Stop using an impact driver on oil drain plugs

I work at a small shop on weekends and every other oil change I get a car where someone torqued the drain plug to about 200 foot pounds with an impact gun. The pan is aluminum on most modern cars and the threads just strip out. Then I have to explain to the customer why they need a new oil pan or a helicoil kit that costs 40 bucks and an hour of labor. Last week a guy came in with a 2018 Civic and the plug was so tight I had to use a breaker bar and a six point socket just to break it loose. The threads came out with the plug. If you own a ratchet and a torque wrench just use them. It takes 30 seconds longer. Why do people think tighter is always better on these things?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy3919d ago

Wait, did you say the threads came out with the plug? That's insane, I've seen some stuck bolts before but that's a whole new level of messed up. I mean, I'm just a home mechanic and even I know you don't need to go full gorilla on something that's meant to be taken off every 5,000 miles. The Civic's oil pan is aluminum too, right? That's just a disaster waiting to happen.

violafox9d ago

Wait, did someone actually helicoil it after that? Genuinely curious cause that pan sounds like it's made of butter at this point. Helicoils can hold up okay if you do them right, but on a high mileage car it's kinda sketch.