't long enough, the reason you use the longer bolt is because the standard ones are stripped out and the threads wont' catch, just installing a new plug will not work if it's stripped out.
Thank you for not being a couch potato and coming up with a simple brilliant fix :)
Dude you are the best. Ive done that with other things and forgot all about just using a longer bolt. Thanks again
From MCM to lab japan I find ericthecarguy info. Straight to the point common issues.. keep it up!!
IT WORKS !!! You're AWESOMENESS good sir. Thank you so much for this fix. My 2010 Mazda 3 got a stripped drain plug from Valvoline Quickie Lube place so now I will not be so lazy and do my own again.
I have a 2006 Dodge Magnum. The longer bolt worked great. No more drip... I had to go to 3 different hardware stores before I found it.... Thanks dude .... You saved me a bunch of money..... 14mm x 1.5 pitch...... :)
@310stanger Been there a BUNCH of times myself. Thanks very much for your comment I really appreciate it.
@ncrdisabled I don't recommend drilling into an oil pan to avoid the risk of getting metal shavings in the oil. In addition drilling into oil pans on cars can be harder than you might imagine. Thanks for the comment.
Wow you saved my rear, 04 Pilot I stripped the theads myself. My heart sank, then found this video, I can breath now!. Save me hundreds of dollars & easy fix. I have learned my lesson on aluminum pans, easy go with it.
@jambe1234567 The regular drain plug threads would be damaged, there are threads deeper in the pan that are not damaged that the longer bolt will be able to take advantage of. It's not that they are designed that way but when you make a threaded hole it depends on how deep the hole is how far the threads go.
Much love for Eric and his channel had this issue with a 2006 Honda Civic hybrid I only had 1 or 2 threads left with my pan, I was freaking out called my mechanic best course in that situation retap the pan 9/16 and upsize the bolt. 9/16 is between 14mm and 15mm if it strips again you can then retap to 15mm saved me a ton of time and worry if you have no threads left you can still save your pan just need a good fine bolt with a rubber coated washer
it works very good and when i went to buy the bolt i bought M14 X1.5MM 30MM ,I ihave nothing to cut it was just the perfect size (30 MM). Thanks you EricTheCarGuy
Found a plug a little longer than the last and it worked perfectly didn't even have to cut. I would not have though of this. Saved a bunch with a $2 purchase. Thanks!
I use Fumoto drain valves on all my cars. Love them. One time install and never have to worry about stripping oil pans. I've never had one leak so much as a drop of oil.
@ChrisTwitty I should just copy and paste this response: drilling might leave metal in the oil pan, the bolt is much cheeper and much easier to install and works very well. In short, you could but knowing all that, why?
Before I take a cutting blade to any bolt, I'll spin a pair of hex nuts all the way down the bolt. After cutting the bolt, you slowly remove the nuts. They will work similar to a die set and help form a nice tapered thread at the start of the bolt.
The other option for fixing a stripped thread (depending on severity) is to use a tap set to re-cut the threads, then use a proper drain plug, new sealant washer, and of course a torque wrench to tighten the plug to the proper spec.
Great video!
12 years later and still helping the working man
@4711Express That is an excellent suggestion and I wish I would have put it into the video. Thanks for the comment.
I hope this works on my 2005 honda accord. The dealer is charging me 500 bucks to do a time insert job.Thank you.
I stripped out my drain plug on my bike before, hard lesson.
Installed a Heli-Coil instead though, turned out really nice and saved the cost of buying a new pan, but i did take the pan off... so very labor intensive.
Thank you!! You helped me out when my sibling stripped their oil pan.. the bolt was fine, just would not grab anymore. Took 5 visits to different hardware stores but finally got the right sized bolt m14 x 1.5 and cut it down, sanded the edges and it worked beautifully.
@DaShadowInc I see where your coming from but I think just a little restraint and not using power tools goes a long way. Thanks for you input.
Thank you for posting this video, AWESOME! Good to see there's still honest people people out there :)
Bam! Love it. I’ve never let anyone work on my car. I’m 44. Turned wrenches from age 16 to 32 and hung it up because, well let’s face it, it’s a tough way to make a buck. Anyway I let some ass clown change the oil a few months ago as I was really busy. One time won’t hurt right? Went to change it today and the genius either cross threaded or torqued the plug with a 1/2 impact. I will never let anyone ever touch my car again. Was ready to order an oil pan and bum a ride to work tomorrow and I found this fix. $3 and a trip to menards and I’m back back in business. Thank you.
