Drain plug washer

[jrm]

Used my white card at the local dealer today to pick up more filters and oil, I asked about the drain plug washer and that mine is leaking from the last oil change- huge mess on the belly pan! They say its reusable and they don't show a part number so I couldn't even purchase one. is the washer indeed reusable? By the looks of the wimpy washer I have a feeling im getting yet another example of VW at its finest.
Im loosing about a quart every oil change strait out of the properly torqued plug

 

[MichaelB]

I do not know about the Passat as I have not changed the oil on it myself yet but on my JSW the washer was captive on the drain plug so instead of replacing the washer you replaced the plug with a new washer already attached. OEM Part Number: N90813202
http://www.idparts.com/oil-drain-plug-vwaudi-p-539.html

edit: every dealer oil change I have had always replaced the plug with the captive washer and listed it on the receipt.

 

[Mark SF]

Put a little Permatex gasket sealant around the sealing ring.

 

[akjdouglass]

IDParts sells a magnetic plug and includes enough washers for more than a few oil changes.

Are you positive someone didn't over torque at some point and stretch the aluminum threads?

 

[MichaelB]

Put a little Permatex gasket sealant around the sealing ring.

That should not be necessary

 

[Rico567]

IDParts sells a magnetic plug and includes enough washers for more than a few oil changes.

Are you positive someone didn't over torque at some point and stretch the aluminum threads?

I've never understood torquing an oil pan drain plug. All I ever do is use my 3/8 socket ratchet handle (about 6") to snug it up, then just give it one good yank. I've been changing my own oil for nearly 50 years in over 15 vehicles, and never had a drain plug come loose yet (and all but one or two were aluminum pans).
That being said, I always use a copper washer. If the car has an aluminum washer on it, I'd replace it. Auto Zone sells a copper washer that will probably fit most cars. I think a bolt with a captive washer is wasteful, if the idea is to just discard the whole assembly and buy new each time. I'd go the idparts route as described in a previous post, or just do like our SAAB, and get a Fumoto valve. Best OC accessory ever.

 

[dbias]

My dealer taped a new washer on top of the two oil filters I bought.

 

[Fixmy59bug]

The washers are available separately. They are part number N-013-849-5.

We usually sell the whole drain plug though because, since the original crush washer is captive on the drain plug, we have seen too many times a customer come in with the captive washer AND the replacement washer on the drain plug complaining of an oil leak.

 

[jrm]

N-013-849-5 awesome thank you!

 

[akjdouglass]

I've never understood torquing an oil pan drain plug. All I ever do is use my 3/8 socket ratchet handle (about 6") to snug it up, then just give it one good yank. I've been changing my own oil for nearly 50 years in over 15 vehicles, and never had a drain plug come loose yet (and all but one or two were aluminum pans).
That being said, I always use a copper washer. If the car has an aluminum washer on it, I'd replace it. Auto Zone sells a copper washer that will probably fit most cars. I think a bolt with a captive washer is wasteful, if the idea is to just discard the whole assembly and buy new each time. I'd go the idparts route as described in a previous post, or just do like our SAAB, and get a Fumoto valve. Best OC accessory ever.

I wasn't saying you need to use a torque wrench. Torque is applied, no matter what is used to tighten the plug. Too much, and the threads get stretched or stripped.

The key is that you're smart enough to use a small ratchet to tighten the plug. Someone else may not know the difference in tightening force with different size ratchets, thinking the same hard pull with a short one would be no different than the same pull with a long one.

 

[jrm]

I grew up working on Honda 2 smoke motocross bikes with tiny bolts threaded into cast aluminum so I naturally torque everything by the book- and there is a wet vs dry torque figure when using anti seize as well

 

[Rico567]

<snip>
The key is that you're smart enough to use a small ratchet to tighten the plug. Someone else may not know the difference in tightening tightening force with different size ratchets, thinking the same hard pull with a short one would be no different than the same pull with a long one.

Point taken. This should be in some kind of a sticky thread for new DIY guys.

 

[740GLE]

Both cars never had a drip on the OE plug.

I did change out the jettas around 70K with a fumoto, for the longest time I couldn't justify the $30-$40 purchase (needs extending adapter too) as the stock plug never leaked. But glad I have it as it is the best, I almost feel bad only using 5 times since putting it on.

