Engine flush and oil drain nut
Discussion
Evening, All.
Not new to PH but couldn't remember my login credentials from years back. Alas a new account was in order.
Hope everyone's keeping well in this fine weather.
I was until about an hour or so ago.
I purchased a Chevy Cruze recently for an absolute steal as a spare runaround for the summer. Had all the servicing items and tools ready, but tonight's DIY service ended up being left unfinished.
Two schools of thought i know in relation to engine flush. This being a budget runaround, I picked up the Silverhook stuff from Toolstation and put it in. Car came with no SH as it was taken in as a PX. It drives and runs spot on, but as I've said: a steal, so thought I'd go a bit further by using an engine flush.
Upon attempting to loosen the nut to drain the oil, I find the darn thing jammed, and I mean jammed.
So two issues, if anyone has found themselves in this situation:
1. I'm leaving the car with engine flush in it overnight. It's not been revved and I don't plan on driving it. Did this cause you any issues? Was thinking of idling the car subject to the below tomorrow to , but I fear the flush could have 'thinned' the oil out significantly by tomorrow assuming i get round to finishing off the job. Now thinking not to bother.
2. Obviously the old oil and engine flush will remain for as long as the nut remains jammed. Sprayed copper grease and left it. How did you approach the same?
Lastly, lesson learned: if you're going to use engine flush, check you can drain it out first. And if there's anything to look out for or expect then tips would be appreciated.
Thanks, guys.
Not new to PH but couldn't remember my login credentials from years back. Alas a new account was in order.
Hope everyone's keeping well in this fine weather.
I was until about an hour or so ago.
I purchased a Chevy Cruze recently for an absolute steal as a spare runaround for the summer. Had all the servicing items and tools ready, but tonight's DIY service ended up being left unfinished.
Two schools of thought i know in relation to engine flush. This being a budget runaround, I picked up the Silverhook stuff from Toolstation and put it in. Car came with no SH as it was taken in as a PX. It drives and runs spot on, but as I've said: a steal, so thought I'd go a bit further by using an engine flush.
Upon attempting to loosen the nut to drain the oil, I find the darn thing jammed, and I mean jammed.
So two issues, if anyone has found themselves in this situation:
1. I'm leaving the car with engine flush in it overnight. It's not been revved and I don't plan on driving it. Did this cause you any issues? Was thinking of idling the car subject to the below tomorrow to , but I fear the flush could have 'thinned' the oil out significantly by tomorrow assuming i get round to finishing off the job. Now thinking not to bother.
2. Obviously the old oil and engine flush will remain for as long as the nut remains jammed. Sprayed copper grease and left it. How did you approach the same?
Lastly, lesson learned: if you're going to use engine flush, check you can drain it out first. And if there's anything to look out for or expect then tips would be appreciated.
Thanks, guys.
captain.scarlet said:
1. I'm leaving the car with engine flush in it overnight. It's not been revved and I don't plan on driving it. Did this cause you any issues?
No problem there. Most flushing oil is stuff like kerosene and naptha, just thin solvent-y oil really.captain.scarlet said:
2. Obviously the old oil and engine flush will remain for as long as the nut remains jammed. Sprayed copper grease and left it. How did you approach the same?
Take from selection of - Heat. Breaker bar. Ring spanner and hammer. Impact gun. If it's an ally sump I'd definitely be getting some blowtorch on it.Also - plan ahead and think about what you'll do if the sump threads come out with the plug. Thread repairs, or oversized plugs are available.
Thanks All.
I hold my hands up. Put my phone on charge and jumped in the shower and remembered it's not a nut. I even took a photo of it as I wasn't using stands.
It's a torx sump plug requiring a T40 bit. Photo was taken before the event, so no idea what it looks like now!
Thanks again.
I hold my hands up. Put my phone on charge and jumped in the shower and remembered it's not a nut. I even took a photo of it as I wasn't using stands.
It's a torx sump plug requiring a T40 bit. Photo was taken before the event, so no idea what it looks like now!
Thanks again.
