'99 Intrepid - Dealer Stripped Oil Pan Drain threads?

If the insert is a Helicoil, it's an excellent repair. Helicoils are special devices made to repair stripped threads in various situations, including some pretty critical ones like spark plug threads. Check the sales literature out at

He might possibly be talking about a different type of insert--a replacement oil drain plug that's a rubber stopper that fits into the threaded hole, tightened via expansion using a nut on a threaded rod. This isn't quite as good a repair as a helicoil, but it's perfectly adequate. The same basic design seals the drain hole in the transom of many a small powerboat, which is a situation just as critical as your oil drain plug!

Helicoil: definitely. Rubber stopper: most likely. Sometimes rubber stoppers wear out, but we're talking years of repeated use and abuse, here. If you're doing your own oil changes, you should be fine.

Nah. Either repair is a good one, and perfectly adequate. I'd be satisfied with that, and save the money. By the way, you did quite well for yourself persuading him to do that for free, I wouldn't complain (much). I wouldn't go back there for any more work after this, either.

--Geoff

Ok, that's good to know. I will ask dealer next week if they will use a Helicoil. I would prefer that to a drain plug solution. One thing with drain plugs though, is that you put them in from the outside, and the water pressure wants to push them in, not out.

Thanks for the info, Geoff! Well, I'd hate to see what they might do with my spark plug threads on this engine! Yikes. Unfortunately all of the Chrysler/Dodge dealers in my area seem to have similar satisfaction experience stories. Some very good, others not so much....

Perhaps you saw some of my posts on this subject on the 300M ezBoard. I discovered that the oil drain plug was stripped on my Concorde's 2.7 when I did the first oil change after I bought it with 58k miles on it.

My solution so far has been to use what's called an oversize plug that you can get at any auto parts store. You want a 14-1.5 O.S. plug - the "O.S." stands for "oversize" threads - made for this problem. It has flutes in the threads to cut the threads a little larger when you install it the first time. The O.S. plug threads work fine - plenty of new thread cut to allow you to tighten normally (but of course if an idiot tech puts an impact on it, it will strip out just like the original factory threads).

One very important thing to think about whether you go the insert route or the O.S. plug: There will be metal filings generated at installation. Whoever does the work needs to be aware of that and take measures to minimize their release into the pan, and to flush the pan real well to hopefully get out any remaining filings. I suggest spraying brake cleaner with the straw inserted all the way into the drain plug hole so that all fluid flow is outward back thru the hole. Then pour a quart of cheap oil into the oil filler with the plug still out, and let it drain, then repeat the brake parts cleaner spray. Maybe they will surprise you and take the pan off to do the helicoil if that's the route you take. IF they do, I would be tempted to pay for a new pan (that you buy at a good price, not what they're probably gonna want to sell it to you for) and ask them to put it on for you with no labor charge. But my guess is they will not pull the pan to do it, in which case, again, consider the metal filings issue.

If a dealer was stupid enough to strip the threads in the first place, I would be very reluctant to trust them to take care about the filings, i.e., their tech is likely to just cross his fingers and trust the filter to catch them. They won't mind gambling with your engine - they've already proven that. Ask yourself this question: How does one strip threads like that and not realize it (answer: they don't - they just don't say anything and hope you're too stupid to figure out what happened). You may have already considered that someone did it intentionally to retaliate for your bringing it back because they overfilled it. Intentional or not, I guess it doesn't matter - it's stripped in any case.

BTW - Mine has always dripped a little oil around the plug. I kept thinking there was something wrong with the gasket - the O.S. plug tightens plenty tight - but recently I took a good close look at the area around the drain hole. It appears there's a hairline crack along the axis of the hole on the bottom surface of the pan. Probably happened when whoever it was that stripped mine overtorqued it. You had better look at yours real closely now so that if it's cracked, you can address that with the dealer, and not discover it a year from now when it's too late to have them replace the pan. My next project on my Concorde will be to replace the pan.

I see you mentioned McKinney Dodge for parts - they stopped their internet sales several months ago. They must be back in business.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

I didn't see that, but I'll be sure to look for it!

Wow, I hope they didn't use an impact wrench. One time I actually watched them do the oil change. Usually i t's impossible to go near the car in their garage, they will keep you away from your car at all costs while it's being worked on. (Insurance regulations make them keep customers out of the garage, they claim---until they want you to see something) But this time the tech was doing the work next to an open bay door on the side, and was happy to talk to me as I watched from outside. He seemed to do everything just fine.

That's a really good point re: the filings. I will ask them what their strategy is for removing the filings! At any rate, I will probably be changing the filter sooner than normal.

