Sump Plugs

[Crossthreaded]

Sump plugs, a subject often discussed I'm sure. My wee aluminium sump'd 1.0 litre 95Hp 3 cylinder Ibiza has a quite long, M14 x 1.5 plug with a non removable steel washer. It's about twice the length of the one, same diameter and thread, that was used in my old 1.9 tdi VE steel sump'd Cordoba, but the Cordoba had a replaceable crush washer. Some years ago my older boy ran a 1.9 tdi PD engine'd Fabia - great engine, far better than the 1.6 CR he replaced it with! - and I've just come across a spare unused sump plug for the PD in my spares box. Guess what? It's exactly the same as the one which fits my new Ibiza. So I may just use it in this years service, which is actually slightly overdue but I'm accumulating parts - that's my excuse anyway.

I noticed that for the three services performed by Mr Clark's organization whilst she was under warranty they charged for a new sump plug at each service. Last year I bought a new plug along with the other bits needed just because the garage had always replaced the plug each time. Now however, I find myself looking at the used plug from last year, with it's non deformable steel washer, and thinking to myself "Darned if I can see anything wrong with it at all" It's not as if the washer crushes like the old Cordoba copper one did and anyway it seems the washer is not removable being of a smaller internal diameter than the thread peaks. I think I'm going to use the new plug bought all those years ago for the PD in her this year, but I'm wondering if there is a technical reason as to why a perfectly sound looking plug needs to be replaced every oil change? Do you folks all change yours or just whack the old one back in? I'll do my best to attach a picture of the two plugs - old one on the right.

 

[andylong]

I have only replaced washers in the past. Even if the sump is plastic I cant see the point.

 

[Crossthreaded]

I have only replaced washers in the past. Even if the sump is plastic I cant see the point.

Yup, me too - as with my old Cordoba and many other vehicles over the years. But with this design you can't actually get the washer off because it's ID is smaller than the top of the threads. Anyway it's a hard metal washer and doesn't crush. My best guess is that, providing the washer isn't damaged ie scored or malformed in some way, then it (the plug and washer assembly) could be reused. I was just wondering what all you folks do.

 

[RUM4MO]

I always reckoned that having a retained washer was a labour saving move, no messing with cleaning the old plug and fitting a new washer, or even losing it.

My daughter's old 6K 2002 Ibiza 1.4 8V Petrol engine had one of these shorter plugs with a copper washer, but my 2000 Passat 2.8 30V V6, my wife's 2002 Polo 1.4 16V and my daughter's next car a late 2009 Ibiza 1.4 16V all used that later "plug with retained steel washer" - the first 2 cars had an alloy sump and the last new had a steel sump.

I treated these cars to a new sump plug either every other oil change or every 3rd one - as these sump plugs tended to be stocked without any protection, I tended to find that the threads on newly bought ones were often "dinged" and benefited from dressing the threads before fitting them, especially for the ones screwing into the alloy sumps!

My current car a 2011 Audi S4 and wife's current car a VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS both have plugs that only need the washer replaced at each service, although the head of the sump plugs are different - one recessed hex the other normal hex, but at least they use the same sealing crushable washer, both sumps are steel I think, my car certainly has a steel plate covering the open end of the block.

Price wise, the crushable sealing washer costs maybe 1.5 times the price of the plug with retained steel washer when buying from a main dealer.

 

[Crossthreaded]

I always reckoned that having a retained washer was a labour saving move, no messing with cleaning the old plug and fitting a new washer, or even losing it.

My daughter's old 6K 2002 Ibiza 1.4 8V Petrol engine had one of these shorter plugs with a copper washer, but my 2000 Passat 2.8 30V V6, my wife's 2002 Polo 1.4 16V and my daughter's next car a late 2009 Ibiza 1.4 16V all used that later "plug with retained steel washer" - the first 2 cars had an alloy sump and the last new had a steel sump.

I treated these cars to a new sump plug either every other oil change or every 3rd one - as these sump plugs tended to be stocked without any protection, I tended to find that the threads on newly bought ones were often "dinged" and benefited from dressing the threads before fitting them, especially for the ones screwing into the alloy sumps!

My current car a 2011 Audi S4 and wife's current car a VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS both have plugs that only need the washer replaced at each service, although the head of the sump plugs are different - one recessed hex the other normal hex, but at least they use the same sealing crushable washer, both sumps are steel I think, my car certainly has a steel plate covering the open end of the block.

Price wise, the crushable sealing washer costs maybe 1.5 times the price of the plug with retained steel washer when buying from a main dealer.

Good tip about cleaning the threads up, especially, as you say, for the ones used in alloy sumps. Thanks RUM. I'm pretty sure I don't have a die in that size but I do have a suitable thread file.