Edited by captain.scarlet on Wednesday 16th June 23:55
shtu said:
No problem there. Most flushing oil is stuff like kerosene and naptha, just thin solvent-y oil really.
Relief there. Cheers, shtu. I thought I'd ignore Scotty Kilmer on this occasion as much as I quite enjoy his videos. shtu said:
Take from selection of - Heat. Breaker bar. Ring spanner and hammer. Impact gun. If it's an ally sump I'd definitely be getting some blowtorch on it.
Also - plan ahead and think about what you'll do if the sump threads come out with the plug. Thread repairs, or oversized plugs are available.
Admittedly I did try with my impact driver using the T40 bit, but no joy. I think a hammer from underneath and a few taps may be worth a try. I thought that idling the car until the engine came up to operating temperature could have generated the heat to loosen it up.Also - plan ahead and think about what you'll do if the sump threads come out with the plug. Thread repairs, or oversized plugs are available.
Probably best to a new one ready from now.
captain.scarlet said:
Thanks All.
I hold my hands up. Put my phone on charge and jumped in the shower and remembered it's not a nut. I even took a photo of it as I wasn't using stands.
It's a torx sump plug requiring a T40 bit. Photo was taken before the event, so no idea what it looks like now!
Thanks again.
It will be the same as a Vauxhall one then, grip the outer rim of the plug with some vice/mole grips as well as the torx bit and use both together to undo, they usually come loose quite easily that way.I hold my hands up. Put my phone on charge and jumped in the shower and remembered it's not a nut. I even took a photo of it as I wasn't using stands.
It's a torx sump plug requiring a T40 bit. Photo was taken before the event, so no idea what it looks like now!
Thanks again.
Edited by captain.scarlet on Wednesday 16th June 23:55
The sump plug on my partner's old Astra J 2.0 CDTI was completely seized.
I did at least 3 oil changes on it over its life, along with removing the sump to replace a seal on the oil pickup, and never bothered removing it.
Just got a 12v oil suction thing off Amazon (still going well) and did it that way.
When I had the sump off, there was maybe 50-100ml of oil left in there, and I'd be surprised if draining it via the plug got any more than that out.
I did at least 3 oil changes on it over its life, along with removing the sump to replace a seal on the oil pickup, and never bothered removing it.
Just got a 12v oil suction thing off Amazon (still going well) and did it that way.
When I had the sump off, there was maybe 50-100ml of oil left in there, and I'd be surprised if draining it via the plug got any more than that out.
I use a suction pump for ordinary oil changes but wouldn't be keen to use it after a flush as there will likely be greasy lumps in it and these wont fit up the very thin piping so sump plug must come out.
I wouldn't use heat in this case either, too close to flammable liquids. I know the sort of sump plug you have and while they are tight they should come out with a breaker bar and allen socket, I've never resorted to my impact guns but that would be the next step if I needed to up the ante.
Run the engine as described on the flush bottle first, then set to the sump plug and persevere until it is out dont be tempted to quit. You probably have 5litres of oil and a petrol Cruze takes 4l, so you can put half a litre in the top with the plug out and let it drain out too, then ptfe tape on the threads of plug at the head end and arm tighten.
ETA coppergrease is antisieze for threads it has terrible penetration qualities so wd40 would be what you're thinking of, I wouldn't bother as its prob pretty well oiled anyway and just needs cracked free with long bar/breaker bar.
I wouldn't use heat in this case either, too close to flammable liquids. I know the sort of sump plug you have and while they are tight they should come out with a breaker bar and allen socket, I've never resorted to my impact guns but that would be the next step if I needed to up the ante.
Run the engine as described on the flush bottle first, then set to the sump plug and persevere until it is out dont be tempted to quit. You probably have 5litres of oil and a petrol Cruze takes 4l, so you can put half a litre in the top with the plug out and let it drain out too, then ptfe tape on the threads of plug at the head end and arm tighten.
