Stripped oil drain plug

Was doing an oil change today and stripped out the drain plug. Have only ever torqued it to the OE spec of 30ftlbs, but today it decided it didn't wanna get tight... ever again. Does anybody know if there's enough meat in the pan to put a helicoil in or do I need to order a brand new lower oil pan? Would also accept other ideas on fixing it. Bought a fumoto valve to put in so this never happens again. Feel free to make fun, but I didn't monkey it in with an impact gun or anything like that.

 

Sub’d, interested to hear outcome and theories

 

I would use a time-sert oil drain plug repair thread insert. I believe the one you want is the

$13 m12x1.25 mm self-locking nylon insert hex lock nuts, pack of 6

m12x1.25. My RZR had a stripped transfer case drain plug and I used a time-sert to fix it and it worked great. I think a Helicoil would work too

 

My buddy had that thought too. Looked it up and an

$13 M12x1.25 mm Self-Locking Nylon Insert Hex Lock Nuts, Pack of 6

M12x1.25 timesert is $127. Pretty crazy in my opinion, but it is cheaper than an OE pan especially when you include shipping. Might go this route as it's the quickest way to get the truck back on the road.

Going to check with my local dealer tomorrow to see if by some stroke of luck they have an OE pan in stock.

 

You can buy one online from Toyota and have it shipped to your local dealer for free and then go pick it up. I’ve done this numerous times for odds and ends.

 

They are very expensive for a one time use item. You could probably pick up a helicoil from a local auto parts store. I would give that a shot before replacing the pan. I bet it would work. Really nothing to lose by trying it. That’s what I would do before replacing the pan

 

Is the pan gasket rubber or RTV?

 

I dont know anything about the 3.5L engine, if its like the 4.0L engine I would just replace the lower oil pan. Its not to expensive and very simple to replace, for me it would be worth the peace of mind.

 

I can't tell from the pic, but does the Tacoma have a secondary oil pan like the tundras?

I stripped the plug on my tundra. It was easy to change the lower oil pan.

 

Probably could patch it, but do you want to chance a patch in such an area? You are gambling with trashing the engine...
Replace the pan and chalk it up to an expensive mistake.

 

What would Mad Max do?

 

Don't know your budget but you could try wrapping the Fumoto with teflon plumbers tape and see if it tightens snug. Best option would be replace the pan I guess.

 

How about your local junk yard

 

I would just get a new pan if you are going with a fumoto.

They sell repair kits that have a self tapping fitting that stays in place and has a smaller drain plug in it.

I don't think that threaded boss has enough material it drill and tap it for a helicoil or other threaded insert which still retains the original 12mm plug.

 

Replace that lower pan. Not worth the potential headache that can come with a thread insert.

 

+1 for replacing the pan

 

Replace the pan. It will always leak/seep until you do.

 

I haven't seen any one mention it, they have rubber plugs you put in and just tighten up. They're actually a pretty common fix for this sort of thing. If you go anywhere for an oil change, and the bolt strips, this is going to be what they put in without telling you. Even at the dealership.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rub...513218761159952,pvt:hg,pvo:19&oshop=apv&pvs=0

Obviously not the "best" repair (replacing The whole pan with an OEM one would be), but its $9 and I've never heard of any one coming back to the shop with issues or a failure.

They have two piece metal plugs that you put in also, or the outside one threads into the stripped out hole, and there's a smaller bolt inside of it that you can take out to do your future oil changes. I'd recommend you just stick with a rubber style one like the one I linked. You want your failure mode to be 1 drop of oil every hour leaking out(just tighten it another half a turn) you don't want your failure to be a metal plug popping out while you're driving.

 

Helicoils are time tested, even with spark plugs. If the threaded part is not as long as the helicoil go with a shorter one. The one issue will be if you install the helicoil first on the pan while it’s installed on your truck - getting the tang back out of the pan when you knock it off the helicoil would be hard and you don’t want it loose in the oil pan. Put the helicoil on your Fumoto first, and bend off the tang while the Fumoto is outside of the pan, and then screw in the Fumoto with the helicoil on it into the pan. If that doesn’t work, then go with plan B and get a new pan- helicoil kits only cost $15 or so.

 

Honestly, if it were me, I'd pull the pan and have a bung silver soldered in place of the oe drain hole. It would be cheaper, stronger, and provide a nice spot for a fumoto valve IMO.