[Shumax1]

2006 V6 Sedan with 140k. I changed the oil, for the first time in my ownership, and now notice it's dripping oil from the drain plug. Not a lot. Perhaps a couple drops a day. Yes, I used a new crush washer. I tightened it down another 1/4 turn hoping that would do it. It didn't help. I have had a bad experience stripping oil pan threads out, so I'm a bit uneasy about cranking it down. I'm already about 4-5 lbs. over what the shop manual suggests for torque.

It was suggested I get a felt washer and put it against the oil pan and then a new crush washer. Any thoughts on that? What other options do I have to get this stopped?

Thanks!

 

[Miker]

Is it at all possible you left the old crush washer in place stuck to the pan and place the new one on top of it ?

 

[JTCJTC]

2006 V6 Sedan with 140k. I changed the oil, for the first time in my ownership, and now notice it's dripping oil from the drain plug. Not a lot. Perhaps a couple drops a day. Yes, I used a new crush washer. I tightened it down another 1/4 turn hoping that would do it. It didn't help. I have had a bad experience stripping oil pan threads out, so I'm a bit uneasy about cranking it down. I'm already about 4-5 lbs. over what the shop manual suggests for torque.

It was suggested I get a felt washer and put it against the oil pan and then a new crush washer. Any thoughts on that? What other options do I have to get this stopped?

Thanks!

You should not have any leaking. I don't actually use a torque wrench, but you can sort of feel the crush gasket "crush" and know when to stop. Never had a single drip ever after putting on new crush gasket. You definitely show not have to over torque.

 

[Shumax1]

Anyone used a fumoto drain plug/valve? With the setup on the V6, does it stick down or just back? Down would be bad as the car is lowered…

 

[Mikeh]

Anyone used a fumoto drain plug/valve? With the setup on the V6, does it stick down or just back? Down would be bad as the car is lowered…

I have a Fumoto on my 10th gen and you can rotate it then tighten it in any position you choose.

 

[visionguru]

... I tightened it down another 1/4 turn hoping that would do it. It didn't help. I have had a bad experience stripping oil pan threads out, so I'm a bit uneasy about cranking it down. I'm already about 4-5 lbs. over what the shop manual suggests for torque. ...

The spec is 29 ft-lb. There is no way that you can do "another 1/4 turn" if you were anywhere close to that torque. Use a torque wrench, instead of by the feel.

The oil leak means the washer hasn't been "crushed". Torque wrenches are too long if the car is on jack stands. I use a $30 torque adapter, with the a swivel socket. Torque to specs, and it will never leak.

 

[Shumax1]

That's exactly what I did. 1/4 turn is probably a bad description. I turned it 'more.' How's that? I have a Fomoto valve coming to try that - like the idea anyway.

 

[qman]

Guess what seals the fumoto valve to the oil pan?

 

[Shumax1]

Their website shows a felt washer…

 

[t-rd]

I stripped my pan myself, used Permatex high temp sealant on the first Fumoto FS106 valve and it lasted almost 2 years. I then installed a new pan with the newer Fumoto F106S valve and never looked back. I don't ever need to remove the valve or buy another washer for the rest of the life of the car. I have this on both the Accord and the Honda Fit. The valve doesn't point up or down, if you get the SX valve then it will point down. You can use the same Permatex high temp thread sealant and have it last another 1 or 2 oil changes that's about it, if you go and remove the drain plug again. If you tap to a larger size, it might or might not work, and it's extremely difficult to fit a tap + a wrench in that area and tap it straight. If you install a Fumoto valve on your existing pan, it might or might not leak depending on the pan's drain hole's thread condition.

 

[Shumax1]

Well, if you buy this, it won’t fit. Need an extension. See photos. Frustrating. Can’t spin it in as it hits the side of the oil pan. Grrr. Just ordered the extension to see if that helps…

Also, that’s the leak. I then cleaned it up to show that it’s only one crush washer on there.

 

[t-rd]

Yes you need the extension, and the Fumoto site tells you that. Look at my picture again, it has the extension installed because of the location and shape of the pan.

Your drain hole thread is stripped or portion of it is damaged that's why it's leaking through the threads past the washer. Your leak looks worse than mine when I had the problem.

 

[Shumax1]

Well, that's what I get for going strictly off of Amazon - Doh! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079T5K5F7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the extension I bought and I have two of the valves - one with the extended nipple and one without. I would like to use the former, if it will fit.

The leak is probably more pronounced in that photo as the bolt was loose. Be that as it may, it's still leaking out as you pointed out. I'd guess half as bad as what you see there.

My intention was to get the Fumoto valve in and never take it out again. Thus, avoiding the chance for further leaks. But, you raise a good point - if the threads are stripped, it likely will just continue to leak where the Fumoto valve goes into the oil pan.

I'm not interested in tapping it and running new threads. I have NO interest in replacing the oil pan, either. Any suggestions on other options? Is there a sealant I can apply to the threads on the Fumoto valve, as I screw it into the oil pan, that would then expand and fill the void up on the threads between the valve and the oil pan?

