Oil DRAIN PLUG TORQUE

ModMech · May 31, 2015

Tq is almost always application specific, but *most* "automotive" drain plugs will fall in the 10ft-lb to 20ft-lb range. Using those values has never let me down, they are SUBSTANTIALLY lower than normal "bolt torque" values for the same thread size fastener (anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of normal).

Heavy equipment and larger on-highway diesel engines often have much larger drain plugs with correspondingly higher tq requirements.

crashz · Jun 2, 2015

At one point in my youth, I had no idea what a torque wrench was. Tight was as tight as I could go.

In replacing ball joints on my 83 K2500, I tightened the driver side upper castle nut to "tight". Found that I needed a little more to go for the cotter pin. Once fully assembled, I put the truck back down on its tires and heard a "BOOM" like I was next to a firing shot gun. Sure enough, the cast knuckle was split. My lesson on fastener torque began that day.

Mace Canute · Jun 3, 2015

Pete6114 said:
I'm a firm believer in using torque wrenches on everything.
My advice to the OP is to call a dealer service department and find out, like i do when i need torque specs.

Excellent advice. One heavy duty mechanic I knew had 5 different sized torque wrenches from 1/4" to 1" that he used on every nut and bolt he tightened. Another mechanic friend does a considerable number of oil changes on cars and smaller trucks and always torques everything. He said he's seen a lot of stripped pans from the quicky oil change places and has testified in court when the owners took the quicky lube places to court.

I dropped by his garage this afternoon and he was doing front struts replacement. Some simian who doubled as a mechanic had previous over tightened the nuts on the lower ball joint studs so badly it took a 3 foot breaker bar to crack the nuts loose and then a five foot cheater bar on a pry bar jammed between the control arm and the ball joint to crack them free of the taper. Because the nuts on the tapered studs had been so over tightened the threads were deformed and they deformed the stud threads as they were turned off.