Vehicle oil change

[Kittyhawk]

Oil change time on the truck.
The rubber gasket on the sump drain plug looked pretty bad so punched out a new one from some hard 3.2mm rubber sheet that I have.

The problem is that I don't know if the rubber is oil resistant. It is hard but can be dented a little with a thumb nail, has a shiny surface each side and thread mesh inset in the middle of it. It is I believe an industrial product used for gaskets and called insertion rubber. Should really buy a new one but none where I live and the vehicle needs to be back on the road pronto. Can anyone offer any advice or any way to determine if the rubber is oil resistant? Thanks

 

[Inspector]

Put a chunk in hot oil for a while and see if it is affected or unheated solvent like mineral spirits, Stoddard solvent or in a real pinch, gasoline, with appropriate care of course.

Pete

 

[Kittyhawk]

Thanks Pete.
I have some bits of the rubber marinating in engine oil (not hot), methylated spirit, acetone and isopropyl alcohol respectively. So far no reaction to the rubber at all. But I will leave them overnight .

 

[artie]

It's been quite a few years since I did an oil change, but I seem to remember copper washers were the thing.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was about to say cut a copper one. Anneal it before use ideally.

 

[Kittyhawk]

Got to be thankful to the Child Bride who takes an interest in my activities.
She checked on line and it turns out the sump plug washer is a bit special - a cross section like a cut in half O ring, flat side to the plug, curved side to the sump. I think she saved me from a big mistake. New one on order, hopefully here in a day or two.

 

[Inspector]

May I ask what kind of truck is it to have such an odd seal?

Pete

 

[Richard_C]

I think all the coper ones look like that until they get squashed flat. My worry with rubber wouldn't be leakage, it would be getting it undone after a few thousand miles of hotness

 

[Kittyhawk]

May I ask what kind of truck is it to have such an odd seal?

Pete

Ford Transit LWB, rear wheel drive, duals on the back. 2.4l Duratorque turbo diesel, engine by Peugeot I believe.

I think all the coper ones look like that until they get squashed flat. My worry with rubber wouldn't be leakage, it would be getting it undone after a few thousand miles of hotness

According to the blurb, the seal is made of some sort of nitrile composite and the shape is designed to prevent loosening. After a few oil changes I can attest that the sump plug remains pretty darned tight.

 

[Jameshow]

Ford Transit LWB, rear wheel drive, duals on the back. 2.4l Duratorque turbo diesel, engine by Peugeot I believe.

According to the blurb, the seal is made of some sort of nitrile composite and the shape is designed to prevent loosening. After a few oil changes I can attest that the sump plug remains pretty darned tight.

It's a British designed puma engine. The PSA engine is different.
If it's a mk8 then it's a 2.2 unless they put a different engine in for overseas markets?

 

[Fergie 307]

They use a similar seal on the 4 litre Jeeps. They have a tendency to leak so I usually replace with a copper one.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I once cut head gaskets for a BMWR100RT that I had endless problems with - 38 holes ranging in size, cut with a jeweller's saw. I never bought gaskets again.

 

[Kittyhawk]

I oil change annually. This will be the first time that the rubber seal on the sump plug will be replaced. At oil change the plug has always been very tight and has never leaked any oil in the past. Personally I think that the seal that I made would be ok and I can see the value in a copper seal as well. But I'm not a mechanic so I think it safest to stay with the recommended product. The fact that the rubber seal should really be replaced at every oil change but hasn't been yet has performed without problems indicates to this amateur that it is an ok part.
And another associated issue - an engineer pal told me that when installing a screw on type filter you should smear the gasket or O RING with a lick of oil, tighten to the recommended torque and then back it off just a fraction, the rationale being that this relieves the gasket/O ring of any stresses that can lead to failure. He says you should do this on any part mated to another by a screw action where a flexible seal is involved. Couldn't find anything on the internet that backs him up. Sounds a reasonable proposition to me but again, I'm not a mechanic so my opinion isn't worth anything..

 

[TomGW]

I oil change annually. This will be the first time that the rubber seal on the sump plug will be replaced. At oil change the plug has always been very tight and has never leaked any oil in the past. Personally I think that the seal that I made would be ok and I can see the value in a copper seal as well. But I'm not a mechanic so I think it safest to stay with the recommended product. The fact that the rubber seal should really be replaced at every oil change but hasn't been yet has performed without problems indicates to this amateur that it is an ok part.
And another associated issue - an engineer pal told me that when installing a screw on type filter you should smear the gasket or O RING with a lick of oil, tighten to the recommended torque and then back it off just a fraction, the rationale being that this relieves the gasket/O ring of any stresses that can lead to failure. He says you should do this on any part mated to another by a screw action where a flexible seal is involved. Couldn't find anything on the internet that backs him up. Sounds a reasonable proposition to me but again, I'm not a mechanic so my opinion isn't worth anything..

My dad owned a car sales and repair business and this was standard practice - I always do it when doing an oil change.

 

[Amplidyne]

I once cut head gaskets for a BMWR100RT that I had endless problems with - 38 holes ranging in size, cut with a jeweller's saw. I never bought gaskets again.

I cut a head gasket out of solid copper for the BSA M21 I had. They're always blowing composite gaskets. Not quite as complicated as yours Something like 13 holes IIRC. It worked.

 

[Robbo3]

And another associated issue - an engineer pal told me that when installing a screw on type filter you should smear the gasket or O RING with a lick of oil, tighten to the recommended torque and then back it off just a fraction, the rationale being that this relieves the gasket/O ring of any stresses that can lead to failure. He says you should do this on any part mated to another by a screw action where a flexible seal is involved. Couldn't find anything on the internet that backs him up. Sounds a reasonable proposition to me but again, I'm not a mechanic so my opinion isn't worth anything..

This was the standard procedure advocated by motor magazines since I began reading them back in the 1970s & probably before. All the mechanics that I know say the same.