Date: Tue, 9 May 1995 13:22:42 CST6CDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Dan Houg" <fairwind@northernnet.com>
Subject: oil drain plug repair
i thought i'd relate a repair i just did... the hole in the case of
this '87 i have stripped out this weekend, again a victim of dealer
servicing. after calling many people and talking to the dealer here
(not the one that stripped it) i had quite a plethora of
possibilities for repair ranging from one of those cheapo rubber
plugs you insert with a 'needle' to tapping the hole with a spark
plug insert and brazing up a 14mm spark plug for an oil plug.
the most expensive repair was to install a heli-coil (dealer did not
have the 'kit' to do this) so i choose that route :) let me say that
after completeing this, it is absolutely the best way to go. i
bought a new drain plug to go with the new stainless steel threads of
the heli-coil and that ol' plug just threads in so fine until it hits
the gasket. the only resistance is the film of oil... we're talking
smoooth, folks!
costs:
heli-coil kit for 14 mm X 1.5 mm $77.00 comes with 6 inserts
9/16 drill bit $16
new drain plug $5
a couple comments-- the heli-coil comes about 1 inch long, the casing
is about 3/8" thick so they need to be cut down. this is easily
accomplished by snipping one coil at a time with a diagonal side
cutter. when drilling out the casing and tapping it i was paranoid
about filings. i stuck an air hose in the dip-stick tube and had air
flowing all the while i was drilling and tapping. this really kept
the hole clean and the chips shot out of the hole as they were
released. break off the heli-coil 'tang' not by punching it like the
instructions but just wiggle it back and forth with a needle-nose--
it snaps right off and stays in the needle-nose.
now here's the best part... the VW service manager said he'd buy the
heli-coil kit from me when i was done as they run into stripped
threads quite a bit!!! sometimes it pays to get out of bed.
-dan houg
