!!WARNING!!

[turbo660]

To anyone that does their own service, found out the hard way just how easy it can be to strip out the drain plug on those P O S cast aluminum oil pans

Yep, just finishing up my fall oil change when "geez, now why did that feel like that thing just slipped? Well lets take the plug back out and look at it."

"That's funny, everything looks ok."

"Well lets try putting it back in and see what happens."

Sure enough when I put it back in, just before the plug would seat, it spun in the hole.

take the plug back out, and this time all the threads came with.

"Well now what do I do? Drill and tap? Get a new oil pan? I don't know."

"I can't let this thing sit in the garage all weekend."

"Maybe I should just run to the auto parts store and get a drill and tap and an oversized drainplug. Yeah I'll just do that."

So I go to the parts store and what do ya know, they have a self tapping oversized drain plug (I guess I'm not the first one to do this)....get home and put the plug in and, thankfully it worked.:thumbsup:

I just could not believe it stripped out so easy I didn't apply any torque to it,well apparently I did the last time I changed the oil, but I didn't tighten it any more then any other time.

Just thought I would share how my day went, so maybe no one else has to have a day like this.

 

[turbo660]

Aside from the drainplug ordeal, I did manage to get the hydro fluid replaced.everything went fine there, or at least until I found one of the drainplug washers in the drain pan, after I refilled the tractor with fluid.

I was lucky and was able to determine which plug it was off of (one of three)and pull the plug and put it back on (only lost about 8 oz of fluid).

Today just wasn't my day

 

[lilranch2001]

To anyone that does their own service, found out the hard way just how easy it can be to strip out the drain plug on those P O S cast aluminum oil pans

Yep, just finishing up my fall oil change when "geez, now why did that feel like that thing just slipped? Well lets take the plug back out and look at it."

"That's funny, everything looks ok."

"Well lets try putting it back in and see what happens."

Sure enough when I put it back in, just before the plug would seat, it spun in the hole.

take the plug back out, and this time all the threads came with.

"Well now what do I do? Drill and tap? Get a new oil pan? I don't know."

"I can't let this thing sit in the garage all weekend."

"Maybe I should just run to the auto parts store and get a drill and tap and an oversized drainplug. Yeah I'll just do that."

So I go to the parts store and what do ya know, they have a self tapping oversized drain plug (I guess I'm not the first one to do this)....get home and put the plug in and, thankfully it worked.:thumbsup:

I just could not believe it stripped out so easy I didn't apply any torque to it,well apparently I did the last time I changed the oil, but I didn't tighten it any more then any other time.

Just thought I would share how my day went, so maybe no one else has to have a day like this.

sounds like a helicoil kit for this may be good to keep as a spare part

 

[BruceWard]

Is there a risk of getting metal into the oil pan using the self tapping drain plug? Did you do anything to flush it out? I would think all the metal shavings from cutting the thread would have to go up into the oil pan.

 

[Transit]

Is there a risk of getting metal into the oil pan using the self tapping drain plug? Did you do anything to flush it out? I would think all the metal shavings from cutting the thread would have to go up into the oil pan.

The chips will be large and so the oil filter will catch them. You have got to be careful with aluminum, too heavy a hand and your done. Try using a 3/8 torque wrench to keep from over doing it.

 

[turbo660]

Is there a risk of getting metal into the oil pan using the self tapping drain plug? Did you do anything to flush it out? I would think all the metal shavings from cutting the thread would have to go up into the oil pan.

Just screwed the self tapping plug in and out 3 or 4 times that took alot of shavings with it, then blew it off with air compresser. Then ran a quart of fresh oil through it. That seemed to clear all of the old oil out so I'm hoping that flushed most or all the shavings out.

 

[turbo660]

You have got to be careful with aluminum, too heavy a hand and your done. Try using a 3/8 torque wrench to keep from over doing it.

Sure now you tell me

Yeah, from now on the drain plugs only get snugged up not torqued tight.

 

[MoKelly]

Aside from the drainplug ordeal, I did manage to get the hydro fluid replaced.everything went fine there, or at least until I found one of the drainplug washers in the drain pan, after I refilled the tractor with fluid.

I was lucky and was able to determine which plug it was off of (one of three)and pull the plug and put it back on (only lost about 8 oz of fluid).

Today just wasn't my day

Well, since you admitted this mistake to everyone, I will also admit this happened to me at the 50 hour service.

I had done everything and was transferring the used oil from the oil pan to the buckets when I saw the washer. NOT a good feeling after doing all that work.

I fortunately also lost little fluid (that was a relief given the $$$) fixing that little error. But it makes you feel sort of foolish.

MoKelly