Late DG sump plug issue, any info?

[fairwynds]

Mates 1990 DG engine sump plug rotates both ways, without doing much! Will no doubt need helicoiling?
Engineering place has suggested removing sump and taking it separately to them.....is this do-able? I've no longer got my DG engined van so can't pop out and have a look at mine..
I was under the impression the DG doesn't have a 'removable sump'?
Cheers....
FW

[itchyfeet]

No removeable sump
Can be done with engine in if care is taken not to get swarf into the engine and flush after with oil just incase some does go in.
I did mine you can borrow the kit if you feel like doing it

[huggy76]

Agree with above.

When I had to do mine I drained the oil, drilled and helicoiled then slowly poured the used engine oil back through before putting fresh oil in.

Grease the tap so that most of the swarf sticks to it and be very careful when snapping the tab off the helicoil.

[itchyfeet]

Snap tang off with long nose pliers and you won't loose it

[huggy76]

I think I used a pair of long nose mole grips just to be extra safe.

[itchyfeet]

Need to jack the vehicle also to get the drill in and a helper to tell you it's square when you drill and tap is an advantage.

To get the old plug out try mole grips on it and pull while turning.

[silverbullet]

Get a "ThreadDoctor" in to do it. If you dont have a drill jig to get it dead square and know how to shorten a helicoil to about 0.8D then dont even start, it will always leak.
Get it wrong and then its strip down to a bare case and off to a machine shop. Then thats your last chance.

[Hacksawbob]

Get an oil suction kit and forget it. There is an expanding oil sump bolt out there I think, prob ebay.

[Hacksawbob]

If your drilling attach an air pump to the dipstick to create some positive pressure in the crank case (not so much you burst anything ) if you drill to force the swarf out when you break through, start small and dead centre with a centre punch and open it out. Not a job I would like to do under the van.