× 1-800-946-2642 Home My Account Social / Forum Articles Contact My Cart
Shop Now
Select Your Car Type Sale Items Clearance Items New Items
   Forum Width:     Forum Type: 

 Posted: May 28, 2020 10:38AM
Total posts: 
Last post: Mar 13, 2024
Member since:Jul 26, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 16
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
Glad to hear you got this sorted! 

I was JUST thinking about drain plugs, magnets, and seals. I have been using a new copper seal with each change and have never had a drip. Probably should leave better enough alone BUT I really hate the way the copper washer can move about at the base of the drain plug. I have several actually. I have the standard Rover short magnet plug, the (no longer available for some reason) extended magnetic plug and now a Gold plug (I thinks its a brand name) with the super strong magnet. All of them let the washer move around a lot! I try to hold the washer centered right before I nip it up but it just seems like a strange thing. Doug, THANKS for the part number. I have been interesting in trying those bonded washers, just for the fact that they might self center on the plug better then the copper ones. 

As we are talking about drain plugs, why don't they make the extended magnet plugs anymore? I have one still and it seems like a great idea, to have the magnet collecting anything closer to the oil pickup. What would be even better would be you could combine the extended plug with a Neodymium magnet. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

 Posted: May 26, 2020 04:20AM
Total posts: 288
Last post: Jun 9, 2020
Member since:May 13, 2010
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 17
WorkBench Posts: 1
US
Just small update - the stuff did the trick. So far so good after 2 quick drives.  You dont need much of it

Thanks again for the great tip.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Classic Mini Podcast - Classic Mini Breakdown, www.classicminibreakdown.com
Basil - 1974 Mini 1000 /// THE BLOG: www.thebluepotato.net/blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Posted: May 25, 2020 03:06AM
Total posts: 288
Last post: Jun 9, 2020
Member since:May 13, 2010
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 17
WorkBench Posts: 1
US
Image Gallery
Quote:
Originally Posted by vespa400
everytime i change my oil i just put a very small amount of sealant on the copper gasket, factory Toyota FIPG seals well and it rubs right off the gasket the next time you change oil. you put sealant on other gaskets, right? 

Toyota part number  00295-00103
John - again, thanks for the tip.  Just used this last night - only a small bead around the washer and shes on.  I let cure for about 15 hours and will now attempt a test quart of oil  Hoping for no drips.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Classic Mini Podcast - Classic Mini Breakdown, www.classicminibreakdown.com
Basil - 1974 Mini 1000 /// THE BLOG: www.thebluepotato.net/blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Posted: May 23, 2020 09:13AM
Total posts: 332
Last post: Mar 25, 2024
Member since:Jan 22, 2018
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
You can fix copper washers by annealing them i.e. heating to red hot and letting cool. This expands the copper so that it becomes 'crushable' again.

 Posted: May 22, 2020 05:13PM
Total posts: 9241
Last post: Aug 17, 2023
Member since:Jun 5, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
Geeze... no pressure on me right Michael ? !

Doug L.
 Posted: May 22, 2020 04:57PM
Total posts: 1368
Last post: Jul 20, 2023
Member since:Jul 15, 2008
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 117
WorkBench Posts: 1
US

Short of slathering the mating surfaces with silicone adhesive, I’ve tried everything to get my drain plug to stop leaking. The case threads are good and I bought a new magnetic drain plug from Stevenston motors and tried a couple of different washer combos. Still drip-drip-drip. 

Doug L’s comments have been so solid over the years, as soon as he weighed in I simply copied and pasted his part number into Amazon and hit the purchase button—didn’t even bother to double check. Thanks Doug!

BTW: The Stevenston drain plug magnet is SO much stronger than the OEM. Neodymium magnets are amazing. 

 

Michael, Santa Barbara, CA

. . . the sled, not the flower

      Poser MotorSports

 Posted: May 22, 2020 11:27AM
Total posts: 288
Last post: Jun 9, 2020
Member since:May 13, 2010
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 17
WorkBench Posts: 1
US
Quote:
Originally Posted by vespa400
everytime i change my oil i just put a very small amount of sealant on the copper gasket, factory Toyota FIPG seals well and it rubs right off the gasket the next time you change oil. you put sealant on other gaskets, right? 

Toyota part number  00295-00103
Thanks guys for the tips!

John - other than the Toyota part # silicone seal you listed, can I source a generic high-temp sealant you think?  Looking to just hit my local NAPA....and this is coming from a Tacoma owner

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Classic Mini Podcast - Classic Mini Breakdown, www.classicminibreakdown.com
Basil - 1974 Mini 1000 /// THE BLOG: www.thebluepotato.net/blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Posted: May 21, 2020 03:02AM
Total posts: 
Last post: Nov 14, 2021
Member since:Apr 7, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 1
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
everytime i change my oil i just put a very small amount of sealant on the copper gasket, factory Toyota FIPG seals well and it rubs right off the gasket the next time you change oil. you put sealant on other gaskets, right? 

