Jeremy Speer wrote:
>
> IMHO the single weakest point of the flat four engine is the oil drain
> plug. My brother in law once owned a 1969 21(?) window ragtop bus. He
> tried to change the oil one day and all the threads came out with the
> plug as he unscrewed it. To this day i don't remember how he fixed it...
> all i remember is the cursing and yelling.
>
> Yesterday I was out at my Van guru's place changing the oil.
>
> He pulled the drip pan over, gingerly removed the drain plug....
>
> "Uh oh. Oh, dude, i think we've got some thread loss."
>
> Arrrgh!
>
> He handed me the plug. It had a ring of crankcase metal around it near
> the head end.
>
> Ok, so it's not the end of the world. He cleaned off the plug and
> screwed it back in after the engine had drained for a while. Then we
> over filled the engine and backed the plug out letting some oil slowly
> drain across the threads. Sure enough shiny flecks came out. But,
> eventually there was just clean oil draining out. He tightened the
> plug... and all seemed well.
>
> But this morning i find the plug is leaking a little. Again, at this
> point it's not the end of the world, but my question is, what repair
> options exist for the drain plug threads?
>
> And, what vehicles beside flat four VW's and Porsche's use an oil drain
> that is threaded right into the crankcase?
>
> -jspeer
> '89 Westy GL, "Mystery Machine"

About a year ago, someone posted that Home Depot has a tap for 1/2 inch
pipe threads.  After using this type of tap, you could use a tapered 1/2
inch pipe plug (no gasket).

Larry A.