sigh. an expensive mistake?

[94cylcamry]

Well.

I stripped the hell out of the oil pan when I was loosening the oil pan bolt...don't ask how....

As is, I have the bolt back in, and it's as tight as it can get, which means...I can't loosen it by hand, but if I take the wrench to it, it'll just keep on turning forever. Hopefully it won't shoot out when I'm driving. And it's not spouting oil or anything, but there was the smallest little dab on the driveway after I'd let it run for awhile.


So I'm a little uneasy about this. What are my options?

Thanks.

[MrSo0h0o]

just get a new bolt from the dealer and redo your oil change..

[Andrew Liu]

Helicoiling the pan MAY work, but the issue is it might not seal against the bolt.

Maybe some rtv on the outside of the helicoil would work...

Someone else may have a better idea.

[David48]

Just don''t drive it until you get a new bolt.

[Andrew Liu]

From the sounds of it, the bolt is fine. The threads in the pan are not.

In that case, a new bolt will do nothing right now.

[David48]

Then you'll need a new pan if it's not the bolt. I think that can get expensive.

[94cylcamry]

Well I assumed it was the pan, but it could be the bolt. Which is more likely to strip?

[MrSo0h0o]

To the OP, explain your situation better..

What exactly did you strip? The bolt head of the oil pan bolt that you unscrew to drain your oil? How do you know you stripped it.

I doubt the OP stripped all the bolts on the oil pan itself, or else he would have said that he dropped the oil pan.

[J_Phu]

You might have the options to re-threads the pan.

[94cylcamry]

No no...the bolt that you have to unscrew to let the oil out of the car. I tried lefty-loosie for too long, when it was actually the opposite direction to loosen it. Now the bolt never gets tight in the pan.

Pretty sure it's the threads in the pan.

[xtremeskier97]

uhh....it IS lefty loosy on that oil pan drain plug.

[94cylcamry]

Honestly...I don't know what I did. It's just stripped. What can I do with the pan?

[MrSo0h0o]

Originally Posted by 94cylcamry

Honestly...I don't know what I did. It's just stripped. What can I do with the pan?

Just do what I said earlier and get a new bolt from the dealer and redo your oil change.

[94cylcamry]

What if the pan is stripped though?

[David48]

I doubt the bolt is too expensive. Try the bolt first, then if still doesn't tighten, start looking for an oil pan.