nursing damaged oil drain threads

[thielb]

Well i messed up bad. I trusted a cheap torque wrench (which i DO know how to use and had it correctly set) instead of my better instinct. And now I have very damaged threads in the oil drain. Checked afterwards and no matter what, the torque wrench locks up with no clicking. Rookie mistake I know I feel like a complete dumbass. So i felt the bolt all of a sudden get easier when i was torquinq waiting for my clicks. I knew i was in trouble. Backed it out as safely as possible and out comes some shredded thread from inside the drain. Cleaned out the drain and eased the plug back in to see what there was to see. Still pulls tight but I'm not stupid enough to rip on it real hard anymore. So I'm here now for some advice, not to hear about how stupid of a mistake it was to trust cheap garbage instead of tested instinct. I'm thinking a chubby o-ring in addition to the washer on the plug and some teflon tape. Would that be enough? Better ideas anyone? Obviously it would be best to just tap new threads but thats not going to happen unless it absolutely has to in the end. Please help

 

[16VGTIDave]

That sucks! I'd be ditching the copper crush washer and using either a nylon crush washer or an o-ring like you mentioned. It won't take more than 5lb/ft to get a seal. I wouldn't use Teflon tape as it isn't designed to be a thread sealant, it is a thread lubricant.

 

[thielb]

yea it sucks thanks for chiming in though Dave, always appreciate the advice you have to give. I guess i thought about the teflon tape more so as a way to protect the threads from further damage, not necessarily a good seal. Not sure if it would really help at all, I haven't used the stuff much. Just looking for an effective way to get back on my bike i guess, all the good weather is getting away and I can't afford to take the car to work everyday. So I should lose the washer and go just with an o-ring huh? I spose now that i think about it, the washer wouldnt really contribute if there was an o-ring. I have just the right o-ring too, correct diameter and thick enough that it can squish quite a ways for a good seal. Any other ideas on protecting the shredded threads? They're pretty messed up but i really hope I can carefully get them to still work properly and safely. Any and all tips are welcome

 

[Lou Ranger]

Here is something that will get you going right away while you ponder what to do long term:

Have you had the bolt all the way out to confirm that it is the thread in the engine block that is damaged and not the thread of the bolt itself?
If you are talking the main drain bolt (and not the filter cover bolt), it calls for 31 lbs of torque. Using a compressible gasket as Dave suggests would allow you to get an effective seal with less than 31 lbs. The oil filter cover spec calls for torquing to 11 lbs and that is against a rubber O-ring.
But at anything less than 11 lbs, could it vibrate loose over time?
The only other thing I would ask is are you sure that there is enough integrity in the damaged threads to allow you to torque to say 11 lbs? If not, could you try to find a helicoil repair kit similar to the type of thing that people use when they strip the threads in spark plug holes.

 

[Lou Ranger]

On another Forum I read about a guy using this stuff temporarily.

http://www.henkel.com.au/3423_AUS_H...redDotUID=productfinder&redDotUID=10000009R7G
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He said it seeped a tiny bit when hot, but held nicely. He used it for a short while so he could ride until he could get one of the expensive permanent kits.
I would rather use that rubber compression plug if it is readily available, but if you need to order and wait for shipping, try the Loctite.

 

[thielb]

well i picked up permatex high temp thread sealant today. I'm going to use that in addition to an o-ring on the plug bolt. Next oil change, I'll probably go with the rubber plug, that looks like a pretty solid solution. Thanks for the help Lou, these rough patches go way easier when someone is willing to share some knowledge. Gunna go assemble everything right now, hope it goes a bit better this time around