Hi,

 

I've changed the oil on my 2013 1.4TSI yesterday. The oil drain plug is actually a fine threaded 19mm metal bolt with a metal washer (came together as a set). I remember being a bit surprised about not finding any compressible washer in the bag  - but the original plug was of the same arrangement.

On reassembly I've tightened the bolt quite hard, for

• it's a metal on metal thing
• and also, (what I did not like), the "tightened up" and the "loose to the finger" states are separated by just a few degrees turn (which I attributed to the non compressible washer).

 

Now, the unpleasant surprise: oil drops underneath the car by next morning, confirmed to come from the drain plug area. It's a very minimal seepage (like 1 droplets per hour) - I drove to work today and the small oil patch (size of a coin by the end of the day) was there in the office parking lot as well. 

 

Coming back from home I've retightened the bolt as hard as I could and will check it again in a few hrs. When inserting the new plug yesterday, I did not specifically wipe the lip where the washer mates the oil sump, so now I'm thinking maybe a small piece of dirt/debris got stuck under the seal, otherwise I can't explain this.

 

Still, this is odd - my older cars used a plastic washer to the drain plug which obviously gives a better seal.

 

What do you think about this ?

 

Thanks,

Tiv

 

 

VAG have been using a metal washer "captured" on the plug bolt for years now...my 2001 Fabia had the same!

 

& they need tightening up to a specific torque setting usually! ( I do not know this yet for that engine)

I have found that the replacement plugs nearly always leak. I now reuse the non leaking original plug.

Thanks for the replies - a hard re-tightening seems to have stopped the leakage,  the plug area is dry even after a 2hr spirited motorway drive.

 

Quote

I have found that the replacement plugs nearly always leak. I now reuse the non leaking original plug.

 

My dad (who used to work as a tractor mechanic in his youth and to my surprise has a wealth of knowledge about "C-shaped multi-material sealing washers" like this one) gave the same advice. He said to get a copper one if available (vs. the aluminium one I got from the parts store) and keep the original bolt as long as possible.

Also, the direction of the washer is relevant as the 2 sides are not the same  (in my case I got the replacement bolt with the washer already on it).

 

 

Was the sump plug you bought that then caused a drip from a VW Group parts desk.

For £2 there are almost always perfect for the job, 

no idea where the

'they nearly always leak' comes from in a post in this thread. Sounds like 'user error, almost like a Dealership phrase, 'they all do that'.

'they nearly always leak' is my experience over a number of years with both VW and Skoda using genuine replacements. The washer is steel rather than copper and often has a poor finish so that the chances of a leak tight seal are slim. Why replace it anyway as the washer will be undamaged being so hard.

FYI, tightening torque of the plug is 30 Nm.

 

Regarding leaks, I have never had leak trouble with any car I have worked on, barring one scruffy old Landrover. If there's a leak, something is wrong  Your dad's advice is good BTW, copper crush washers have been used for years because they work. However, they're probably not very sustainable or some such thing.

Edited 2 October, 20178 yr by LightRain
One line posts are ewww.