Oil Pan Dilemma!

mailbackwards · **Joined:** Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:20 am **Posts:** 7

Hi everyone!

During an oil change on a 20,000 mile road trip, I managed to strip the receiving threads out of my oil pan.
The typical remedy for a stripped drain plug is to drill and tap an oversize plug. This is a wonderful elegant solution that is unfortunately seems impossible due to my dumb a** JB Welding the old plug into the pan.

I need help deciding the best route to take before I REALLY "screw" myself.

Option 1) Pay someone
I have in my possession one beautiful new OEM oil drain pan, gasket, and fumoto plug. I was actually looking forward to this repair, until my service manual and the internet told me that I have to hoist and remove the engine in order to change the pan... I don't have a hoist or the proper engine support so this is not an option for me. I would have to find a good mechanic near Santa Fe who would use my parts.

Option 2) Tap a new hole
Today, I went to a few hardware stores and sourced a new m14 x 1.25 drain plug, tap, and bit. There is a gap of just enough space next to the old plug, where I could drill a hole, flush the oil, tap a new thread, and pretend like nothing has gone horribly wrong... My only worry is that the old drain plug mount has a little extra metal at the base for the threads to grip and this location does not, and that my new plug seal might not support the correct oil pressure.
Also, aluminum shards. I would do an extra oil flush after tapping, but I am worried I could cause serious irreparable damage by allowing metal in the oil feed. :shock:

Option 3) BRUTE FORCE
Try to break that b*** off with a 1" impact and tap a new hole on top of the old one.
Will this just shear the plug head? Probably... right?

Are these my only options? What do you geniuses think?

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.
mailbackwards

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:44 am

You don't have to completely remove the engine.
You just have to support it from up top somehow while the motor mounts are unbolted and lower cradle has been dropped.
Like a piece of square steel tube across the fenders and a chain/strap to hold the engine up.
Then you could unbolt the motor mounts, disconnect steering shaft from the rack, unbolt the cradle, and slowly drop it down.
I'm sure there are other things that would have to be disconnected too.
Just be sure mark the position of the cradle so it goes back in the same position and doesn't mess up your alignment.
Of course, having a vehicle lift would make it easier but can be done on the ground with careful use of jackstands and a good jack. Having a someone to help would be good too.

The other option might be to drill straight through the center of the drain plug and tap it.
Not sure how easy that would be and once you've drilled the hole there is no going back.
If you do drill a hole, pack the drill bit with grease so metal shavings don't get into pan.
Although once the hole is through all oil is gonna come straight out so be prepared for a big mess.

Someone once posted pictures of the inside of the oil pan. Do a search.
This could help you decide the best place to drill a new hole if necessary.
Myself, I would go through the side if possible.

rancherman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:52 am

JB weld is just on the threads of the plug, or is it smeared all over, covering up the hex too?

You'll need to chip the jb weld off from around the hex to expose the hex part if so. Yes, it does chip off. Get a nice sharp chisel, and tap tap tap.. No need for big whacks. (wear eye protection)
Flat file the last of the buggers off the flats. You are referring to stripped threads, and not a rounded-off hex aren't you?

Then, find a propane torch, or a badass heat gun... and heat up the pan immediately around the plug, and the plug too. First Wipe off the oil from the outside of the pan so it won't catch fire, (protect any wires that may be in the blast zone too) It will break loose. Might have to run it (plug) back and forth to 'exercise' the plug as it comes out.
Jb weld is no different than any other epoxy type adhesive, and will succumb to high heat.

With oil on the backside of the plug, it's going to really pull the heat away from the pan, so you'll need to work 'as you heat'.. Basically have the wrench 'in the fire', to get it broke loose.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:21 am

I'd either run a 1/4" pipe plug inside the existing plug, or you can just quit while you're ahead and pull the filter slowly as I'm pretty sure it reaches a point where the oil will stream out at a reasonable (mess)rate, and use that. I'm pretty sure that drains 95+% of the oil. Getting that pan to seal from below will take a lot of time as oil will keep fouling the silicone, and you'll wind up with an oil dripper, plus there's a lot of other things to go wrong along the way. Don't snap off the fuel manifold tip if you support the engine!
Only a problem when/if you sell it.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:32 am

Mountainman wrote:

...pull the filter slowly as I'm pretty sure it reaches a point where the oil will stream out at a reasonable (mess)rate, and use that. I'm pretty sure that drains 95+% of the oil.

pulling the filter will only drain what between oil pump and filter. Its maybe a quart at best.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:42 am

flash7210 wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

...pull the filter slowly as I'm pretty sure it reaches a point where the oil will stream out at a reasonable (mess)rate, and use that. I'm pretty sure that drains 95+% of the oil.

pulling the filter will only drain what between oil pump and filter. Its maybe a quart at best.

Shows how much I know :banghead:

I like Ranchermans solution if you have calibrated enough hands to not strip the hex out. But I've never tried to defeat JBweld. If that fails I wonder if they make fumotos as small as 1/4"?

rancherman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:21 am

Mountainman wrote:

flash7210 wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

...pull the filter slowly as I'm pretty sure it reaches a point where the oil will stream out at a reasonable (mess)rate, and use that. I'm pretty sure that drains 95+% of the oil.

pulling the filter will only drain what between oil pump and filter. Its maybe a quart at best.

Shows how much I know :banghead:

I like Ranchermans solution if you have calibrated enough hands to not strip the hex out. But I've never tried to defeat JBweld. If that fails I wonder if they make fumotos as small as 1/4"?

WARNING: I've been staring at my engine for 6 months now... 'not installed' in the Jeep* ease of applying heat may differ when in a crowded area!!! :roll:

I've changed my oil ONCE since I bought it...and it's been parked ever since!! I 'could' be a little over optimistic how this could play out! :oops:

JB will 'let go'.. with ample heat.. Getting enough to an area without burning the car to the ground is another matter!!

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:24 am

Yeah, I wonder how much heat that aluminum can handle, and the vat of oil on the left side! Remove the oil fill cap if you're going to try heat. That way there's no question that the pressure can escape

mailbackwards · **Joined:** Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:20 am **Posts:** 7

I didn't want to try my luck with a propane torch and aluminum, so I just went and tapped a new drain plug hole an inch and a half to the side of the old one.
I used a 1/4" bit greased heavily (to collect aluminum chips) to drain the oil. Then I ran a few quarts of new oil through to flush, then upped to 1/2" drill bit also greased heavily. Finally I SLOWLY AND GENTLY tapped the hole to m14 x 1.25 (also greased heavily). Ran another few quarts, and installed a new plug wrapped in plumbers teflon tape with a copper crush washer. Final result:

Two is better than one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Next change, I will likely JB-Weld a Fumoto plug into the 14mm hole just so I don't have to mess with this anymore.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:02 pm

Glad you got it done!

I just wanted to toss in for anyone using heat in this situation, and particularly flame..:

Get a source of CO2, or even just a compressor, and establish a air flow in the dipstick tube, and out the oil filler in the top and continue until you're done with the heat/flame.

If this is not done, you risk oil/solvent fume concentration rising to the point of detonation.
This is not theoretical, I'm sharing first hand experience. It's not fun, even if it happens to someone else.

Oil Pan Dilemma!

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