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Drain plug stripped


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Take your drain plug to the auto parts store. They have larger sized repair plugs what have a tap style tip. It literally cuts new threads as it's installed. It's magnetic so it holds most of its mess, but I'd suggest putting some extra oil through to flush any contaminants.

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Just a couple things from  machine shop guy.  

 

1.  Heli coils are much preferred for this application because every time you run a bolt into an Aluminum thread, you are causing wear on those threads.  

 

2.  I would personally shy away from any drain plug with a cut tap tip on it.  Every time you run that thing back it, it will try to trim those threads a little more.  Cutting the threads with the proper tap and installing a normal drain plug is much more ideal for thread protection.  

 

 

From our experience in tapping thousands of Aluminum thread you MUST get your predrill size RIGHT and it is a sure bet that if you drill a hole with your Dewalt, it will be oversized when you are done.  Lots of care must be taken to do this right.  I highly recommend a reamer to take the hole to size when doing this manually. You can likely ream to your target size without ever touch a twist drill.   Tapping is a science and there is all sorts of data about % of thread vs thread capacity.  If you drill oversize, your tap will run in just fine, but you won't have the right amount of thread for good holding power.  If you drill undersize, your tap takes too much torque and will break.  

 

If you chose to tap it, do NOT use a cheap tap!!!!!  Tapping is tricky business and once a junk tap breaks, you have even more fun getting that back out.  

 

There are also something called a Time Sert which is a fully threaded barrel, not just a spring.  They are more durable and most have a locking feature so once you get them installed, you drive the tines in, which mechanically locks them in place so they cannot come out.  

 

 

Just FYI and probably TMI as well, we use CNC to make threads whenever possible because we have much more control.  Just about every time we try to even adjust a threaded hole manually, it won't pass inspection with go/no-go gauges, typically coming out too loose.  If you pull even a little on one side of the tap, this will cause the tap to oversize the hole.  

 

I guess I get all worked up about threads because it can just get down right tricky even with the best tools available and not trying to scare you, just trying to alert you to the care that 'should' be taken when doing it.  If you are even 1* angled going into that drain hole, it might all look great but will never seal without a goober of sealant because the washer is not getting uniform sealing pressure.  

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Take your drain plug to the auto parts store. They have larger sized repair plugs what have a tap style tip. It literally cuts new threads as it's installed. It's magnetic so it holds most of its mess, but I'd suggest putting some extra oil through to flush any contaminants.

Thats exactly what I did when mine stripped and the new oversize plug has been working great ever since.

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If you are even 1* angled going into that drain hole, it might all look great but will never seal without a goober of sealant because the washer is not getting uniform sealing pressure.

 

been there before. if hole and threads arent exactly straight in from the sealing surface youll be forced to use rtv or forever be plagued with small leak Edited by registered user
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