Thanks for this tip! I haad the same problem from the fine work done by Mobile Lube Express on our 05 Honda Odyssey. Stripped the pan, and I had been limping it along with the universal Dorman rubber plug, but that fell out last night on our way home from the fireworks. A good alternative is to buy an oil drain plug at the local Mercedes dealer for a 190d model. It has the same 14x1.50 pitch and is about 1/2" longer than the stock Honda plug. $5 and it uses a 13mm wrench. No machining!
@310stanger I would say it would apply to aluminum oil pans in general. As you run the fastener in by hand you should be able to feel if it's binding or something, if it is then back it out and try again. The point is to take your time and do it right if not you'll be putting a new pan in. Thanks for the comment.
@avion85 That's what I'm here for. Thanks for the comment.
For decades i have used plumbers teflon tape on oil pan bolt before i put it back in.
It always seals well without using excessive force tightening the bolt. Just wrap about 2 turns around bolt thread before reinstalling the bolt. Works great every time with no oil leaks.
I've had to do similar adjustments with bolts. And not having a die grinder or a bench grinder I had to use a hacksaw. To maintain the integrity of the threads, I put a nut on the longer bolt and using the vise and hacksaw, cut it at the very end of the nut. It acts sort of like a tap-and-die threader when I remove the nut. Finish off the end of the bold with a fine "toothed" file just to round it off a bit. Just my method. :)
Thanks for the tips!! Awesome quality.
@SystemXpander To answer the first question because the threads are stripped and there is nothing for the new bolt to thread into, as for the second question yes you can but it will take longer.
@spelunkerd I would say drain plug torque is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 ftlbs, not much really, the point is to only use hand tools for this not air tools. As for oil filters just turn them 1/2 turn after the gasket makes contact, I've never had one leak yet that I didn't double gasket.
Erik... really appreciate the video. When I stripped mine a few hours ago, I was thinking the same thing, cause I could look up into the tapped hole and saw several more threads left in the hole. I just happened to have a plug (minus crush washer) with 3 threads longer and some powdered loctite. Seems to be working fine. Like you I feel the guy who owned the Odyssey before me knew there were threads missing... cause I'm old school (only wrenches for torque). Appreciate the clean language!
@choi3ed Let me put it this way, if your engine is old and has run regular oil stay with it and save your money. I've seen more than one occasion where someone switched to synthetic or 'special' oil only to find that it leaks more and burns more oil after the switch. That stuff is good for new engines but I don't recommend it for old ones.
@AnUglyAmerican I think it's good practice to use 6pt sockets on everything instead of 12pt, the only time I use 12pt is when I have a 12pt fastener to remove. I agree about putting metal shavings in the oil pan, bad idea and would take more time than my method. Thanks for your suggestion and comment.
@soigne95035 The bolt cutting method has been mentioned several times and is a great idea. As for tapping however normally there are not enough threads to install a standard plug back in even after a repair, aside from that you would be putting metal shavings in the pan if you did that.
@ghtowagon The hardware store didn't have any flange bolts in that size. Thanks for your comment.
Thank you for the information. Oil lube place stripped my oil pan and they blamed me saying it was already like that when they started it. Mechanic wanted over $1000 to replace oil pan with labor. I simply cut off a 18 mm x 1.5 bolt to twice the length and it works. By the way I own a VOLVO.
@jwed6 I would start with the distributor code before I worried about the IAC code. If the distributor is an aftermarket replacement unit it is probably the cause of this problem as it is quite common with replacement distributors. The IAC valve may be faulty but you might try cleaning it first.
@luckycraftsammy The fan is not suppose to run constantly, this is most likely the source of you running cool and not the thermostat. Find the source of the fan problem and I suspect it will be back to normal. BTW make sure the AC is not on when you are performing the procedure as this will turn the fan on.
Great video, Sears decided to use 5 different plugs into my VW, with an impact and showed me how they spun out, and some fell out (I was super ticked off) and he was about to reach for yet a different plug.. first time I decide to have someone else do my oil. I will be posting my video when I start on it on my channel.
@pabllosee You could do that but first drilling into an oil pan is trickier than you might think. Also drilling into the pan may leave metal shavings in the pan which would not be good. Lastly my method takes about 10min, how long do you think it would take to put a helicoil in? How much do you think the thread repair kit would cost compared to my bolt?
Another great tip from u man!! one more tip u can first put a nut on the bolt and cut it then u can go with the grinder and after that u take out the nut and when u do that the threads are going to align again so u are not going to get troubles put it on again.
hope u would understand what im talking about.
regards from Lima-Peru
@michaelfx1 That has been mentioned in several of the comments below, thank you for your input.