Oil drain plug...should I be worried?

[mpe50]

I've always had the dealer, and then my independent, change the oil in my 08 3.0si. I just hit 85k and miles, and need to do a brake fluid and tranny fluid change. Figured I may as well do the engine oil while I'm under there.

Put it up in the air, and pulled the drain plug. Took the plug over to the bench to change out the crush washer while it drained. Noticed a few curved metal shavings the same radius as the bolt threads. Then noticed a few shiny spots on the bolt. Looks like it got stripped when last put in. Found a few more tiny pieces in the drain pan. Twisted a paper towel and rotated in the hole to clean out the pan threads as best I could. Got a few more pieces on the paper.

Went to the local parts store to get a new drain plug (strangely it came with a nylon washer?) Crossed my fingers, and started to thread it on. Hit a few spots where it got tight, but I was able to get it all the way seated and torqued to 25nm.

Question is, should I be worried about there possibly being other thread shavings in the oil pan? And will that bolt be likely to come loose and leak?

[jrmccain]

I don't think the possibility of a shaving in the oil pan is anything to be overly concerned about, (although I am not a mechanic), I would assume that it would be take up by the oil pump and captured by the filter. But it sounds like you may need to heli coil the drain plug.

[Doug Huffman]

Drain plug issues were one of the reasons that I changed the oil on my previous diesel through the top of the engine, with a vacuum can.

[mpe50]

Be interesting to see what's in the filter when I do the next oil change.

I'm sure it was caused by just over tightening that bolt. I'd imagine oil changes get handed off to the lowliest guy in the shop. The same guy that thinks...why use a torque wrench when I've got a perfectly good air impact wrench.

[gregg3gs]

Not sure where the shavings come from but I use this on my Audi and will be getting one for my bmw. Sorry for the ECS plug, consider the idea.

BMW E70 X5 xDrive30i N52 3.0L Engine Oil Service Drain Plug - 002201ECS01A - Magnetic Oil Drain Plug - Priced Each (12x1.5) - ES#251839

[FSETH]

I had the same problem on my e46 the first time I went to change the oil. My trusted indy put in a time-sert for me and it has been perfect over the past 4 years and numerous oil changes.

[ard]

OP-

Id repair that sooner rather than later.

[Doug Huffman]

Originally Posted by gregg3gs

Not sure where the shavings come from but I use this on my Audi and will be getting one for my bmw. Sorry for the ECS plug, consider the idea.

The shavings are a minor issue. Worse is the loss of all ready inadequate thread engagement.

It is illustrative that BMW is thought to trust the lowliest mechanic with the most heavily abused single-point catastrophic failure.

[mpe50]

Little update. Well you guys were right about worrying about that plug failing with bad threads. After about 2k miles I noticed a few drops of oil on my garage floor. Jacked up the front end and saw the entire engine cover covered in a film of oil. That nylon washer cracked.

Decided to take it to a friends shop as I'm certainly not going back to the place that messed it up in the first place. Said the threads were completely stripped. Recommended against heli coil or time-sert. Said in his experience the best fix was to drill and tap it for the larger Mercedes plug. Which he did.

Fingers crossed.

[jrmccain]

That's good to hear that your problem is resolved. I also really like your mechanic's solution, just about takes out any possibility of failure in the future.