I Tend To Agree A Bit With ASE On This. The Plug Itself Should Be Renewed Once In A While (Long While).
I’ve done hundreds (not exaggerated) of oil changes (It’s me or nothing) and never stripped a plug (steel) or pan (steel). However, I had a Dodge Intrepid with an aluminum pan & steel plug that did shed threads from the pan hole, one or two at a time over several changes. (Disclaimer - (excuse?) During very cold, continuous weather I had a dealer change the oil, once and had the problem after that.) Imagine that? A 15-year-old highly experienced auto technician (oil rack kid) being to blame?
Anyhow, I’m curious if the subject vehicle had an aluminum pan.
Wait a second. I think my GM cars are aluminum now and I can’t remember. I guess I’ll go with a too aggressive tightening theory. One has to know how tight is too tight and how tight is just right (no rhyme intended).
My GM Cars All Come With Drain Plugs That Have Built-In Neoprene Seals That Sit In A Recess In The Plug. They Don’t Drip, Wear Out, Complain, Etcetera. Seems That The Recess Allows Good Contact Without Crushing/Stressing/Shredding The Seal!
I Love Those GM Machines, Right Down To The Drain Plug. No Smart Comments On Years Of GM Blunders, Please. They’re Better, Now.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you 100% about those drain plug seals that don’t wear out
We have tons of GM vehicles in our fleet, all with those seals you mentioned. After a few years of regular oil changes, those seals do wear out
I know for a fact that those seals can be purchased independent of the drain plug. I’ve done so, for sidejobs
The fact that the part is available implys . . . to me, anyways . . . that there are plenty of GM drain plugs out there with good threads, but a bad seal
For that matter, I don’t know of any drain plug seals that don’t eventually wear out, or “take a set”
@ db4690
I Stand Corrected. I Won’t Argue With Your Experience. The Reason I Made The Statement Is Because I’ve Never Had As Much As One Drip And The Seals Look Fine Each Time I Remove Them And Wipe Them Off.
I claim a bit of CYA as I said “The Plug Itself Should Be Renewed Once In A While (Long While).” That would take care of a new seal.
Good to know I can (and probably should) buy and replace those seals, periodically. Thanks for the info.
I eat a lot of breakfast cereal (for lunch with fruit). It amazes me that a $3+ box comes with the cereal in a thermo-sealed plastic bag that sometimes opens and sometimes rips down the side of the whole &^%$ bag! Awesome! After decades (century?) of packing this stuff, that’s the best they can do?
Why am I ripping (no pun intended) cereal packages?
Decades ago (that sounds terrifying) when I was in High School I worked at little airport for a Piper dealer/flight school/airport owner. I was allowed to do oil changes on the little single engine Piper 4-seater aircraft.
Even back then the 4 cyl. Lycoming engines all had oil “quick drains.” No tools needed, just a pan to catch oil in. Snap it open and it stayed open until the oil drained out. Snap it shut, fill the engine up.
Seems crazy I can’t open and reclose my cereal without swearing. Seems like by now I wouldn’t need a 13mm or 15mm wrench to do a drain plug on all my cars and take care not to damage threads, replace seals, etcetera. Is that the best we can do?
Can anybody help my cereal or cars? I know they sell after market “quick drain plugs” and I guess on a car there’s the hazard of road debris knocking it off/open, but come on. You mean engineers can’t come up with something easier/better?
Come on. I see some genius figured out how manufacture toilet paper without a cardboard tube (for the landfill), even.
Thanks, I feel better, now. I’ve been holding it in.