Anybody ever used an O-ring on an oil pan plug?

[hosspuller]

Thanks everybody.
I'll replace the O-ring with a washer or bolt and washer depending on what's available from my Ford dealer.

Good choice... With the o-ring, you can't get proper tightening torque. So, the oil plug is basically loose and ready to fall out at the most inopportune time.

 

[stuckmotor]

I sure wouldn't. Neither the pan, nor the plug is designed to keep an o-ring in place and the o-ring will for certain flow out with probably catastrophic consequences. To get out of the back of beyond, sure. To make it to the auto parts store, sure. Anything else would be a thumbs down from me.

Do you have 1/16-1/8" copper around that you could make a washer out of? When you have it cut to size, get it hot and let cool slowly to soften it.

All the best,

Peter

Peter,
My only source for flat copper would be to split and flatten a piece of copper tubing. The Ford dealer is within 4 miles and I'll pass a parts store on the way. Unless something comes up, I think I'll risk the trip. Thanks for the info on heating and cooling slowly. I'll keep an eye on the mirror for a trail of oil behind me.

 

[5030]

Thanks everybody.
I'll replace the O-ring with a washer or bolt and washer depending on what's available from my Ford dealer.

Why would you buy the washer from a Ford dealer at a huge inflated price when any auto parts store will have them a lot cheaper?

 

[Cougsfan]

Apparently I am not as conservative as everyone else. I am constantly repurposing things in ways that they were not intended and have very good results more often than not. I have used o-rings under bolts as washers more than once without a problem. It works particularly well if you place a flat washer on top the o-ring. Of course the safe answer is NEVER do anything out of the accepted ordinary. If we always followed that rule we would still be in the stone ages.

 

[2manyrocks]

There are metal crush rings at the auto parts store or Amazon. IDK how you'd correctly torque an o ring used in place of a metal crush ring without crushing the o ring and creating a leak.

 

[stuckmotor]

Why would you buy the washer from a Ford dealer at a huge inflated price when any auto parts store will have them a lot cheaper?

Because "If it fails and you loose your oil, you are screwed."

 

[5030]

Because "If it fails and you loose your oil, you are screwed."

If you buy a washer from your local Ford Dealer and it fails, you are still screwed because YOU installed it and not them.

 

[stuckmotor]

I went to the Ford dealer and asked for a washer. They didn't have one and the counter man let me have the metal plug and all for the price of a washer, five bucks and change. I also got two packs of assorted rubber and metal washers at a parts store, just in case, ten bucks and change. The metal plug was an updated version with an o-ring may be two, in grooves around the plug. It's in, so far so good.

 

[RustyA]

Good call replacing with the updated OE drain plug!

 

[Raul-02]

Personally I would be worried that the unsupported O-ring will extrude over time.

I wouldn't worry about that.
That's EXACTLY what will happen.