If it's in a book somewhere it's probably 18 to 23 ft lbs, would be my
guess.
and yet..
in 50 years of nearly full time car repair I have never heard of anyone
using a torque wrench on a drain plug.
It's not the standard..
'just right by hand' is the standard.

Do YOU tighten your drain plugs with a torque wrench ?
if so..first time I've ever heard of anyone doing it.

and there are a few techs that make everything 'gorilla tight' ......and
very incorrectly.

On 7/9/2013 11:33 PM, Aristotle Sagan wrote:
> Did you ask them what torque spec they tightened it to?
> Expect blank looks on their faces.
>
> tim in san jose
>
> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 11:12 PM, Scott Ohana <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>wrote:
>
>> yup..
>> that happens sometimes.
>> Not too commonly.
>> One of the vanagons I have cared for over the last few years has that
>> issue.
>> 50 others do not.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 7/9/2013 11:00 PM, C Snyder wrote:
>>
>>> I had an almost bad experience today with my 1987  Vanagon's oil plug.
>>>
>>>
>>> I had taken it to where I usually take my van for repairs and oil
>>> changes. In a short while they came and told me that when they went to
>>> replace the oil plug, the plug stripped out in the bottom of the engine. I
>>> really do not understand this as I have never had any problems with the
>>> plug. they said that since that plug has been taken out so many times, that
>>> because it is aluminum, and the plug is steel that some times they will
>>> strip out the threads.
>>>
>>>
>>> To fix it, they were able to put in an over sized "Piggy back" oil  plug.
>>> It seems to be ding fine but, am just wondering if any one else has ever
>>> had this type of problem as I have been on this list several years but,
>>> have never heard it mentioned here before.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for any ones opinion on this.
>>>
>>>
>>> Chris S.
>>>
>>>
>
> --
> Where ever you are, there you be. Unless you're driving my van, in which
> case, you ain't got there yet.
>