Shredded Sump Thread •HELP!•

[Hacksawbob]

I reckon oily bolt drops onto dirty floor picks up crud then crud doesn't allow bolt to start in thread correctly when replaced causing cross thread. Or just overtightened, bolt is tougher than case material.

[aulday]

Yeah, the bolt didn't touch the ground though. I undid it due to oil over-fill, let a litre out still holding the plug in the socket, then did it back up. Didn't require much tightening before it shredded. Like softer than any bolt I've experienced shredding (not that I've experienced many!)

[toomanytoys]

They aint crap...
Bare in mind its 20 odd years old and there will have been some "monkey" thats used a 1/2" socket bar and done it up like it holds the engine in...
new alloy or copper washer, a ring spanner held in the middle with bit of a nudge is more than enough..

I had to tap out the sump plug on a 30k mile VW factory recon middle of last year.. it cant have had many oil changes really... I had to buy a full set of taps and dies on a Saturday morn to get the m16 I needed.. Citroen ZX sump plug from Halfords did the job then....

To re tap.. need to get it nice a straight.. go gentle, take it out and clean it regular, then pour some oil in and let it drain to make sure any swarf that did go in the sump gets flushed out.. but you can gently stick your little finger in and wipe around also.. (of course dont if you have fat fingers.... getting a stuck finger out will be a bit tricky..)

[aulday]

I've so far learnt in 5 months, that T25 = time

When I have some more spare I'll get tapping. For now it only leaks an occasional drip.

thanks!

[Surfrider]

Similar issue my end.
What model of French motor has this M16 sumpl plug? None of the motor factors are forth coming at my end.

[Surfrider]

Found it Ha ha


http://www.dcp-shop.co.uk/S11-2-Sump-Pl ... Citroen-ZX

[Ian Hulley]

Just for reference the original VW T25/T3 WBXer sump plug is M14 x 1.5 pitch. Don't ask me how I know that.

Ian

[footstuck]

As said, it could have been cross threaded for the first time more than twenty years ago. Then maye every subsequent oil Change there after, a little more of the thred is lost whilst the bolt finds the correct path until . . . .
Half way in is a lot of attempts at re fitting a crossed thred, so it must have started some time ago. Once the plug is up tight and sealed, you forget the half turn that didnt quiet feel right and the difficulty you've had in he past. It sounds like it's yielding on tightening. To me it's time to repair it as only doom will follow, and that's going to be when you least want it. Easy fix though if you're capable, or the best of your local garages will have the tooling.

[aulday]

Right so if I buy one of these French plugs, what "exactly" do I need tool wise to make the right thread for it?

[kevtherev]

You will need a steady hand...and the ability to drill in square and true.

An M14.5 drill bit, with an M16 X 1.5 tapping tool, not a rethreading tool for the M16 sump plug.

You have just one shot at this, so no pressure then.

[Mark S]

Great chain. I've just had exactly the same issue with my JX sump.

Can anyone tell me this: if I need to tap a new M16 thread into a stripped M14 do I need to do any drilling or reaming, or will the tap go pretty much straight in with a bit of elbow grease?

Also the question arises as to what to use for a plug in the new M16 hole. The Citroen ZX one described above might do it but it looks a little short. Might this be better http://shop.motorsport-developments.co. ... -347-p.asp or even this http://www.screwfix.com/p/set-screws-a2 ... of-5/98890 (with a washer and copper crush washer)? Any thoughts?

[icosahedron]

Nothing wrong my sump fortunately but what is the reason for going to M16x1.5 and not M15x1.5? Surely no drilling will be required for M15.

[kevtherev]

yes you can get away with no drilling...... if your patient the tap will go ..but it's steady and careful as your 0.5 mm to heavy...but being an alloy it will be no match for the hardened steel tap.

[aulday]

no joke

where do you get a rubber plug from



done another oil change and the thread just came right out. it's in with only 1 circumfrence of the hole and drips a fair amount

done so much welding, brake servicing and sorting things out after a major MOT failure that I don't have the time to do a re-tap or money to pay for a helicoil. I'd be happy with a good rubber bung that fits

[California Dreamin]

heh thanks

I can get home and about fine. It's only the odd drip. But I think I'm going to need to tap and fit a larger plug.

im baffled as to why they are so crap. Un-did, re-fitted with very little force, cross threaded. Is it due to there being so much lubrication or something?

120K motor....changing the oil every 5K so thats 20 times....

The real culprit is re-using old copper sealing washers and the need to tighten the bung up 'that little bit more' because the washer is already compressed so doesn't seal well.

Use once...crush washer to pre-form and seal...throw away and use another...this way there is never a need to nip the bung up a little bit more!

Martin