My current engine (VW rebuild) came with a thread insert (not helicoil) in
the oil drain that leaked and never felt like it would really seal, since
the shoulder around the threads wasn't flat any longer.   I would think
that would be  a problem with helicoil inserts too.  I drilled the plug and
the lip around the hole for safety wire, and found a hard rubber gasket
from a drain "repair" plug kit  at a local FLAPS.  I've been using
(re-using) that plus some Permatex non-hardening gasket compound at each
oil change.   Sort of a pain, but it doesn't leak and I don't worry about
the plug coming loose since it's safety-wired.   Eventually I'll find one
of the thread inserts that has a built-in shoulder (I've seen them in SAE
sizes) and install it.   Anyone know where to get that style of rethreading
kit?

YAVP  (yet another vanagon project).

Dave
90 Westy

At 10:12 AM 8/19/02 -0500, Larry Alofs wrote:
>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.