I'm scared to change the oil because I think I stripped the sump threads last time, but it needsdoin

I don’t know why you are tying yourself in knots over this. It’s an old, high mileage car. If it’s not leaking from the sump plug now, cut your losses and get an oil sucker. I use mine all the time. In fact, if I get a car in for an oil change with a top mounted filter, I use the sucker every time. Why mess about jacking the car up and fiddling about with an under tray if you don’t need to? I have no concerns using it on any of my cars and to be perfectly honest with you, with your level of skill going by the drive belt saga you recently had, I’d think very carefully about trying to tap a sump thread out without something going terribly wrong that could end up with you having to replace the sump. Sorry.

https://www.woodsideproducts.co.uk/...WDSuyNQObF9RoCLWsQAvD_BwE#174=&175=&178=&182=
 
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Mottie said:
I don’t know why you are tying yourself in knots over this. It’s an old, high mileage car. If it’s not leaking from the sump plug now, cut your losses and get an oil sucker. I use mine all the time. In fact, if I get a car in for an oil change with a top mounted filter, I use the sucker every time. Why mess about jacking the car up and fiddling about with an under tray if you don’t need to? I have no concerns using it on any of my cars and to be perfectly honest with you, with your level of skill going by the drive belt saga you recently had, I’d think very carefully about trying to tap a sump thread out without something going terribly wrong that could end up with you having to replace the sump. Sorry.

https://www.woodsideproducts.co.uk/...WDSuyNQObF9RoCLWsQAvD_BwE#174=&175=&178=&182=
Click to expand...
hey
I might do it that way yet, I am also curious though if it is only the sump plug that was at fault and if a new one might solve the issue.

The tap repair thing looks easy enough, from what I seen ensure the tap is straight, turn it in a little and back it out then turn it in turn in etc until the threads have been cut. Clear out any metal filings
then refit new sump plug and washer.

The oil filter is under the car so the car will still need jacking up to change that out.
Thank you
 
Last edited:
DIYspanner said:
To clear any swarf from the sump after tapping, how about a length of hose pipe pushed up into the sump hole and diesel poured directly to the sump to avoid diesel all over the engine. If the sump pan is the one I think it is, looking at those listed on ebay, the sump plug is at the bottom of a well so any swarf should easily wash out.
Click to expand...

Hi
do you mean to wash out the metal filings with diesel, Wouldn't oil be better to flush it out with ?? yes the oil sump plug is at the bottom of the sump
Burnerman said:
Your sump is aluminium so cutting a new thread in it won't be a problem.....the tap should be tapered so it will self guide to a degree.
We've no idea what thread the old plug is though.....so its either getting the info from somewhere or buying one and measuring it with a vernier gauge.
John :)
Click to expand...

hi
would it be better to flush out any metal shavings with engine oil instead of using diesel ?
I will make sure to hoover out any swarf
thanks
 
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Rightboy91 said:
Hi
do you mean to wash out the metal filings with diesel, Wouldn't oil be better to flush it out with ?? yes the oil sump plug is at the bottom of the sump
Click to expand...
Pour diesel from the oil cap, the hole where you usually top up oil.
Diesel will wash out any shavings (and more) and won't damage the engine.
In fact, if you want to give the engine a clean, instead of using additives, drain the oil, put 1 litre diesel and the rest fresh oil, even cheap one.
Run the engine until hot.
Drain.
Pour another litre of diesel from top with sump open.
Now it's clean, old school.
Simple, quick, effective and cheap.
 
Mottie said:
I don’t know why you are tying yourself in knots over this. It’s an old, high mileage car. If it’s not leaking from the sump plug now, cut your losses and get an oil sucker. I use mine all the time. In fact, if I get a car in for an oil change with a top mounted filter, I use the sucker every time. Why mess about jacking the car up and fiddling about with an under tray if you don’t need to? I have no concerns using it on any of my cars and to be perfectly honest with you, with your level of skill going by the drive belt saga you recently had, I’d think very carefully about trying to tap a sump thread out without something going terribly wrong that could end up with you having to replace the sump. Sorry.

https://www.woodsideproducts.co.uk/...WDSuyNQObF9RoCLWsQAvD_BwE#174=&175=&178=&182=
Click to expand...

Do I read between the lines that you're a mechanic?
Getting customers car in for an oil change and doing a 5 minute sucking and top up?
That's why I service my own cars.
 
johnny2007 said:
Do I read between the lines that you're a mechanic?
Getting customers car in for an oil change and doing a 5 minute sucking and top up?
That's why I service my own cars.
Click to expand...
Do I read between the lines that you’re not a mechanic? Ever used an oil sucker? Ever tried draining any further oil out of an engine after you’ve sucked the oil out? In any case, some cars don’t have an oil drain plug. Would you prefer a quick in and out oil service or would you prefer to drop and return or wait for....how long would you say? The customer gets what the customer wants. Don’t knock it until you try it.
 
Just be careful although it is an aluminium sump the actual thread will probably be a wire insert.
 
I've repaired motorcycle aluminium sumps that customers have cocked up over tightening the bolts.

You have to be bang on square with the tap or it will not seal properly.

In your situation I would leave the sump plug well alone and buy a pump to use through dipstick hole as has been mentioned.

Are you the lad with the tensioner thread?.
 
Mottie said:
Do I read between the lines that you’re not a mechanic? Ever used an oil sucker? Ever tried draining any further oil out of an engine after you’ve sucked the oil out? In any case, some cars don’t have an oil drain plug. Would you prefer a quick in and out oil service or would you prefer to drop and return or wait for....how long would you say? The customer gets what the customer wants. Don’t knock it until you try it.
Click to expand...
So how much ?

Looking at the stupid recessed sump plug on my van I reckon it must always leave at least a cup full in after draining it out of the bottom
sumpPlug.jpg
 
johnny2007 said:
Pour diesel from the oil cap, the hole where you usually top up oil.
Diesel will wash out any shavings (and more) and won't damage the engine.
In fact, if you want to give the engine a clean, instead of using additives, drain the oil, put 1 litre diesel and the rest fresh oil, even cheap one.
Run the engine until hot.
Drain.
Pour another litre of diesel from top with sump open.
Now it's clean, old school.
Simple, quick, effective and cheap.
Click to expand...
That is a quick way to wreck an modern diesel engine. If the oil in a modern diesel engine gets too diluted with diesel, the thinned diesel/oil mixture bypasses seals, gets into the intake and and the engine starts to run on its own oil. That leads to a runaway engine that you can't easily stop and will rev itself into oblivion.
 
Munroist said:
So how much ?

Looking at the stupid recessed sump plug on my van I reckon it must always leave at least a cup full in after draining it out of the bottom
Click to expand...


About half a cupful if you’re lucky and that’s only because of the time taken jacking up the car, removing the under shield and taking the nut out allows a bit more to drain down inside. You’d probably get that out with the sucker if you stopped sucking and waited for about the same time. Normally the suction tube touches the the bottom of the sump anyway so you’d probably get more out of your engine with a sucker.
 
What if the OP taps a new thread, installs a new sump plug then cross threads it again like he said he did in the first place?

Although not as thorough, suck the oil out just like all those professional garages do.
 
DIYspanner said:
Although not as thorough, suck the oil out just like all those professional garages do.
Click to expand...
Yep. If an oil sucker is good enough for a brand new premium brand model without a sump drain plug, it’s good enough for the OP's 200,000 miler. (y)
 
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