Toyota part number  00295-00103

 Posted: May 20, 2020 08:01PM
Total posts: 9241
Last post: Aug 17, 2023
Member since:Jun 5, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
Quote:
Originally Posted by onetim
The nylon seals will crush till they crack and leak over 10 or so oil changes.
I also have the magnetic drain plug that fits the thread well, but it came with the car.
You are right, it's cheap insurance to replace the nylon washers at each oil change.  They also are not expensive ($0.28 each at RockAuto ).  

I think you misunderstood what I was saying about the long magnetic drain plug.  The one I bought did not fit until after I ran a thread file over it to remove a bit of material.

Doug L.
 Posted: May 20, 2020 08:48AM
Total posts: 1007
Last post: Jul 19, 2022
Member since:Jul 24, 2014
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
The nylon seals will crush till they crack and leak over 10 or so oil changes. Perhaps I am tightening a bit too much, but I would rather replace a seal than loose the drain plug. I also have the magnetic drain plug that fits the thread well, but it came with the car.

 Posted: May 20, 2020 05:19AM
Total posts: 9241
Last post: Aug 17, 2023
Member since:Jun 5, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
More info than you want....

The factory drain plug fit my car's gearbox well.  I bought a replacement, long magnetic shaft plug to replace it.  The threads on it never fit properly.  I had to carefully use a thread file to remove enough material for the plug to fully thread in.  The tight fit of that aftermarket plug made getting a seal difficult with the copper washer and that's what drove me to find alternate seals.

I used the nylon washer for only one oil change.  There was nothing wrong with it and it had plenty of crush to develop a good seal.  I only changed to the bonded rubber seal because it was recommended to me.  There is typically enough play in the drain plug threads that when tightened the plug head will make firm contact all the way around the metal ring while the wider rubber portion gets squished against both plug and gearbox surface.  I like the firm feel of the bonded rubber seal when tightened so I've been using it ever since.   

If there is a HeliCoil in the sump the effective drain hole diameter is a bit "larger" than stock.  The bonded rubber seal may not have enough contact area to seal around the thread insert.  Therefore I would recommend trying the nylon seal on repaired gearboxes.  In addition to the nylon seals I mentioned in my previous post, there are some nice nylon sealing washers with ribbed surfaces.  Check the "HELP" blister-pack items at your local parts store (Dorman 66303 or equivalent).  As I mentioned, I bought 14mm nylon seals that have to be threaded onto the Mini drain plug.  These won't just drop over the threads like the stock copper washer.

Doug L.
 Posted: May 20, 2020 03:57AM
Total posts: 288
Last post: Jun 9, 2020
Member since:May 13, 2010
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 17
WorkBench Posts: 1
US
Quote:
Originally Posted by dklawson
I am also using a bonded metal/rubber seal on the drain plug.  It is secure and requires relatively low torque to make a seal.  (Dorman parts 65269 or 097-035).  I prefer it to the standard copper washer.  

I have also used Dorman 65272 (nylon).  That's an M14 nylon washer.  M14 is a bit small so you have to twist the washer down the threads until it reaches the thread relief under the head of the drain plug.  
Thanks DL - will check out that Nylon version.  Does the nylon seem to hold up well?  I guess I am trying to find a washer that works and can compensate for very small angle changes against the oil pan.  Its really very small - but do have a drip or two due to my issue.  Nylon may allow for more flex when crushed, etc.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Classic Mini Podcast - Classic Mini Breakdown, www.classicminibreakdown.com
Basil - 1974 Mini 1000 /// THE BLOG: www.thebluepotato.net/blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Posted: May 19, 2020 10:51AM
Total posts: 9241
Last post: Aug 17, 2023
Member since:Jun 5, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
I am also using a bonded metal/rubber seal on the drain plug.  It is secure and requires relatively low torque to make a seal.  (Dorman parts 65269 or 097-035).  I prefer it to the standard copper washer.  

I have also used Dorman 65272 (nylon).  That's an M14 nylon washer.  M14 is a bit small so you have to twist the washer down the threads until it reaches the thread relief under the head of the drain plug.  

Doug L.
 Posted: May 19, 2020 08:01AM
Total posts: 288
Last post: Jun 9, 2020
Member since:May 13, 2010
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 17
WorkBench Posts: 1
US
I have a small oil drip from a helicoil and trying to do an easy solve for this drip.  Again it is very little and most likely because the helicoil is not perfectly flush with the drain pan.  I have been using a copper/rubber hybrid washer now with good results, but wondering if anyone has used fiber washers before.

Looking for feedback, warnings, advice on fiber washers on our little engines etc.

Thanks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Classic Mini Podcast - Classic Mini Breakdown, www.classicminibreakdown.com
Basil - 1974 Mini 1000 /// THE BLOG: www.thebluepotato.net/blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------