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It's my first time doing an oil change since I purchased the car used. I went under the car and noticed the oil drain plug looks different. Not sure if the drain plug was stripped when the last owner had it or what. I attached the pics. Any idea what kind of screw this is? Any recommendations on how I should proceed?
I have never seen anything like that. I suspect they stripped the threads and stuck that in. It does state hand tighten only on the handle. I would not trust that to work if you unscrewed it, you may be screwed if you try to change your own oil this time.
If it was my vehicle I would find a reputable independent shop that would be able to tap new threads and install a real replacement bolt.
Any really good repair shop can take care of this repair.
If you need help finding a repair shop start with this searchable link to shops recommended by listeners of the NPR radio show Car Talk. Then cross check on Google or Yelp any shops you are interested in as some reviews are old. https://www.cartalk.com/mechanics-files
I have never seen anything like that. I suspect they stripped the threads and stuck that in. It does state hand tighten only on the handle. I would not trust that to work if you unscrewed it, you may be screwed if you try to change your own oil this time.
If it was my vehicle I would find a reputable independent shop that would be able to tap new threads and install a real replacement bolt.
Any really good repair shop can take care of this repair.
If you need help finding a repair shop start with this searchable link to shops recommended by listeners of the NPR radio show Car Talk. Then cross check on Google or Yelp any shops you are interested in as some reviews are old. https://www.cartalk.com/mechanics-files
It's my first time doing an oil change since I purchased the car used. I went under the car and noticed the oil drain plug looks different. Not sure if the drain plug was stripped when the last owner had it or what. I attached the pics. Any idea what kind of screw this is? Any recommendations on how I should proceed?
It looks like you will need to either rethread your oil pan drain bolt hole or maybe buy a new/used oil pan. It also possible that the last owner just lost the drain plug and decided to use this device, but most likely the drain hole threads was stripped due to someone over tightening the drain plug and this device was used to quickly solve the issue.
I would remove the device after your next oil change and check to see if a proper drain plug with work. If not, then you can repair the threads or just replace the oil pan.
It works, but I would just replace it before the rubber seal fails and the oil leaks out the pan. Most stock drain plugs use metal washers and threaded nuts for a reason. This universal drain plug looks like a accident that is waiting to happen since the rubber gasket is the only thing keeping your oil in the pan.
There are many after market products available and we don't know why the previous owner chose this one.
Since it is not leaking now, I would wait for the next oil change. Be prepared on your next service to keep or swap to original or even try some other aftermarket plug. [yes there is 1/4 turn spigot drain plug too. The new ones have safety lock on them to prevent accidental turning of spigot]. I would check that the threads are fine and then replace it with original drain bolt and crush washer. [Do not be tempted to get matching threads only as the length of the bolt matters too].
There are many after market products available and we don't know why the previous owner chose this one.
Since it is not leaking now, I would wait for the next oil change. Be prepared on your next service to keep or swap to original or even try some other aftermarket plug. [yes there is 1/4 turn spigot drain plug too. The new ones have safety lock on them to prevent accidental turning of spigot]. I would check that the threads are fine and then replace it with original drain bolt and crush washer. [Do not be tempted to get matching threads only as the length of the bolt matters too].
Salim
I think at this point the only thing I can do in case of a leak is to change the drain pan. I don't know if it's possible to remove the winged style nut that is inside the drain pan.
Get a Magnetic Pickup Tool. It will let you grab the wingnut if it is magnetic. They are about $6 and look like old radio antennas but the tip is magnetic. They extend quite a bit.
I have one and it has saved me a few times when a nut or bolt has fallen into some crevice in the car.
^^ What he said. Everyone who does DIY work on vehicles should have one of these magnetic wand tools. I wind up needing to use mine multiple times per year for retrieving small screws that get away from me during the removal process in tight spaces. .
I think at this point the only thing I can do in case of a leak is to change the drain pan. I don't know if it's possible to remove the winged style nut that is inside the drain pan.
If I understand you correctly, you are concerned about removing the currently installed plug and not about retrieving some thing (old plug?). Previous owner installed this one to make it easy to drain. It is supposed to be tightened by hand [advertised as no tools required I bet]. The OEM plug is designed with a crush washer and is technically speced to be torqued to 19ft-lbs [please confirm].
Remove and test with an original. Most likely your pan threads are good. Is it that you are overthinking the problem?
It appears he is concerned that when this plug is loosened for removal that the wingnut like thing on the end may/will fall off and be left inside the oil pan. It appears to me that the plug is only meant to be loosened for oil draining, and the wing nut stays attached and oil drains all over the other half that is hanging from the oil pan. You then have to wipe it up after it drains. It is not meant to be completely removed on every oil change.
I watched the video posted above and he explains and demonstrates that the end of the screw/bolt is flattened so that the wingnut like thing on the end cannot be completely removed or unscrewed from the bolt. It is a one piece hinged thing that folds agains the bolt for installation then opens up inside the pan. He explains it is a permanent fix and is supposed to hang from your oil pan when draining as I speculated above. He has installed a dozen of these and thinks they are a great permanent solution for stripped drain plugs. However it does look like it may be difficult to remove. Maybe stick some needle nose pliers up there to squeeze the wingnut thiing (it is one hinged piece of metal) against the threads and try to get it thru the drain hole. You may have to remove the oil pan and get a new oil pan.
I suspect it was installed because someone stripped the threads in the oil pan.
Based on that, I would just change my oil and keep driving until ready to get a new oil pan.
I think at this point the only thing I can do in case of a leak is to change the drain pan. I don't know if it's possible to remove the winged style nut that is inside the drain pan.
I would use a long pick tool to hold the wing nut still and to help pull it out of the drain hole if I was to remove the drain device out of my oil pan. If drain bolt threads are stripped then I would reinstall the oil plug device until I was ready to change out the oil pan or try to tap new threads in the old oil pan.
Its is not too difficult to remove the lower oil pan, easily done with jackstands, and the RTV on it starts to seep after 10 years or so anyways.
True. I would pull the old lower oil pan due to it unknown condition that lead to the universal drain plug repair device and just put on a new freshly sealed lower oil pan if I discovered that issue on my RX.
06-03-23, 01:12 PM
Oil drain screw looks different