Amazon has decent price on the fumoto and adapter.

 

[jrm]

I have one on my generator, cant do one on my cars as I often have to drag the wife up my long driveway with my tractor over 30" of wet snow and fallen trees. I am surprised the exhaust throttle hasn't been torn off- im the only one who dares to drive a 2wd in the area I live.

 

[ATR]

I've never understood torquing an oil pan drain plug. All I ever do is use my 3/8 socket ratchet handle (about 6") to snug it up, then just give it one good yank. I've been changing my own oil for nearly 50 years in over 15 vehicles, and never had a drain plug come loose yet (and all but one or two were aluminum pans).
That being said, I always use a copper washer. If the car has an aluminum washer on it, I'd replace it. Auto Zone sells a copper washer that will probably fit most cars. I think a bolt with a captive washer is wasteful, if the idea is to just discard the whole assembly and buy new each time. I'd go the idparts route as described in a previous post, or just do like our SAAB, and get a Fumoto valve. Best OC accessory ever.

I wasn't saying you need to use a torque wrench. Torque is applied, no matter what is used to tighten the plug. Too much, and the threads get stretched or stripped.

The key is that you're smart enough to use a small ratchet to tighten the plug. Someone else may not know the difference in tightening force with different size ratchets, thinking the same hard pull with a short one would be no different than the same pull with a long one.

Indeed the point of properly torquing the oil drain bolt is not to make sure it's tight enough but to also make sure you do NOT over tighten it like many of the folks I've seen at jiffy lube and heck even dealerships...

A old co-worker of mine had to replace his oil pan on his Jeep because some monkey with a torque wrench way over tightened the oil pan bolt. They of coarse deny it was their fault. So he needed to replace both the oil pan & bolt. YAY

My point is that a torque wrench is needed because it's exacting on the proper torque needed with no guess work

 

[akjdouglass]

For the record, I do use a torque wrench on my pan bolt since I'm more likely to torque too much, even with a short ratchet, and any damage to the aluminum threads is cumulative. I've never done this on any previous vehicles (non-VW; steel pans).

My clumsy ass ****s up enough other stuff without over-torqueing nuts and bolts with a 6" ratchet (which, for me, is inevitable).

I completely understand how someone doing all of their own service sees no need for a torque wrench. However, unless no one else has ever touched the car, there just isn't any way to know if there was prior damage that may be the cause of the OP's leak.

Hopefully, a new washer fixes the leak.

 

[ATR]

For the record, I do use a torque wrench on my pan bolt since I'm more likely to torque too much, even with a short ratchet, and any damage to the aluminum threads is cumulative. I've never done this on any previous vehicles (non-VW; steel pans).

My clumsy ass ****s up enough other stuff without over-torqueing nuts and bolts with a 6" ratchet (which, for me, is inevitable).

I completely understand how someone doing all of their own service sees no need for a torque wrench. However, unless no one else has ever touched the car, there just isn't any way to know if there was prior damage that may be the cause of the OP's leak.

Hopefully, a new washer fixes the leak.

Great! I am with you on that point 100%

Aluminum is too easy to strip out. Heck I did it with a small 6" 3/8 ratchet on my first car's aluminum block reattaching the alternator.

 

[BPofMD]

Hopefully you DO have an INCH-Pounds torque wrench!

 

[ATR]

Hopefully you DO have an INCH-Pounds torque wrench!

I do... I picked up a craftsman 25-250 in lbs torque wrench last year on sale for around $40 iirc...
http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-micro-clicker-torque-wrench-3-8inch-drive/p-00931423000P

It also has NM torque measurement on the other side of the wrench.

 

[jrm]

I grew up drilling out broken bolts and heli-coiling expensive Honda xr heads from ham fisted friends. To this day I still get thank you's from people Who have bought my used toys that enjoys nice perfect condition torqued anti-seized bolts
The guy who bought my old 1988 Hyundai commented at how every bolt was rust free and was easily removed. I was like yup anti seized everything I ever removed.

 

[akjdouglass]

Hopefully you DO have an INCH-Pounds torque wrench!

Yep, have both and use when needed. Neither will get worn out, but are well worth the investment.