Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, just gone to do an oil change on the van and change the sump plug washer as it had a slight oil leak, (thinking it just needed a new washer). and found the oil leak to be due to the threads been stripped in the engine casing, Has anyone else had this problem, how did you rectify it?
Am i best finding a local engineer with the proper gear to re-tap the threads and maybe use a slightly larger sump plug?
Why do these easy jobs turn into nightmares

Oh its a 1.9 Petrol engine DG code.

Yes, find a friendly engineer that can fit a helicoil or perhaps tap it slightly larger (not easy as there isnt a lot of room for a bigger seat)

classic case of overtightening using big socket etc.. (see the other thread about serviceing etc... )

The plug is M14 x1.5 thread on the DG engine. I had the same problem and a helicoil kit worked very well, it was a tight enough seal to stop leaks (from there anyway!).

You can do the procedure with the engine in-situ, but be sure to pour the old oil through once or twice to get rid of any bits of metal that come off as you are re-tapping it.

Previous owner,or his 'mechanic' mucked mine up.
I seem to remember that helicoils are expensive so a boiler engineer friend supplied a bush or taper bush they might be called. I aint no engineer but if I can do it anyone can.
The bush is a fitting with a thread inside and out and a hex nut on one end. The sump was drilled, by hand, slowly, hole tapped and bush inserted using loctite. Left for a few hours then plug with washer inserted. Done at least 6 oil changes since then and no problems. Had to buy a drill but borrowed the tap. Seem to remember I had to hold the drill in a tap holder. When doing an oil change I use 2 spanners one to hold the bush, just to make sure it don't move, and 1 for the plug. Any gas/plumbing supplier should have all the bits.
Probably not a textbook solution but it worked, still is, and it was cheap.
Don
PS I have got the drill some where so I can post it to you if that will help. Steve & Bev and Jaylo's solution sound worth trying first

I have exactly the same on my sump plug. I've covered it with some instant gasket around the base of the thread and it seems to have worked. Someone else suggested using plumbers putty, which again does the trick. If you do this, put the sump plug back in and smear over the top of it and a bit over the engine casing.

Steve

ours was the same , or maybe i did it about 70 k miles ago , luckily the plug has a hole thru the nut part for securing with wire , excellent , so i use ptfe tape (plumbers ), a thick copper washer , and hold it tight on with copper wire , done 70 k odd like i say .
jaylo

Thanks guys just being looking at the price of the helicoil kits, and as kentishvanman says they aren't cheap, so i think i'll either have to find a local engineer with the gear to do it for me, or the idea of the bush sounds good, might go check B & Q out later and see what they've got, What size bush did you use kentishvanman? just as toomanytoys said, there isn't much room to go much bigger?
Cheers Rob

Bush size. I can't remember what I had for breakfast let alone what I did about 4 years ago. I would imagine it was one a fraction larger dia than the sump plug. If you want to use my drill bit then you can work back from that ie obtain a bush and tap to suit the drill.
Suggest taking sump plug to plumbers merchants and explaining problem and they can advise. Further suggestion. Why not go down the route of gasket paste etc to see if that works. If it does you have saved yourself a few bob and time.
Don

kentishvanman.just wondering like.how come your membership number is 875.if you joined in 2007...

R0B wrote:kentishvanman.just wondering like.how come your membership number is 875.if you joined in 2007...

Rob,
I have often wondered the same. Perhaps the 'membership man' can answer. I am sure I was a member before 2007. Perhaps I was a member but did not register for the forum until 2007.
Don

kentishvanman wrote:Bush size. I can't remember what I had for breakfast let alone what I did about 4 years ago.

fair point

I'd prefer to sort it properly to be honest. But does the gasket seal work ok? how do you go on at oil changes for you guys who have approached it this way?

I stripped the thread on my drain hole last week. It's going into the garage to be fixed on Saturday as I couldn't find any tap & die set that went up to an M14 size and an M14 tap plus handle (not sure if that is the correct term for the tool?) on it's own was £40 plus vat from the local engineering suppliers.

Out of interest the garage will either drill it out to M16 or fit a helicoil. Is one more preferable than the other?

thanks

Mine did the same....trouble is, it must have been the second time...cos a M16 was in it...now its a M18 Citreon plug cut down to fit past the shoulder..
Last chance.....
Christ no's wot happens if it strips again...