So I changed my oil...

C

Corey Bit Spank

Active member
And now it's leaking a little. Seems to be from the drain plug.



:(



It's as tight as it will go. We'll see. Anything else it could be? It's definitely not the filter. :( It was fine before this.



No I didn't switch to synthetic. :o
 
Sounds like it is cross threaded. Have you had it changed by anyone other than yourself recently?



Just changed my oil this weekend as well.
 
Did you change the gasket on the plug, if not you might to get a new one and put it on. I would get a clean pan and save the oil you drain and use it over.
 
I agree with the plug gasket suggestion. It's typically a metal washer with a rubber inner portion, although I've seen some plastic ones. If that's ok, then you've got bigger problems.
 
:( It went in really easily so I don't think I cross threaded it. I tightened it this morning a bit more, and it isn't leaking anymore, i'll let you all know tomorrow. ;)
 
Hmm may be the gasket theory then :D Didn't occur to me as not all cars have a gasket on the drain plug. My Mustang and the Wife's minivan don't have a gasket on the drain plug but, the Jeep Liberty does.
 
I'm a very big fan of using an extractor. I haven't done an oil change the old fashioned way in a number of years now. It really does get out all of the oil too :up
 
My wife's old Saturn used to do that... Didn't matter who changed it, me, dealer, jiffy lube (or another screw up place like that). It would leak a couple drops for 3 or 4 days and then nothing. Had dealer take apart the whole thing and couldn't find a reason. I just knew to lay down some newspaper after an oil change. Thank goodness we got rid of that thing.
 
rjstaaf said:
Hmm may be the gasket theory then :D Didn't occur to me as not all cars have a gasket on the drain plug. My Mustang and the Wife's minivan don't have a gasket on the drain plug but, the Jeep Liberty does.
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That's strange your Stang doesn't have a plug gasket. Every Ford I've ever worked on has had one, including my buddys 01' SVT Cobra. My Explorer and Town Car have em' too. Wierd.



Corey,



Be careful how much your tugging on that drain plug, or you'll strip it and then your really screwed.
 
Actually Brad you are correct, just went under the Mustang and backed the plug out enough to see and there is a very thin metal washer, ditto for the minivan. Guess I am not as observant as I thought I was :o
 
yeah, my car has one to. they call it a crush washer, retail for like $ 0.07 and i change it ever time. when i did my first oil change which was my cars fourth, i noticed how rounded the drain plug was. the techs at lube express where obviously using inproper tools/techniques to remove and when i noticed that my oil pan had a slight oil film from undertightening, enough was enough and i started to change my own oil. my concern is whether you are overtightening. its obvious you take good care of your car, use a torque wrench if your not already. when i changed my oil on my current car for the 1st time, i was so stunned by how little pressure 36ft/lbs is....i thought my brand new torque wrench was off and had a friend at sears calibrate it for free (they are supposed to charge), it was dead on.
 
Have you thought to check if the oil has just been coming from somewhere else? Maybe you dripped so when you took the oil bottle out, and then it has just been dripping for the last while. Then when all the oil was gone, it stop "leaking"?





***DRIPPING NOT DRILLING!***
 
LouisanaJeeper said:
get a new drain plug..hope you did not strip yur threads on the pan
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I agree...you do not have to tighten your drain plug as much as possible. Hand tighten and then about a full turn with the ratchet is all you need--just till its a little more than snug.



If your threads are stripped you will probably need a new oil pan. Do not get the universal plugs that expand as you tighten, I had them in my old '88 Yota pickup and it fell out on the interstate--lost all my oil and blew the motor.
 
I'll remind folks that the "gasket" is a crush washer like jchetty said - they are meant to be replaced almost every time - buy some
 
I don't see the reason to ever bother with the plug any more since i use an extractor, I can change the car when the oil is very hot, no harming my hands, don't have to worry about ruining clothes and the extractor does get all of the oil out
 
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