So my S2000 has almost reached 100k miles and I decide to treat it with some care and buy some Mobil 1. After various expeditions to the local stores for jacks, oil, wrenches etc.. yesterday I lifted my car. The drain plug was real tight it took some effort to get it loose. Same with the filter but eventually both came free and I was ready to go.

After waiting an hour or so, having a cuppa, watching some tv, I resume. The drain plug was very difficult to wind in. Funny I think so I poke my finger in the hole and it seems like some stuff is stuck in the thread of the oil pan. Then I look at the thread on the drain plug bolt itself and there is some metal in the windings. Finger back in the drain plug hole and retrieve more of same slivers of coiled metal. So after cleaning this up as best I can I manage to put the drain plug back in, torgue it and it seems ok. Fill with oil. All seems ok. Drive round the block a few times and park in garage.

It smells of burning oil and sure enough I have a leak so this morning I bought another new washer and drained the oil out again and attempted to refit the plug. This time when I use my torque wrench (set to 20 ft/lbs, to be safe) the plug just turns and turns.

Guys, what are my options? The car is in my garage, minus oil. Does it sound like a new oil pan is needed? Does anyone know about the self tapping bolts and whether they work? Should I be having a conversation with the shop that does my work (they're excellent by the way).

All advice gratefully accepted.

Cheers

 

go buy an helicoil set and repair it
search on google you will find it

grtz kristof

 

You can tap a new one on your oil pan no prob but if your oil is already out then i would just take it in and have the pros do if you don't have an idea of what your doing...

Put it this way, you fix it and f*** it up and blow your motor.... That's on you!

Have a shop fix it and it goes wrong and you blow your motor.... That's on them!


Good luck!

 

stripping the threads on the oil pan drain plug hole....wow....you really have to go out of your way to bungle that one (it may have already been stripped by some quick oil change hack, however, so no offense)

if you decide to use a heli-coil kit to repair the threads with the oil pan on the car, I would put the car up on a lift so you can see EXACTLY what you're doing and make sure you suck all the metal shavings out with a shop vac before re-filling with oil...in fact I would keep a vacuum on it while you are drilling/tapping

 

That's what I thought but I don't see how I could have done it, I only did it fingertight then used a torgue wrench set to 20 Ft/lbs. I'm scratching my head a bit.

 

sometimes like if you grind gears, little pieces of metal get into the pan. especially since your car has so many miles on it, i could see why this is an issue. try getting a magnetic drain plug when you get this figured out so you don't have loose metal floating around in there. I doubt you stripped the oil pan threads... like 2007 said, someone may have rushed it and stripped it then. anyway, good luck.

 

Also, putting a heavy wt oil or grease in the channels in your tap will keep the shavings from getting all over the place. Lucky you will have gravity working in your favor if you chose to go this route.

 

1st off , grinding gears can not put metal shavings in your engine oil pan ??? And if you have shavings in your oil pan beyond the constancy of lapping compound you have bigger issues ..


to the OP , you are most likely correct . The last place to change you oil most likely TQ'd the bolt to tight which started pulling the treads as the pan is aluminum . there are a few ways to approach it ..

1) you could use the selftap oversize oil plugs .. but it is not a Guarantee it will work

2) you could retap the pan for a Oversized plug , The grease method does work with the tap that was suggested . If you dont feel confident in not getting chips in the pan you can remove the oil pan and do it off the car .

3) remove the oil pan and have someone TIG weld and retap for the factory drain plug

4) replace oil pan all together ..

 

Did a quick search, this was the first hit...

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

I am sure there are many more options that will fit your need if you go this way.

 

Heli-coil is the best way to go imo...it replaces the fragile aluminum threads with stainless steel
http://www.helicoil.in/helicoil.htm