[aurora60504]

.

Hello Friends,
I took the Insight in to have its oil changed.
The service advisor came back and said that
somehow the threads on the oil plug are stripped.
It is a $630.00 repair. Is there not a plastic plug
on these that get replaced everytime or is
this service deprtment trying to pull a fast one on me?
Thank you in advance for you answers and advise.

Rick Aurora
.

 

[jtmco]

"Somehow" the threads got stripped???? Did they tell you this as they took it out or after they put it back in and damaged your oil pan?

The plug is not plastic, but the oil pan is magnesium and easily damaged.

However, there are several possible fixes, none of which should cost $630 (I think a new oil pan is $226). It sounds to me like the shop owes you a repair, but if you do end up paying for it, I would expect it could be done for less than $630.

You should look at the following thread:

Stripped Oil Drain Threads

Good luck.

Jim

 

[Resist]

You have got to love Stealership service goons! This is one reason why I change my own oil.

 

[Aaron Cake]

A HeliCoil will repair it and make it better then new. As far as I am concerned, this is a design flaw with the car. No engineer in his/her right mind would design a system that has an often removed stainless steel drain plug thread into a magnesium pan...

 

[aurora60504]

.

Hello Again,

Thank you for the feed back, although
the thought of changing ones own oil is
wonderful, it is impractical for many
including myself.
I am going to try to remain a calm person
but this is very exasperating for me.
It would and is easy to blame others for
problems but I want a solution so this will
not happen again.
The link to previous discusstions about
oil plugs prblems has led me to conclude that this
is indeed a common problem for these oil pans.
It is a problem that can be helped by intalling the
fancy brass drainplug.
Thanks again folks for your advice.
I'll let you know what happens.
richard
.

 

[Willie Williford]

"Common problem with these oil pans"?
26 oil changes and no problems.....................Willie

 

[highwater]

It is a problem that can be helped by intalling the
fancy brass drainplug.

Sorry but no.

The "fancy brass drain plugs", thread into the same size threads as the stainless plug. The Heli-coil fix is required, or a replacement oil pan, and then installation of the drain plug_could_help prevent a reoccurence.

Randall

 

[Valiant118]

The pan will not get stripped out if one follows the proper torque recommendation (25 ft lbs I believe) and uses a new crush washer each time. The dealer tech, either at the last oil change or this one, has over-torqued the drain plug and stripped out your oil pan threads. In the car service business this is called a "dealer comeback", whch means he eats the cost. It can be repaired quite easily by a COMPETENT technician by installing a helicoil insert. Shouldn't cost you a dime.

 

[Aaron Cake]

The main issue is torque. So many "mechanics" (and I use that term loosely) like nothing more then to hammer on every nut and bolt with an impact wrench. Maybe this happened in the past, maybe the bolt was originally overtorqued because "Well duh I always make them that tight.". Either way it is the responsibility of the shop to rectify their mistake.

A HeliCoil is a permanent repair if applied properly and will significantly decrease the changes of this happening in the future. But the key is to torque the bolt properly as well.

There really is no real "fix" other then to machine the oil pan and press-fit a stainless sleeve into the hole. We're not talking about a cheap operation here...

 

[originalbadbob]

The pan could be welded and re-tapped (yes mag can be welded), or drill and tap to a larger size.
I've fixed similar problems with a pipe tap and plug. Then drill and tap the center of the pipe plug to the original size.
Did you have the oil changed at Honda? If so, they obviously have not paid any attention to the service specs.
Regardless, I would be calling someone up the chain to have it replaced as it is not your fault.
robert

 

[aurora60504]

.

Hello Friends,

I took my Insight to the dealer today.
Thanks to you folks, my car was repaired
with little out of my own pocket.
The regional manager picked up the cost of
the new oil pan and the dealer picked up
the labor, without admitting any guilt.
That seemed to be the dealer's largest concern.
It only takes one really pissed off customer
to tell ten others about the bad service
and I was very clear about my dissatisfaction.
My voice was not raised as I was well
armed with facts from this discussion board.
I am a happy Insight owner today.
Thanks again.
richard
.

 

[Bjaardker]

Congrats Aurora.

Glad to hear that you were able to get what you needed with little cost to you. It's rough when someone tells you that you'll have to pay a large amount of $$ because of someone elses incompetence.

It's always best to remember "You catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar".

I'm going to need an oil change soon, so we'll see how bad my oil pan is soon. The last dealer I took it to ripped up my underskirts, I'd hate to think of what they did to that drain.

 

[Wayne M]

Dealers fault, by default!

Having worked at various car dealers as a Master Tech, I can say that overtorqe on the drain plugs of a LOT of cars is simply the fault of the lousy excuse for techs that a number of dealers put up with. I, for one, have a drawer in my tool box with several well worn torque wrenches and a raft of torque spec sheets copied from the manuals. (Theres way too many to remember all that.)

If I'm the one 'unlucky' enough to draw a customer service ticket that has a stripped drain plug caused by some other bozo.... sorry 'bout my luck, right? Its the shop's fault by 'default'. And that begins the dance you went through....the shop doesn't want to eat the repair and obviously you don't either. After all, you've paid for services, supposed done right, that have caused the problem. First one to blink, pays. Stand your ground though, and if the dealer is worth a D then you'll prevail. These items can be covered by the warranty if the shop manager is sharp or willing to do the paperwork. And you especially have ammo on your side if that's the place you've been taking the car to for all your services. This would apply even at a jiffy lube, let alone a Honda shop.

 

[newhogwartsprofessor]

Easy Oil Change!


I'm a newbie here! Coincidentally, I just changed my oil on my Insight all by myself today (no I'm not a twelve year old, I'm a chick). It was very easy. I did note that there was entirely too much torque applied by the "Jiffy Lube" place I took it to previously. It was on way too tight and took a bit of swearing and cursing to get it off. I am more likely to change my oil myself from now on after seeing this thread. Having a friend with a torque wrench is GREAT!

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[b1shmu63]

Nice going, and welcome to the forum.