156 sump plug

[Avocet]

OK, well today obviously wasn't going to be one of those "lucky" days! Having just changed the oil on my wife's 1.8 156, I ended up in the nice situation where the sump plug never actually got any more difficult to turn...

So, anyone had experience of a stripped sump plug on one of these?

Any tips anyone can pass on???? please?????

I've found an M18 x 1.5 helicoil kit for about £70 online but I'd be keen to hear any other suggestions!

[Wombat Rick]

It's a common problem on Twin Spark sumps and you never know if it was you that did it or the previous hammer wielder. Helicoil is usually the only way I'm afraid.

[Avocet]

To be honest, I reckon it's what ALFA did!

I've managed to borrow a helicoil kit and have re-done it now but on inspecting it all, the sump plug is getting on for an inch long with a MASSIVE thread run-out area towards the underside of the head. I've no idea why they made it so big but you could put 4 or 5 copper washers on there before they got level with the first thread! In the sump, there are about half a dozen threads (so why the plug has to be so long beats me!) but they obviously then realised that there would always be a cupfull of dirty oil in the sump so they machined a slot in the threaded boss that's on the inside of the sump. The result being that when the plug is tightened up with only one copper washer on it, there are only about 3 threads fully engaged!

I'd hold my hands up and admit that I've never used a torque wrench when doing it up but on the other hand, I've never done so on my 164 either - and that's had countless more oil changes done than the 156!