Sump Plug

[silentbrown]

My A4 is back from a main dealer service, and the parts list includes the princely sum of £1.02 for a Sump Plug.

I thought they sucked the oil out from the top these days, so why go anywhere near the sump plug?

[PositronicRay]

You get more goo out if you drain it properly, I would rather this than the "cheapo" suck it out.

[KungFuPanda]

Sucking the oil out of the top doesn't clean out 100% off the crud which gets left at the bottom of the sump pan. Also, if you don't move the sump plug at least annually, there's a risk of it fusing to the threads of the sumo which makes it impossible to remove without stripping the threads thereby requiring a new sump to be fitted.

Also, it's only a quid.

[silentbrown]

KungFuPanda said:

Sucking the oil out of the top doesn't clean out 100% off the crud which gets left at the bottom of the sump pan. Also, if you don't move the sump plug at least annually, there's a risk of it fusing to the threads of the sumo which makes it impossible to remove without stripping the threads thereby requiring a new sump to be fitted.

Also, it's only a quid.

All true, apart from the plug "fusing to the threads of the sump", which I've never heard of. I reckon sump plugs are one of the least likely bolts to get badly corroded.

But despite all this, I still believe they DO suck the oil out of the top, and it doesn't make sense to go through the hassle of putting the car on a ramp and probably removing the undertray just to replace a plug that's never going to get used.

As for the cost, it's a fixed price service anyway

[KungFuPanda]

AaHe well. At least they're working for their money if they're doing it the long way...

[bigvanfan]

The car would be up on the ramp with the under tray off anyway to get to the oil filter, also it sounds like a sump plug washer anyway at £1

[silentbrown]

bigvanfan said:

The car would be up on the ramp with the under tray off anyway to get to the oil filter, also it sounds like a sump plug washer anyway at £1

Not on my car. (A4 B8)

[KungFuPanda]

Sucking the oil out of the top doesn't clean out 100% off the crud which gets left at the bottom of the sump pan. Also, if you don't move the sump plug at least annually, there's a risk of it fusing to the threads of the sumo which makes it impossible to remove without stripping the threads thereby requiring a new sump to be fitted.

Also, it's only a quid.

[DarkMatter]

silentbrown said:

Not on my car. (A4 B8)

Good point silentbrown, a few years ago when I had a 2001 A4 TDi I removed the panels under the engine and spent ages trying to figure out where they's hidden the oil filter, only to eventually discover that it can easily be accessed by removing the top cover