Did a basic service on my 1.9SDI yesterday - changed oil, oil filter and coolant. (Was gonna do fuel filter but  one of the pipes is properly stuck in place and we were running out of time and light).

 

Anyway, after driving 5 minutes home the oil light came on and we discovered that the sump plug is leaking. My mate was the one that replaced it after draining and said that he thought it was on pretty tightly (altho time constraints and the presence of the undertray at the front have stopped me checking that yet) but the other thing we wondered is whether there is supposed to be a rubber seal on the sump plug as well as the metal washer? None of the three of us noticed one when we removed the sump plug but there's a tiny chance one could have fallen into the tub catching the oil without us noticing.

 

I know this seems lazy but it's a real faff getting the undertray off and getting underneath so I don't want to go to all that just to tighten the plug if it's gonna make no difference. Not to mention that the car's down the road near a junction so jacking it up in it's current position's a last-resort option.

 

Cheers

Should just be a copper washer which you should replace with new

The factory sump plugs have a built in washer. As they are one use only you can't replace the washer as its smaller than the threads.

It also means it's pretty impossible to come off unless you cut it or force it.

My bet is its cross threaded.

My bet is its cross threaded.

Thats exactly what i was gona say.

My bet is its cross threaded

Thats exactly what i was gona say.

 

Is that likely to have happened just by removing it and putting it back in though? It was fine before and it looked fine when I cleaned it off after taking it out...

 

Cheers for the thoughts so far

Overtightened and striped the threads? My mate did it a few years back and needed to have the sump helicoiled.

If your saying he toghtend it and not long after the oil warning light came on, yes.

I've seen loose sump plugs and they have a slow drip at best.

steel sump plug + aluminium sump + overtightening = recipe for disaster.

 

New sump plug every time and IIRC it's about 32Nm so not that tight TBH.

Is that likely to have happened just by removing it and putting it back in though? It was fine before and it looked fine when I cleaned it off after taking it out...

Cheers for the thoughts so far

Whenever you do an oil change. And do the plug up its always best to use a rag and not just clean the plug but drain hole too

Then hand do the plug up that way you can feel for the thread

Usually within 2or 3 turns you can see and feel if its goin in cross threaded

I always hand tighten first. Ive never used a torq wrench on that for fear of doing what youve possibly done. Oh and ive never replaced the seal either. If done properly the plug and washer will create a good seal.

As above, probably cross threaded.

The plug will look ok, as the steel is harder than the alloy sump.

Easy to put them in wrong on these sumps, as the plug does not sit totally level in the sump.

I didn't replace the washer and now I have a slow drip. It's certainly not enough to trigger a oil warning light so quickly.

 

Won't make that mistake next time.

So you drained oil. Then took old filter out. Then your mate did drain plug up. Then youve placed new filter in and only did that handtight.

Youve then put oil in and kept checking via dipstick the level until it was upto max mark

Then started engine and made sure light goes out indicating theres enough in.turned it off.checked for leaks. Let the engine cool and top up if necessary? Was there enough oil to start with

I kno that sounds daft but can easy mistake

I kno someone who actually polished the dipstick and over filled it lol

My mate put it in by hand first, so only needed 2 and a quarter turns with a ratchet... says he didn't go ridiculously right but 'as tight as I've gone on other cars'. I'm gonna have a chat with my local garage tomorrow. Tbh, there's a couple of other things that need sorting anyway.

 

EDIT: with regard to 'Was there enough oil to start with?' - possibly not but had the engine running whilst car was static for a good 15 minutes or so with no oil light, and it was only when I was about a minute from home that the light came on. But it has been dripping since. Like I say, I'll chat with the mechanics tomorrow.

Edited 22 March, 201511 yr by alessio92

Update for anyone who's bothered: m personal diagnosis was all wrong.

 

Basically, despite us feeling the oil filter 'click' into place, apparently it wasn't fitted right, which caused the leak. Not only that but I think we also stuck too much oil back in... can telll I'm a total noob. Either way, garage has sorted it now.

I didn't replace the washer and now I have a slow drip. It's certainly not enough to trigger a oil warning light so quickly.

 

Won't make that mistake next time.

just put a new sump plug in, so long as you push it in a little as you loosen and tighten, you won't lose much oil.

Update for anyone who's bothered: m personal diagnosis was all wrong.

Basically, despite us feeling the oil filter 'click' into place, apparently it wasn't fitted right, which caused the leak. Not only that but I think we also stuck too much oil back in... can telll I'm a total noob. Either way, garage has sorted it now.

Its not just the noobs that makes mistakes

Always best to let the so called pros check your work sometimes haha

Glad its ok tho