Time for one more story (non-Mini).
At one time I had a Honda Accord (family sedan). I used to let the local quick oil change place do the oil changes. They stripped the drain plug tap out of the sump so they fitted a rubber plug. It leaked. I was NOT happy. I machined a plug adapter bushing that allowed me to re-tap the sump larger, fit my adapter, and continue to use stock drain plugs. Later the oil change place screwed that up. I had had enough. I tapped the sump a second time and fitted a modified tapered pipe bushing (permanently bonded into the sump). Then I bought a handful of nylon pipe plugs. I put one in the sump and the others in the glovebox. When the oil change place offered to fit a "proper" plug in place of the nylon pipe plug I told them that if they did I would break their arms. I went on to explain that they were the reason I fit the nylon plug and from now on if they stripped anything it would be the threads on the plug... not the sump.
The only reason I never suggest this for Minis with stripped drain plugs is that you really should keep the magnet on the drain plug of a Mini. While it could be easily added to a nylon plug this is not something I am comfortable suggesting that other people do.
Drain Plug Threads - What Standard/form?
Started by
dklawson
, Jun 11 2009 04:37 PM
46 replies to this topic
#46
dklawson
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- TMF+ Member
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Moved Into The Garage
- Name: Doug
- Location: Durham, NC - USA
- Local Club: none
Posted 20 February 2012 - 10:14 PM
#47
tiger99
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- Members
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Crazy About Mini's
- Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posted 20 February 2012 - 10:44 PM
Isn't it sad how some garages bungle an oil change?
Returning to the magnet, it is very necessary on a Mini.I am sure we have all seen why, when we have changed the oil. If it was to be fitted to a plastic plug, I would suggest a new magnet with a head like a nail so it was positively retained in the moulding. Provided the moulding temperature was less than the Curie point of the magnet, it would not be harmed.
That rules out the high performance neodymium iron boron magnets used in various things nowadays. One of my colleagues at work has one of those, from a dead hard drive, on his desk, supporting a strange structure of paper clips and sundry bits of metal, including a "copper" coin with magnetic content. One day, when he was out, we popped the magnet in the lab oven for a few minutes. His structure never stood again....
But a plain iron magnet is adequate for gathering up chips.
Returning to the magnet, it is very necessary on a Mini.I am sure we have all seen why, when we have changed the oil. If it was to be fitted to a plastic plug, I would suggest a new magnet with a head like a nail so it was positively retained in the moulding. Provided the moulding temperature was less than the Curie point of the magnet, it would not be harmed.
That rules out the high performance neodymium iron boron magnets used in various things nowadays. One of my colleagues at work has one of those, from a dead hard drive, on his desk, supporting a strange structure of paper clips and sundry bits of metal, including a "copper" coin with magnetic content. One day, when he was out, we popped the magnet in the lab oven for a few minutes. His structure never stood again....
But a plain iron magnet is adequate for gathering up chips.
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