I have an '82 and '83 Honda Civic and both as far as I can tell have original oil pans with the correct plug. Oil pan drain plug problems are not limited to Hondas if my experience counts for anything over the past forty years...
JT
I guess it depends on the model.
I had the same concern when I had one installed in my 98 Civic (because of negligent service at oil changing places). That is, until you notice that the plug is behind the pan and that the valve comes at an angle. Its end is still above the pan bottom, to tear it apart you have to rip open the pan first.
Serban
Maybe they did not put in a new aluminum washer and tried to reuse the old one. This guarantees that they'll have to overtighten it to get that snug feeling. Cross-threading is probably less an occurence than careless and cut-the-corners service.
Serban
"gigelus2k3" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
Makes me wonder if Tegger has ever been under his Integra to change his oil. (I doubt his VTEC is any different than mine in that respect.)
;-)
Jim Yanik wrote in news:Xns987CCAC9ABD1Ajyanikkuanet@129.250.170.86:
According to my stats, I've changed my oil myself approximately 95 times since the warranty ran out in 1994.
(Interesting. In 1994 I paid $7.11 for a gallon of Castrol GTX at K-Mart. The same stuff is up over $20 in 2006. Wow!)
The drain bolt is barely hidden by the oil pan, maybe 1/4" up from the lowest point.
From a quick look at the link that was provided of that spigot-thingy, I couldn't see how it would go on without sticking down below the oil pan's bottom. If I was wrong, I was wrong. I still won't use those things.
And I don't have VTEC!
"TeGGeR®" wrote
Gotta buy some of that oil stock with the money you save by doing so much car maintenance yourself. I finally had it with gas prices and surrendered in September ago, purchasing my first oil company position. ;-)
imo, the only thing wrong with the honda plug is that it's got a big bolt head in a nice accessible position where a knuckle-dragger can go nuts on it with a long wrench. if they had a 3/8" square socket like the auto transmissions, i don't think we'd ever see this problem.
"good service" means never getting to this stage. they should have at least offered to compromise - if they didn't eat the cost entirely. it's not worth losing a customer over a $130 part.
"Elle" wrote in news:ieQ6h.7857 $ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net:
Except oil prices are going down now...
"TeGGeR®" wrote
Historically, oil stock price growth and stock dividend growth have beat inflation by a lot. This of course is consistent with your observation above on the Castrol oil.
Yeah but... It's curious on how some oil related stuff never goes down. Products like propane, motor oil etc simply become a cash cow to big oil.
Gas prices OTOH are an everyday encounter so smart business requires attention by producers to maintain (what they think) the market will bear.
JT
(Grumpier than normal today..)
Mite hit a score spot but wallmart sell a five quart container for under ten bucks GTX
Just posting a follow-up. Three days after calling American Honda to file a case, The service manager from the dealer called...(NOT the one who offered me 10% off.) He had heard from my case manager and very politely asked what he could to rectify the situation. I said "replace my oil pan". Without a pause he said "OK, when do you want to bring it in?" NO cost me me. I would have expected nothing less from Honda. Thanks for all of your input on this matter. Matthew
NOW the question remains...can I feel comportable continuing to bring it to them for fear of doing it again??? From now on I will have them put in MY service notes: "Be sure to place new drain plug, new washer and hand torque to factory specs" !!
IMO one's best bet is to change the oil one's self. If you absolutely cannot do this, then buy the washers yourself at the dealer or an online parts site like
I cannot say for sure, but based on reading reports here, I think the stripping could very well be normal wear and tear. Honda may have done you a huge favor by arranging to have the oil pan changed at no charge. Problem is, one cannot say for sure.
"Matthew" wrote
"Matthew" wrote in news:PdG7h.196$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe09.lga:
Excellent!
That sounds like you want them to replace the *drain plug* every time they change your oil.It's not the cause of the overtorquing or crossthreading.
Perhaps you meant "place NEW washer on drain plug and torque to factory specs by hand".?
$300. bucks on my '88 about 10 years ago. In RI. Jiffy Lube Asassins!
My advice? Weld it up and go to those places that suck the oil out the top. Amazing how they so much so right, then they screw up the oil pan design. I now carry an expandable rubber plug in each Honda, just in case....
Norman
Matthew wrote:
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