ETA coppergrease is antisieze for threads it has terrible penetration qualities so wd40 would be what you're thinking of, I wouldn't bother as its prob pretty well oiled anyway and just needs cracked free with long bar/breaker bar.
Edited by Decky_Q on Thursday 17th June 12:39
Hi All,
Thanks a lot for the advice and feedback. Went back to work on it earlier today and nothing worked at all. Vise grips just couldn't sit on the plug head and the pan has raised text about correct tightening. So every millimetre counted and I just couldn't get the plug to turn.
One of my concerns with an oil pump is any deposits being left behind. Would this go in through the dipstick hole?
I inserted a flat bit and hammered it in tight today. Tried again with the impact driver and all it did was shave some bits of metal off and make the situation rounder!
Tried with the hammer to maybe give it a knock out of place.
Ideally I'd like to get a new screw put in there before putting in the new oil, so I think there are 4 options here to permanently fix it:
1. Bore a hole and put in a thread, and try and remove the two together;
2. Angle grinder on the screw head and slice a section to enable a flat head bit in, and try again that way.
3. Assuming the shaft of the screw is also soft aluminium, bore through it with a wide enough drill piece and try and weaken the screw structurally in order to be able to break it off in bits.
4. Replace the pan. May require additional work on other components, however.
Option 3 is my preferred route to go down. I needed an angle grinder anyway. It'd have to be a very delicate procedure.
Last thing I then need is after all of that, for the thread in the pan to turn out to be damaged. My concern about forcing the existing screw off is that I could do that. In the other hand, it may be why someone has overtightened it, to prevent leaks.
Thanks a lot for the advice and feedback. Went back to work on it earlier today and nothing worked at all. Vise grips just couldn't sit on the plug head and the pan has raised text about correct tightening. So every millimetre counted and I just couldn't get the plug to turn.
One of my concerns with an oil pump is any deposits being left behind. Would this go in through the dipstick hole?
I inserted a flat bit and hammered it in tight today. Tried again with the impact driver and all it did was shave some bits of metal off and make the situation rounder!
Tried with the hammer to maybe give it a knock out of place.
Ideally I'd like to get a new screw put in there before putting in the new oil, so I think there are 4 options here to permanently fix it:
1. Bore a hole and put in a thread, and try and remove the two together;
2. Angle grinder on the screw head and slice a section to enable a flat head bit in, and try again that way.
3. Assuming the shaft of the screw is also soft aluminium, bore through it with a wide enough drill piece and try and weaken the screw structurally in order to be able to break it off in bits.
4. Replace the pan. May require additional work on other components, however.
Option 3 is my preferred route to go down. I needed an angle grinder anyway. It'd have to be a very delicate procedure.
Last thing I then need is after all of that, for the thread in the pan to turn out to be damaged. My concern about forcing the existing screw off is that I could do that. In the other hand, it may be why someone has overtightened it, to prevent leaks.
Is this the type of sump plug on yours? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223582150073?fits=Car+M...
If it is, it's the same one as used on many Vauxhalls and they can be difficult to remove because of the small size of torx bit used, if you can't get at it with vise grips, carefully use a hammer and small chisel on the outer rim, it's never failed for me.
If it is, it's the same one as used on many Vauxhalls and they can be difficult to remove because of the small size of torx bit used, if you can't get at it with vise grips, carefully use a hammer and small chisel on the outer rim, it's never failed for me.
Yep, that's the one I've been looking at buying. Some of the local shops have them in stock thankfully. Right now it's what's the best way to address this.
The pan seemed to be be coated in oil, so replacing the seal/gasket may be needed, but it's just another fiddly and time-consuming task. I can't think how else it became like that.
When you chisel around the rim, do you mean the head or between it and the actual pan, where the plug o-ring would squeeze against it? Is it then a matter of using the grips again?
The pan seemed to be be coated in oil, so replacing the seal/gasket may be needed, but it's just another fiddly and time-consuming task. I can't think how else it became like that.
When you chisel around the rim, do you mean the head or between it and the actual pan, where the plug o-ring would squeeze against it? Is it then a matter of using the grips again?
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