I obviously want to do what I can to fix it; however, I also need to keep things in perspective. It leaks a drop of oil on the garage floor about every 4 days. It's more of a nuisance than anything else.

Look forward to any input on a cost effective, easy(ier) solution that would also let me retain the Fumoto valve. I feel like, once I get that in there and sealed? I'll never have to deal with it again as the valve will be used to drain the oil, only.

Another question? What if I put this stuff on there and it still leaks? Am I going to be able to get it off to take another route? The word 'sealant' seems rather permanent. HAHA!

Thanks.

 

[t-rd]

Permatex high temp thread sealant in a white tube as I mentioned before, you'll need lather it on pretty thick and let it cure fully before you heat up the engine to full operating temp again. This is what helped stem the oil leak for the first Fumoto valve I put in without changing out the pan. Changing to a new drain plug does nothing either, I've tried that. I've also sealed the drain plug of my lawn mower's carburetor with this stuff. But really, eventually, you need to change out the pan. This might last you a while, but the repeated heat cycles will recreate a gap between the sealant and the metal around it again, especially if you live in colder climates, the temp variation range is huge especially during the winter.

 

[visionguru]

What is that wire-ish thing that sticks out? Did you even take the washer off? There seems something stucks between the washer and the bolt.

My guess is that the PO stripped the threads and repaired it with helicoil insert. I would take the washer off to assess the situation and go from there.

... Is there a sealant I can apply to the threads on the Fumoto valve, as I screw it into the oil pan, that would then expand and fill the void up on the threads between the valve and the oil pan?
...

@t-rd mentioned that twice.
The metal goes through heating (expansion) and cooling (contraction) cycle every time you drive the car. Any sealant is unlikely to have the same expansion rate as aluminum. The best hope is that sealant stuck between the threads can somehow block the leak.

 

[Shumax1]

What is that wire-ish thing that sticks out? Did you even take the washer off? There seems something stucks between the washer and the bolt.

My guess is that the PO stripped the threads and repaired it with helicoil insert. I would take the washer off to assess the situation and go from there.


@t-rd mentioned that twice.
The metal goes through heating (expansion) and cooling (contraction) cycle every time you drive the car. Any sealant is unlikely to have the same expansion rate as aluminum. The best hope is that sealant stuck between the threads can somehow block the leak.

I'm not sure what you are referring to - wire-ish thing. ??

When I changed the oil, about a month ago, I took the old crush washer off and put a new OEM one on. I've done it 100 times with Honda's, so I'm sure the old washer was off and there is only one on now. Does that help? I don't remember anything remarkable about the threads in the pan. I cleaned that area and looked at it - I do remember that.

I'll get some of the Permatex and lather the threads up on the Fumoto valve I put in and see how it goes. Any concern with that getting INSIDE the oil pan and, ultimately, the engine? Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to have the threads dripping, etc. I was just wondering what it would do if it DID get in the oil pan.

Thanks again...

 

[t-rd]

Drain the oil, clean the hole and threads THROUGHLY to the point that oil is barely dripping out the pan, then you screw the valve in with thread sealant. You let the sealant cure fully, it becomes oil resistant. The less oil you have by the threads the better while it's curing. Take a piece of paper towel and scrunch it up, just leave it there by the hole to soak up as much as you can.

 

[Shumax1]

Drain the oil, clean the hole and threads THROUGHLY to the point that oil is barely dripping out the pan, then you screw the valve in with thread sealant. You let the sealant cure fully, it becomes oil resistant. The less oil you have by the threads the better while it's curing. Take a piece of paper towel and scrunch it up, just leave it there by the hole to soak up as much as you can.

Got it.

I edited after you replied. What if it doesn't work? Can I still get it unscrewed even with that sealant on the threads?

 

[qman]

What is that wire-ish thing that sticks out? Did you even take the washer off?

I'm not sure what you are referring to - wire-ish thing. ??

I think it's just glare in the dop of oil.

Hey OP, did you ever get under there and figure out why its leaking? Is there a dent in the pan at the washer seat? There has to be a reason its leaking.

I had a 2007 Lexus that a previous owner cross threaded the drain bolt on. He fixed the leak with a "Smart-O" plug. When I removed the plug I didn't want to put the Smart-O back in there so I re-tapped the threads and bought an OE bolt. I was very careful to run the tap in only as far as it needed to go. Then I ran a magnet in there about a hundred thousand times hoping to get out any metal flakes that may have fallen off. Then I ran a qt of MMO from the top down to help flush out anything the magnet may have missed. Car was money after that with no leaks.

 

[Shumax1]

I see what you mean - yes, that's glare. HAHA. There is nothing wrong with the oil pan. It's as it should be - I looked it all over. I even tightened a couple of the bolts a bit in that area of the drain plug. I really do believe the threads are just stripped a bit, or worn out - it has 140,000 miles on it.

I have a plan now. I just do wonder what's going to happen if I put that thread sealer on and then need to get it off because it's still leaking. Is that thread sealer so good that I will never get it off again? I sort of doubt that, but I've had some experiences with red locktite and would tell you, that's stuff is for real!