Hi guys,

 

I've noticed that there's a very slight oil leak which appears to be coming from the sump plug. The actual amount of oil escaping is tiny - certainly not enough to be an issue in the few weeks I haven't noticed it - but I'm still not very happy. I had this ages ago and the garage put it down to an incorrectly fitted oil filter, but I've only this week discovered it's still there (after taking off the front undertray).

 

The sump plug is in dead tight - we can't tighten it any futher - so I'm wondering if it's something to do with the seal? What's odd though is that the garage I used are normally meticulous in their work and I don't understand how they've missed this.

 

Anyway, just wondering whether it's likely to be the seal, and if so what kind of job it is if I get a garage to sort it? I've had so many issues with my car recently that I'm just sick of doing the work myself now. 

 

Cheers

If it is from the sump plug then it is because they never fitted a new one probably so there is no new crush washer which means it is tight 

but not sealed and capillary action means the slow drip will continue probably.

Or maybe it's running down from somewhere else and just looks like the sump plug?

I'd suspect a worn-out sealing washer, as long as it is the plug that's leaking.

 

My reason for saying "worn out" is that if you don't over-tighten the plug with a copper washer, it can last multiple changes.

I must say that I've used the same sump plug and seal for the last couple of Oil changes and can't say I've noticed it leaking. I'm pretty sure that the one I have fitted is a steel washer rather than a copper washer. The sump is Aluminium which is softer than steel so that creates the seal as opposed to copper washer being softer than a steel sump.

 

I do remember someone saying that you can heat up a copper washer which means you can reuse it but never had to do it myself.

We always get a new sump plug when ordering the filters from tps. Just change them for the couple of quid they are.

It's the sump nut washer.

I was lazy, made the same mistake. Never again.