Grrr.....

Unfortunately, I'm at the dealer's mercy here, unless I decide to just buy a pan have it fixed someplace else, which I might do yet. But the service manager did seem willing to work with me, so I'll come armed with info and questions.

The dealer also made a mess of the door panel screws at the bottom of the door when working on a window last summer. I read here that others had the same experience, so it's probably more of a design issue than dealer in this case, but I will tell them about it too. The door was fine in the summer after they put it back together, but in the cold weather here in the northeast, it rattles. I wish it had rattled right away so that I could have taken it back in the summer, but it didn't start rattling until around October--just after the 90 day work warranty expired you see....

A mechanic and I were looking at the pan yesterday, and he noted that replacing the pan on this car should be relatively simple procedure...It's above my skill level though as a newbie.

Not sure about that, but their online parts search does work. I typed in a part number and it gave me the list price and their price.

Another question: I've been using Mobil 1. If I temporarily switch to conventional oil, is this bad for the engine? I've heard that switching from synthetics to regular will cause problems, and I've also heard that's an old wives' tale.

One day some time ago, I had the idiot notion to take my 99 Intrepid to a Canadian Tire quick oil change place. I was standing about 12 feet away watching the monkeys go at it, when I noticed the car rocking forward and back. I asked the manager what the problem was, and he stated 'they' had trouble getting the oil plug back in but everything was okay. Three months later, I took the car into the dealership for an oil change and they told me about the loose plug and their attempts to use a larger one to fix it. I was livid (totally furious) that I hadn't gotten a statement from Canadian Tire stating the damage they 'may have done' to the pan at the last oil change..

Three months later, I took it back to the dealership for another oil change and they told me they had tried numerous tricks to get the plug to fit to no avail and I would need a new oil pan. They said they wouldn't even consider driving my car out of the garage for fear of the oil gushing out. I agreed to the repair which cost a few hundred bucks which I had to pay because the dealer said they weren't responsible for the damage. Efforts to get remuneration from Canadian Tire were laughed at since I didn't have any report of damage.

Lesson: Get the oil changed at the dealer where they don't let you see the damage they cause and hopefully repair....and stay away from 'quickie' oil change places.

Yes - that's the oversize (O.S.) plug I posted about. However, I don't see how it can cut threads without creating chips, but granted not as many as drilling and tapping for a helicoil. Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Yes - a design issue, but Chrysler came out with a band-aid fix. Read my first post in this thread on the 300M ezBoard:

It gives the complete text of the TSB about the cracked holes on the bottom of the door panel. Part numbers are given for clips to order thru the dealer, color matched to the door panel. Basically they are a special design fender washer to fit the panel and cover up the broken out areas, as well as hold the panel securely to the door. I would suggest getting those ASAP because the longer you allow the door panel to flop around, the more the holes will break apart and the washers won't be as effective when you do get them.

Yep - old wive's tale.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

If they are smart and make it a magnetic plug, then the chips likely won't get far.

Matt

The magnet is going to trap aluminum chips?

And aluminum chips in the bottom of the pan are going to do serious damage?? I really don't think so, but greasing the tap is never a bad idea.

Nope, didn't realize the threads were in aluminum on the oil pan. I've always had steel. What kind of car has an aluminum pan? Hard to believe they wouldn't have put a steel thread insert into it.

Matt

Oops, didn't check the subject. I guess I won't be buying any Intrepids with aluminum oil pans...

Matt

But will that work?

Am I reading this thread all wrong?

I think this is an aluminum pan?

Do they make aluminum magnets now? REMOVE the NOCRAP in my address to reply.

It's really not a pan, but more of a bottom end engine cover on the 2.7. Flat as a board on the interior side. Cast with stiffening ribs on the exterior surface.

Better than the plastic pan on the wife's '96 3.5L Intrepid. Have had 2 holed by road debris.

Matthew S. Whit> What kind of car has an aluminum pan? Hard to

MANY new engines use cast aluminum pans. I kinda like them, as they don't rust thriugh. However, they also do not bend, so if you hit something too strong, they break.

More and more cars are coming with oil pans that are either aluminum or composite ("plastic") rather than stamped steel. They're known as "structural" oil pans.

DS

I've never had a steel oil pan rust through. I can see the weight savings being a good deal and probably better cooling of the oil, but I'd really want steel inserts in the pan for the drain plug. Although, my motorcycle has Al cases with two drain plugs, but so far no problems. I am very careful though not to overtorque the plugs as they require very little torque, I think less than 20 lb-ft.

Matt