Stripped oil pan drain plug

2011 Tacoma v6 stripped drain plug solutions?!
The bolt is able to be removed, it just won’t tighten(in one rotation it’ll tighten then loosen, tighten then loosen). What are some solutions for this? If the pan needs replaced, can the skid guard get removed then it can drop down or Ive seen other threads saying you have to move around or remove the differential??

 

drop the pan use a razor and remove all gasket material. Of course reference guide for tightening. Yes 4 bolts removed skid.

 

Buy a fumoto valve, wrap the thread in Teflon tape, install. Should solve it for you as you’ll never need to remove it again.

 

You can also try a spot welded nut on top ?

 

Are the threads on the plug stripped or is it the threads in the pan? If it’s the plug just buy a new plug. If it’s the pan I’m very sorry for your luck. Maybe see if a junk yard has a Tacoma you can pull a pan from.

 

I second this. I did this on my mustang and the pan was fine, it was just the plug that had stripped. Bought a new one and no issue the rest of the time I had the car

 

I’m unable to look at the bolt right now so I should’ve done that! But
I am able to screw the entire bolt all the way in just fine and remove it just fine, but it's just the final tightening when it feels like it's gonna be tightened all the way but then loosens again, and then i twist some more to tighten it and then when it gets past a point then it loosens again.

Does that sound like the bolt or the actual pan being stripped?

 

I’d just take the bolt out and look at it. Should be easy to tell then which it is

 

if you are out and about, just grab a new bolt and washer. My guess is that it’s the bolt. Those pans are pretty sturdy

 

Helicoil if it's the pan.

 

Grab a re threading kit and just rethread it

 

All these bandaid suggestions seem iffy. If the bandaid fails, there goes your expensive engine.

If not the plug that is stripped, consider seriously a new oil pan installation.

 

Or just save your money buy a $35 rethreading kit from home depot and it will be like new lol

 

And if the bolt is stripped just get it replaced they’re cheap

 

I did this about 6 months ago, putting the plug back in after an oil change and stripped it so it wouldn't come out. 2008 truck, probably over 100 rough cycles, that would do it. I thought I was hosed.

Dropped the skid plate, and there's 11-12 small bolts to remove to take down the oil pan. It's actually the "lower" oil pan subassembly that the bolt screws into. Took that off, and cleaned the surface from old black gasket material. I bought a new pan, plug, and gasket (liquid FIPG I think it's called, comes in a tube - the dealer should know) for ~$125. Resealed and reinstalled in less than an hour. Nothing to it.

Only hairy part was I got to the parts desk less than 10 minutes before they closed for the weekend. That was close.

Oh, and take it easy reusing the small bolts - pretty easy to snap.

 

Whatever method you use to repair it just remember that with a new crush washer EVERY change, 25 lbs/ft torque will never leak.

 

Just buy a new pan if the threads on the pan itself are stripped out,its easy too install.

 

Let me guess, you had the oil changed at the dealer several times, right?

I truly believe they either use a impact gun or a breaker bar to reinstall the plug. For some odd reason, they can't get it through their pea-brains that isn't a stressed bolt.

 

Update: the bolt is stripped, I bought a new bolt but it won’t thread in at all. So now I’ve got the old (stripped) bolt on with a new gasket and it tightens pretty snug.

 

Final update: had to replace pan costing about $350 for the mechanic to do so. Hope this helps.