# Overtighten drain plug on girlfriends impala **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 14, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775 "2018-10-14T22:24:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/1 "2018-10-14T22:24:08Z")
I was tightening the drain plug on my girlfriends impala and I overtightened it. I was applying pressure after it started resisting and felt it strip very slightly. I stopped immediately after feeling the smallest bit of slip. Is it trashed or will it be ok? I usually stop upon resistance. I didn’t realize i was overdoing it. It was the tiniest bit. I didn’t really test it after cause I didn’t wanna over do it more. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/2 "2018-10-14T22:25:35Z")
You’ll find out at the next oil change. Tester ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/3 "2018-10-14T22:29:41Z")
No doubt. I’m tempted to jack it back up and loosen and retighten it. Probably not good driving around with it too tight. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/4 "2018-10-14T22:31:52Z")
If it not leaking for now just leave it alone and check the oil level daily for a week or two. Then check once a week and watch for oil on the ground also. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/5 "2018-10-14T22:37:06Z")
Leave it alone. It’s better to have it too tight than too lose. And what if you remove the plug and find it can’t be tightened to prevent it from leaking oil? Now you have time to come up with a method to repair it if it is stripped. Such as this. [http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html](http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html) Tester ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/6 "2018-10-14T22:56:37Z")
Thank you. In your experience have you found that a slightly stripped bolt can perform its functions properly? I took it past the point of resistance probably the smallest amount as possible ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/7 "2018-10-14T23:00:23Z")
Does the vehicle have an aluminum oil pan or a steel oil pan? Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/8 "2018-10-14T23:11:21Z")
I wouldn’t trust it left that way myself. I might if it was my own car, I’d keep an eye on the situation, but not if it was on somebody else’s car. I expect you already know the damage the engine would incur if it failed. Any auto machine shop can repair this problem for you. Not gonna be that expensive. ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/9 "2018-10-14T23:11:27Z")
I believe it’s aluminum. ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/10 "2018-10-14T23:12:23Z")
You think I should loosen and retighten? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/11 "2018-10-14T23:14:07Z")
If I had that problem I’d drain all the oil out (save it in a clean catch pan lined with a plastic trash bag), then have a leisurely look- see at how serious the problem is. If you decide its ok after that, use a new gasket when re-tightening the drain plug, and only to the approved torque. ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/12 "2018-10-14T23:20:38Z")
Thanks. Why new gasket? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/13 "2018-10-14T23:22:51Z")
The new gasket is crushable, and this helps to prevent leaks and over-tightening. Buy 10 of them and you’ll have a new one on hand for the next 10 oil changes. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/14 "2018-10-15T00:13:26Z")
Head to the nearest auto parts store Buy the correct oil drain plug for the car And when you do the next oil change, if you need to replace the drain plug, you’ll have it on hand The oil drain plug will come with the new gasket That way, if the gasket is shot, the new oil drain plug will take care of the problem If the drain plug threads are shot, the new one will take care of the problem ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/15 "2018-10-15T02:43:35Z")
The Timesert is a neat repair but I think it is overkill. If the pan is aluminum, it is the threads in the pan that will fain, not the ones on the drain plug. I would just go to a parts store and buy an oversize self threading drain plug. If you don’t know if the pan is steel or aluminum, just try sticking a refrigerator magnet on it. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/16 "2018-10-15T02:58:53Z")
we don’t even know that op stripped the pan threads at this point ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/17 "2018-10-15T12:58:28Z")
A magnet will tell you whether it’s steel or alumin(i)um. A torque wrench will keep you from over-tightening in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/18 "2018-10-15T14:37:11Z")
The torque spec on that thing is most likely 18 ft-lbs. Some 3.8L engines were 30 ft-lbs but, either way, it isn’t very much. Generally, people way over-tighten the drain plug. I’m guilty of it - there’s something comforting about knowing that thing is tight, right? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/19 "2018-10-15T18:51:46Z")
And pray that the drain plug doesn’t fall out. Most people motor on and trash the engine. In that case she will likely be an ex-girlfriend… ---
**Author:** ![johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@johan.vh.kruger\_143278](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johan.vh.kruger_143278)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775/20 "2018-10-15T19:11:01Z")
Thank you lads!! Oil level is stable and there is no drip. I should repeat that I overtightened it to the smallest amount imaginable surely. It was like the smallest amount of slip possible and I gave it a little twist after and it felt solid. I just don’t understand the science behind stripping. If it slips a little bit but then feels solid afterwards, does that mean I stripped a percentage of the threading ? [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overtighten-drain-plug-on-girlfriends-impala/126775.md?page=2)