Oil Drain Plug Headaches

"BJohnson11" (brettjohnson01) 11/30/2013 at 21:16 • Filed to: truck project

0

8

So if ya'll recall my last post (who knows how long ago it was), I had an oil drain plug dilemma. Well, today I finally had time to try to solve it. I picked up a 5/8-18 plug from NAPA, and a 5/8-18 tap from my shop. I also grabbed a pair of calipers. When I measured the hole, the outer edge of it measured about .585. For reference, the recommended tap drill for a 5/8-18 tap is a 19/32, or .59375. Problem was, when I measured the diameter of the stripped drain plug hole at it's furthest in point, it measured closer to .550. Problem. So now I needed to figure out how to widen that hole. A drill bit and drill wouldn't work because my A-Arm is in the way. I had about 5" of clearance in between the pan and the A-Arm, so it was back to the shop for a solution.

What did I come up with? I borrowed our portable air compressor, a 90 degree pneumatic tool, and a cylindrical carbide filing tool. I then spent the next 30 minutes under the truck, grinding material (wincing at the imminent metal shavings in my oil pan, a full flush with a couple quarts of oil is badly needed), and checking my diameter with the calipers. I finally got the whole hole out to about .590, and set out with the tap. I got threads tapped in (not perfectly perpendicular to the pan, but good enough for government work). and the oil drain plug started in. Tomorrow I'll do the flush and fully thread in the plug.

Any experience on the best way to attach a magnet to an oil drain plug? I know, its a magnet so it'll stick, but I want some insurance because I really don't want a magnet rolling around my oil pan. I figure I'll attach a magnet to the drain plug to catch any particulates.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > BJohnson11 11/30/2013 at 21:25

0

What about using some epoxy or JB Weld and sticking a few to the outside of the pan? You might even try to bore out the end of your drain plug and slap one in the recess? That would catch most of the stuff, I would think. Maybe even take a few of the small ones, ~1/4" and thread some safety wire through it to go fishing in the oil pan. See what you can drag out.

BJohnson11 > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits 11/30/2013 at 21:27

0

That would work. And yea I'm planning on slapping one in the drain plug, but I think I'd just want to JB weld it in just to be sure it doesn't get lifted out somehow and start floating around my oil pan.

UFD551 > BJohnson11 11/30/2013 at 21:29

0

Not sure what kind of car your working on, but I had a honda and installed magnetic oil and trans drain plugs in it from "Spoon sports".

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > BJohnson11 11/30/2013 at 21:34

0

I stick one on the outside of the pan and one to the end of the filter. The pan would conduct the magnetic field just fine.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > BJohnson11 11/30/2013 at 21:36

0

Maybe even figure out a way to put a positive safety on it... I was thinking if you took the hole deep enough, you could probably drill through the bolt and the magnet together, and then put a piece of (yes this will sound very, very redneck...) weedwacker twine through it. It would help to keep it from falling into the pan if the weld should fail, as well as working as a sort of nylock collar for the plug itself, and help stop any vibrational movement. I have never tried it myself, but I remember reading in a source I respected. I just cant remember the source.

desertdog5051 > BJohnson11 11/30/2013 at 21:39

0

Buy a magnetic drain plug. Pretty sure NAPA sells them. Magnet is built into the plug.

Believe it or not, I used one of these for 9 months. I was driving 146 miles round trip each day. 99% of it freeway.

BJohnson11 > desertdog5051 11/30/2013 at 21:46

0

Yea I was thinking about it. For now I'll see if the drain plug works. And NAPA doesn't have a magnetic 5/8 drain plug, and I couldn't find one on summit.

GRawesome > BJohnson11 12/01/2013 at 19:13

0

Check this place out, they make magnetic plugs for everything. Don't think they have International listed as a manufacturer but as long as you know the thread count you should be able to find what you need.

I have seen people attach a magnetic sleeve over the oil filter to pull out metal there or attach very strong magnets (you can buy neodymium or other rare earth magnets online) straight to the oil pan and that should trap anything that makes it down into the bottom of the pan. The thing I don't like about that method is that it doesn't really remove the metal like the drain plug or oil filter approach does, it just traps it.