Overfilled with oil.

[daimlerman]

...... wench on.

I presume this is one of the kind that squeals.......

[hennabm]

If the sump plug is now locked in - how are you proposing the next oil change to be done

[Barx325i]

lol I didn't spot that.

I'd file it till a smaller open ended spanner will fit around two flats...

[andrew_baran]

I'll cross that bridge in a few thousand miles, when i'm not in major student overdraft. I changed my own oil to save some cash, and it's going to end up costing me more than if I just paid for labour!

Next oil change is going tohave to be a sump change too. Will have to find a way of extracting the sump bolt first though i guess.

[magpie]

If the sump plug is now locked in - how are you proposing the next oil change to be done

the oil will burn off,don't panic!

you'll be fine for 4-5 k miles or more depending on how often you change oil.

what size engine is it? i have a good sump from a 6-pot if needed?

. I didn't spot that.

I'd file it till a smaller open ended spanner will fit around two flats...

and pull the alloy threads out.


you will most definitely need another sump.

M42 self tappers FTW

hide the windy gun!

[Speedtouch]

If you can extract the old plug somehow, either by pulling it hard with Mole grips while undoing it, or by drilling it out, you may be able to re-tap the thread using a suitable die or new bolt.

[Barx325i]

blow torch the crap out of it

[magpie]

please don't give him a drill!

[Speedtouch]

blow torch the crap out of it

That could be dangerous with a sump full of oil!

[Barx325i]

ok maybe not the crap out of it, but heat always helps & ideally the engine oil should be up too I'd think

[andrew_baran]

please don't give him a drill!

It's like you actually know me in real life.
Nah, i might have had a pretty appalling day yesterday but I promise I have a little more common sense than that. I'm not going to bother re-tapping the sump for the next change, it'll be just as easy (and probably no more expensive) to replace the sump.

I appreciate all the help and reassurance so far, and thanks for not flaming me and calling me a tit too much...

[magpie]

your more than welcome.
alloy will catch you out and i'm not sure if they do a self taper in that size. fortunately!




best of luck.

[Speedtouch]

It is possible to fit a Helicoil insert if your thread is stripped - people do this with alloy cylinder heads if the spark plug thread gets stripped.

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.asp

AFAIK, to replace the sump requires you to have to lift the engine off its mounts.

[Brianmoooore]

There are engines around these days, IIRC, that don't even have sump plugs! Oil changes are carried out by vacuum and pressure through the dipstick tube. The technique also tends to be used by the 'quickfit' genre of garages, sump plug or not.
An overfill by 4 or 5mm on the dipstick will make no practical difference at all - just drive the thing.
Note that the correct level of oil on an engine is right on the 'full' mark, not half way down!

[magpie]

There are engines around these days, IIRC, that don't even have sump plugs! Oil changes are carried out by vacuum and pressure through the dipstick tube. The technique also tends to be used by the 'quickfit' genre of garages, sump plug or not.
An overfill by 4 or 5mm on the dipstick will make no practical difference at all - just drive the thing.
Note that the correct level of oil on an engine is right on the 'full' mark, not half way down!

you need to wear a black thong and white mini skirt for good vacuum

[edit]

[andrew_baran]

As far as I could see the only parts that foul the sump are some of the steering assembly? Depends how many bolts there are at the rear of the sump, as all of the front ones appear to be quite easily accessible. Helicoils could be an option. Will keep that in mind, but i've got to get the bugger out first!!

[magpie]

on topic,
is it leaking from the plug when warm?

[andrew_baran]

It didn't on my 10 mile round trip today. I have a 90 mile journey up to Norwich in the morning, so if it doesn't leak at the end of that it never will...

[town325i]

As far as I could see the only parts that foul the sump are some of the steering assembly? Depends how many bolts there are at the rear of the sump, as all of the front ones appear to be quite easily accessible. Helicoils could be an option. Will keep that in mind, but i've got to get the bugger out first!!

You seemed to have missed one important thing here what is actually in the sump is the oil pump and that is nearly touching the bottom of the buldge at the front of the sump the engine needs lifting so this can cleared!

[andrew_baran]

Car was OK today on the 90 mile trip to Norwich. Still pretty worried about it, but we're ok for now.

Town - Yep , forgot about that! Will try and avoid a sump change then!

[Nay]

Yup, the sump has the oil pump which makes changing a nightmare. I need a new sump gasket and we looked at removing the sump. Even with the rack off there wasn't enough room. Either lifting the engine off its mounts or possibly undoing the prop and swinging the engine a bit might be the only ways, without removing the engine entirely.

As for the sump bolt. How badly have you threaded it? I would be inclined to buy a replacement (or nab one from another M20), and just attempt to replace it. I'm sure you can't have destroyed the thread so much that a new bolt wont thread in fine.

To get it off, ring spanner or T-bar and socket + a malet/hammer. If somethings too tight, try avoid using ratchets. And, no need for torquing the bolt. You'll find that even if its 1/4-1/2 screwed in, it'll hold the oil. So just hand tight will do the job.

[DanThe]

As for the sump bolt. How badly have you threaded it? I would be inclined to buy a replacement (or nab one from another M20), and just attempt to replace it. I'm sure you can't have destroyed the thread so much that a new bolt wont thread in fine.

To get it off, ring spanner or T-bar and socket + a malet/hammer. If somethings too tight, try avoid using ratchets. And, no need for torquing the bolt. You'll find that even if its 1/4-1/2 screwed in, it'll hold the oil. So just hand tight will do the job.

Firstly, the sump is aluminium and the bolt is steel, which thread do you think will fall apart first.....

Secondly, do you know why the sump plug has a copper washer?

[Nay]

As for the sump bolt. How badly have you threaded it? I would be inclined to buy a replacement (or nab one from another M20), and just attempt to replace it. I'm sure you can't have destroyed the thread so much that a new bolt wont thread in fine.

To get it off, ring spanner or T-bar and socket + a malet/hammer. If somethings too tight, try avoid using ratchets. And, no need for torquing the bolt. You'll find that even if its 1/4-1/2 screwed in, it'll hold the oil. So just hand tight will do the job.

Firstly, the sump is aluminium and the bolt is steel, which thread do you think will fall apart first.....

Secondly, do you know why the sump plug has a copper washer?

Point.

But a steel bolt will find its way through the aluminium thread and should hold fine anyway? Unless pretty much all the thread is gone and then smoothened...

What is the washer there for then? My assumption was to avoid overtightening.

[town325i]

The washer is a crush washer to stop the sump plug from leaking thats why most plugs leak as the owner are to tight to spend 10p on a bloody copper washer.

Nothing can stop a muppet from over tightening something!

[magpie]

you cant crush a crushed washer.

[DanThe]

Its not a crush washer, crush washers are collapsable and should only be used once, very nasty and found on most french shitters

The BMW washers are just copper washers, they can be reused but each time you reuse them they get harder so dont seal as well or soak up the torque you are putting into the plug.
Its best to change it every time

[ross_jsy]

Big top tip is to ignore the Haynes book of lies. A lot of the torque values are completely wrong. IIRC Ratch had big problems with the subframe bolts due to the figures? I also sheared a head bolt on my old RS125 because of that f#cking book.

[magpie]

Its not a crush washer, crush washers are collapsable and should only be used once, very nasty and found on most french shitters

The BMW washers are just copper washers, they can be reused but each time you reuse them they get harder so dont seal as well or soak up the torque you are putting into the plug.
Its best to change it every time

that's what i meant to say but couldn't be arsed to type at the time.