a sad day for my ti

[jkhania]

so i went and got my oil changed...and ended up having to tow my car to a mechanic because my oil pan and plug was stripped. but my car had to sit in a parking lot over night, where someone tried to open my passenger door with a screw driver so lock aside my oil pan/plug is gunna be 1400 and not sure if the place i got my oil changed is gunna pay forward

[1996 328ti]

You need the pan replaced?

This is why I do my own oil changes.
I have found even the dealer cranking down the drain plug way more than necessary.

[jkhania]

i beleive so. im not totally sure. i dont have the cash for this, so my dad is helping me

[1996 328ti]

Oil pan replacements are expensive, but that sounds excessive.

[mohaughn]

Is this at a dealer or an independent mechanic? I would find an indy if it is the dealer. Dealers won't try creative fixes like drilling out the hole and re-threading it and using a larger bolt. You could also try the helicoil thread replacement things.

Usually the helicoils are used when people strip out the spark plug threads, but there should be something similar for the oil drain plug.

$1,400 is not worth the fix..

[cooljess76]

Check the for sale section, there's a guy selling an oil pan here in SoCal for cheap. His name is "collin something???". You'll need to disconnect the engine mounts and raise the engine a couple inches to get the pan off, but it's not that hard if you have a engine hoist. Might be able to rig something up with a floor jack also?

Edit; here ya go:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24180

You know you could always have the plug hole welded shut or just seal it with JBweld if you don't want to remove the pan, then always use a topside oil changer. They work better anyway I think. This would save you a ton of cash! 1 tube of JBweld = 5 bucks, 1 topside oil changer = 30-50 bucks. 5 minutes of work, problem solved.

[b.u.ti-ful]

Not the end of the world if you get a little creative.

Here is a drain plug repair kit just to give you an idea of one way to go:

http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html

[dahamler]

Why not buy an oversized drain plug?

[1996 328ti]

New oil pan is $350.00
Definitely look into a helicoil.
Or even http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

Unless the pan is leaking at the gasket, look into alternatives unless someone else is picking up the tab.

[cooljess76]

Check this out, remove the plug, drain the oil, spray the hole with brake cleaner, wipe it off with a clean rag, mix up some JBweld(it's a 2 part epoxy that hardens like steel), cover the threads on the plug and thread it in. Wait a few hours for it to cure, add oil, check to see if it leaks. Buy this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquivac-Topside...QQcmdZViewItem

Problem fixed for 55 bucks and 5 minutes of work, no need to raise the engine or remove the pan. Even better, you'll never need to get under the car again for an oil change, especially since our filter is located on the top as well! BTW, you shouldn't take your car to the shop for oil changes anyway, DIY!!!

[dahamler]

I think a more inexpensive route would be to go to autozone and ask for a oversized plug for your vehicle and thread it it, problem solved, good as new!

http://www.cgenterprises.com/drain_p...ize_repair.htm

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by dahamler

I think a more inexpensive route would be to go to autozone and ask for a oversized plug for your vehicle and thread it it, problem solved, good as new!

Until someone strips it out again

Lol, I just got this image in my head of a gigantic drain plug that someone would need after the hole's been stripped several times

[dahamler]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

Until someone strips it out again

Lol, I just got this image in my head of a gigantic drain plug that someone would need after the hole's been stripped several times

That is a good point, maybe you should go with the topside kit

[b.u.ti-ful]

That "piggyback" plug dahamler posted looks like a really good way to go.

[cooljess76]

I like that piggyback idea as well. In the end, I think we all could agree that 1400 bucks is waaay too much to spend and replacing the oil pan would only be worth it as a last resort if say it was cracked or something. It's such a PITA to remove, the cheaper alternatives are a no brainer.