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Date:         Mon, 19 Aug 2002 10:38:32 -0400
Reply-To:     Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil Drain Plug Options
Comments: To: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Just put some heavy grease on the tap, like wheel bearing grease. Loose bits will still to it. Find another mechanic.

"G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>@gerry.vanagon.com> on 08/19/2002 10:31:19 AM

Please respond to "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>

Sent by: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>

To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM cc: Subject: Re: Oil Drain Plug Options

It is no sweat. Just re-tap it, move up to the next size plug. Apply some (gentle) compressed air to the case while you are tapping so the swarf exits the tap hole.

To prevent this, use a torque wrench on your drain plug in the future or find a mechanic who works on VWs. Most American wrench heads try to torque these plugs to 5-trillion foot pounds, like it is a Terex dumptruck.

I seem to recall 8 foot pounds is all that is necessary/recommended.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett Marketing & Communications Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com AIM = IExplain4u Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of Jeremy Speer Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 9:42 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Oil Drain Plug Options

IMHO the single weakest point of the flat four engine is the oil drain plug. My brother in law once owned a 1969 21(?) window ragtop bus. He tried to change the oil one day and all the threads came out with the plug as he unscrewed it. To this day i don't remember how he fixed it... all i remember is the cursing and yelling.

Yesterday I was out at my Van guru's place changing the oil.

He pulled the drip pan over, gingerly removed the drain plug....

"Uh oh. Oh, dude, i think we've got some thread loss."

Arrrgh!

He handed me the plug. It had a ring of crankcase metal around it near the head end.

Ok, so it's not the end of the world. He cleaned off the plug and screwed it back in after the engine had drained for a while. Then we over filled the engine and backed the plug out letting some oil slowly drain across the threads. Sure enough shiny flecks came out. But, eventually there was just clean oil draining out. He tightened the plug... and all seemed well.

But this morning i find the plug is leaking a little. Again, at this point it's not the end of the world, but my question is, what repair options exist for the drain plug threads?

And, what vehicles beside flat four VW's and Porsche's use an oil drain that is threaded right into the crankcase?

-jspeer '89 Westy GL, "Mystery Machine"


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