sump plug

cena

Do you change yours every time you do the oil. What is the reason doing this.

-Corkie-

I do most of the time because you run the risk of crossing the threads on the sump with the screwing on and off, also the little washer on the plug can fail which would result in a oil leak.

I've changed one once when I was young and impressionable. I've changed the washers if they were the crush type only. You'd want to be a right ape to cross thread a plug imo :pac: Surely the risk of cross threading isn't reduced greatly with a new plug for apes?

langdang

Some have the washer/seal built into them. They should be changed.
If the washer is separate I'd only change the washer. And even at that...

Edit, must type faster - once again I find myself pretty much in agreement with RJ.

Avns1s

I dont think I have ever changed a plastic washer on a sump plug and I certainly never changed the plug itself!

Mycroft H

I don't think I've ever changed the washer or the plug ever.

cena

Was in halfords in galway today and I didn't know which one to get. But they didn't have plastic washers with them

Mycroft H

The washers are copper unless new cars are coming with plastic ones.

langdang

BX 19 wrote: »

The washers are copper unless new cars are coming with plastic ones.

There's fibre kinda ones too. I've a stash of them somewhere but never use them - I'm a lazy "suck it out the dipstick" type.

spiggotpaddy

Replace the bung? Are you mad? Most of them are never disturbed. Unless of course you fail that nasty car test.

nct tester

changed mine once , for a magnetic one , change copper washer everytime though. they're cheap.

colm_mcm

You're driving a punto right? I'd change it every 3 oil changes, the fiat one is different to normal, its more like a big grub screw rather than a plug.

Atlantic Dawn

I usually change mine when I buy a car and then around every 3 years if I keep the car that long.

dr.fuzzenstein

Never in 20 years have I changed either. Not on the same car, mind you.;)

JBokeh

If you take that out then all the oil will come out too :P they put it in at the factory when it was built so it's obviously there for a reason. You should only ever put oil in when the light comes on anyways!

^^ thats sarcasm before anyone tries tell me i'm stupid. I used replace the copper washers,but then my neighbour bought one of those vacuum pumps,which I now use,because his stuff is my stuff,it's handy to do,and a lot cleaner.

akura

I changed my oil for the first time about 3 weeks ago and bought the wrong washer so i reused the old one, no leaks

But i measured it before i put it back on so i will probibly replace it with the next oil change

zinzan

145,000 miles on my car, oil changed every 5,000 or so, Using the same plug, changed the copper washer once.

colm_mcm

JBokeh wrote: »

If you take that out then all the oil will come out too :P they put it in at the factory when it was built so it's obviously there for a reason. You should only ever put oil in when the light comes on anyways!

^^ thats sarcasm before anyone tries tell me i'm stupid. I used replace the copper washers,but then my neighbour bought one of those vacuum pumps,which I now use,because his stuff is my stuff,it's handy to do,and a lot cleaner.

I don't like the idea of these pumps, maybe every second change, but i wouldnt use it every time.

I realise some cars don't have sump plugs anymore

guil

colm_mcm wrote: »

I don't like the idea of these pumps, maybe every second change, but i wouldnt use it every time.

I realise some cars don't have sump plugs anymore

one of the lads in work has a 07 terios and i thought he was talking ****e when he said it had no sump plug

JBokeh

colm_mcm wrote: »

I don't like the idea of these pumps, maybe every second change, but i wouldnt use it every time.

I realise some cars don't have sump plugs anymore

First time I used it I was sceptical,so I took out the plug too,and it was only a small amount came out. Only enough to get my hand and a bit of my forearm black.

But I was always the type to pour new oil into the engine till it came out the bottom of the engine clear. Gave me this weird peace of mind

I'm not fond of them either, they're very handy though at times. I bought one years ago as I couldn't get the plug open on a car, used it yesterday as the plug on the Carisma was refusing to budge too. If the plugs don't want off than I use the vacuum yoke. I prefer to allow the oil to drain though as you say.

colm_mcm

guil wrote: »

one of the lads in work has a 07 terios and i thought he was talking ****e when he said it had no sump plug

He was talking ****e I reckon.

guil

colm_mcm wrote: »

He was talking ****e I reckon.

he does a lot of that anyway ha

Tazio

colm_mcm wrote: »

You're driving a punto right? I'd change it every 3 oil changes, the fiat one is different to normal, its more like a big grub screw rather than a plug.

Or an Alfa 159.. I've replaced them on our 159's a few times.. they are made of chocolate.

biko

Washer only

mickdw

Re using a crush washer is asking for trouble in my opinion. I always change those but never the bung.