Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

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bk7794
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Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Now I know what a stripped bolt is. But for some reason I am VERY paranoid about this. I did my oil change the other day and removed the bolt and replaced the crush washer. I was tightening the bolt and I was using the lower part of my ratchet. Now I tightened the bolt and I got a weird sensation as if something let go possibly. I just stopped because I didn't want to over tighten and strip the bolt. But I am concerned that I might have. It was either that or I just crushed the washer.

Right now the bolt is tight and I don't see any leaks. Am I just over reacting? Either way probably not too big of a deal but still.

Is there a way to tell? Should I loosen the bolt and then just re-tighten it just to relieve my concerns or just that its tight means that I did not strip the threads.
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Shadow
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by Shadow »

I'd just leave it alone for now if it's not leaking.....as long as you're absolutely sure that it's not leaking.

Next oil change, remove the bolt, drain the oil, and then you can reinstall the bolt and see if you can tighten it properly. If not, at least you won't watch your fresh oil spill out because the bolt is stripped.

BTW, get yourself a torque wrench and you won't have any problems! Or better yet, get one of these instead:

http://www.qwikvalve.com/
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Shadow wrote:I'd just leave it alone for now if it's not leaking.....as long as you're absolutely sure that it's not leaking.

Next oil change, remove the bolt, drain the oil, and then you can reinstall the bolt and see if you can tighten it properly. If not, at least you won't watch your fresh oil spill out because the bolt is stripped.

BTW, get yourself a torque wrench and you won't have any problems! Or better yet, get one of these instead:

http://www.qwikvalve.com/
I was thinking of getting that! It's a good idea. I will have to check that its not leaking. I am pretty sure its not.

EDIT: Oh yeah, nice and tight and dry as a bone.

I know that cars have weak oil pans, so it kind of worries me torquing to actual torque specs. I would rather go under. I should invest in a better torque wrench..
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by Squint »

bk7794 wrote:EDIT: Oh yeah, nice and tight and dry as a bone.
Those 3 adjectives should not be together. Just saying. :wink:
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by AHTOXA »

Its usually the thread in the pan that strips rather than the bolt. Pans are aluminum and botls are steel.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

AHTOXA wrote:Its usually the thread in the pan that strips rather than the bolt. Pans are aluminum and botls are steel.
Right, that's what gets me even more nervous. But I don't think I stripped it all. It is tight and no oil seems to be leaking. Plus it wasn't like I just kept on tightening it.
Squint wrote:
bk7794 wrote:EDIT: Oh yeah, nice and tight and dry as a bone.
Those 3 adjectives should not be together. Just saying. :wink:
Good call! hahaha
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by Shadow »

bk7794 wrote: I know that cars have weak oil pans, so it kind of worries me torquing to actual torque specs.
Torque specs are meant to prevent either over- or under-tightening the bolt. No worries at all with tightening to the specified torque.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Shadow wrote:
bk7794 wrote: I know that cars have weak oil pans, so it kind of worries me torquing to actual torque specs.
Torque specs are meant to prevent either over- or under-tightening the bolt. No worries at all with tightening to the specified torque.
Alright, I will have to start doing that.

do you think the bolt is stripped now?
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by Shadow »

bk7794 wrote:
Shadow wrote:
bk7794 wrote: I know that cars have weak oil pans, so it kind of worries me torquing to actual torque specs.
Torque specs are meant to prevent either over- or under-tightening the bolt. No worries at all with tightening to the specified torque.
Alright, I will have to start doing that.

do you think the bolt is stripped now?
Probably not. If you stripped it, the bolt wouldn't be tight. I mean, unless you partially stripped it to the point that it's just barely holding on by the only good part of the thread remaining. If it turns out that you did strip it, you can always buy a slightly bigger drain bolt and tap out the hole in the pan for the oversize drain bolt.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Probably not. If you stripped it, the bolt wouldn't be tight. I mean, unless you partially stripped it to the point that it's just barely holding on by the only good part of the thread remaining. If it turns out that you did strip it, you can always buy a slightly bigger drain bolt and tap out the hole in the pan for the oversize drain bolt.[/quote]
I think its over reacting. I will have to remember those techniques. I remember watching a video where he also put in a longer bolt.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Just throwing an update out, I changed my oil two weeks back and the washer looked to be smashed. That must have been the feeling I Was getting. I replaced it with a new one and now I don't get any leaks. :D And its tight :D
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by gizmo »

I'm a stickler when it comes to rules. So I always use a torque wrench. But that doesn't always prevent you from stripping the bolt. I know this because I broke the head off of a bolt using a torque wrench. While the torque wrench was partly to blame, because it never clicked, the idiot using it was most at fault, because he kept turning until it broke.

You might want to look into a "time sert". It's like a helicoil. Both will re-thread the pan. But I believe the timesert is the "better" of the two methods. Esepecially since the threads become steel, instead of riding on the aluminum like a helicoil will.

The other option, like me, is that you broke the head of the bolt off the bolt. In which case, you'll probably have to "easy out" the bolt. If you have access to a welder, you can have the welder weld a stick of metal to the broken bolt, and wrench on the stick of metal to get it out. Maybe even weld a bolt head back to the bolt itself (like a nut, for example).

goodluck.

ps. i don't really know what i'm talking about.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

i hear you on that. It would be in the back of my mind that the wrench was either set wrong or is defective. But generally snug should suffice when it comes to the drain plugs.
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Sew, is the torque spec for the oil pan drain plug developed for production (dry threads) or for service (almost NEVAH dry threads?
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Re: Did I strip the oil pan bolt?

Post by bk7794 »

Rope-Pusher wrote:Sew, is the torque spec for the oil pan drain plug developed for production (dry threads) or for service (almost NEVAH dry threads?
Hm, I am not entirely sure. The only torque I saw was in the shop manual.
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