This is one reason I prefer to do my own oil

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Lots of us prefer to do our own oil on our cars, myself included. I know now all of us have the same reasoning behind this choice, but I've read enough threads to know that for most of us, it's usually a similar reason - We just don't trust the dealership and/or the "Jiffy Lube" type places, and we know if we do it ourself, it will be done with care and to a proper level of competence.

For me, this is especially true. I bought my 2010 Fusion used in 2014, with a little over 177,000 miles on it, and have been doing my own maintenance on it since I bought it.

I first noticed an issue on the first oil change that I did on it. When I went to remove the drain plug, I found that it had apparently been hand-tightened by Superman. Using a standard socket wrench and socket, I could not budge it, but I did find that the bolt head was noticeably deformed - So much so that the socket would not even go on straight.

My only solution was to grab an impact socket in the correct size, and carefully hammer it on the drain plug, and then use my breaker bar to carefully work it off. Luckily, it came off without causing damage to the oil pan.

I lived with this bolt for a couple oil changes, but during this last oil change, I finally got around to putting on a new magnetic drain plug. I can't believe I waited this long.

In any case, here's what the drain plug that came with the car looks like. WHAT were they thinking???

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Could have been the previous owner of the car that did this and not a shop.

Maybe they are a member here on BITOG.
 
The deformation looks like it is traveling counter clockwise, like it happened during removal. Wonder if it was put on with a impact wrench then it was deformed on the next trip into the dealer for service when they were taking it off?
 
Same exact thing here, except it was a 2010 Focus. Had all the prior owners receipts from the dealer for oil changes, etc.

First oil change I found the drain plug just like yours.
 
These plugs are made from a soft alloy to (hopefully) avoid having the halfwit at Drippy Lube rip the threads out of the oil pan. Vice Grips will get them off after a Drippy Lube attack but it's in the trash can thereafter. Good thing they are cheap. There may be a correlation between the non-use of a soft gasket such as Toyota uses and overtightning, the metal gaskets often leak after reuse unless really leaned on.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
These plugs are made from a soft alloy to (hopefully) avoid having the halfwit at Drippy Lube rip the threads out of the oil pan. Vice Grips will get them off after a Drippy Lube attack but it's in the trash can thereafter. Good thing they are cheap. There may be a correlation between the non-use of a soft gasket such as Toyota uses and overtightning, the metal gaskets often leak after reuse unless really leaned on.


This particular plug uses the embedded o-ring type gasket. I should have gotten a picture of that. They're supposed to be replaced every so often, but it doesn't look like it was, so they obviously cranked it down.

The car has a pretty detailed service record on CarFax - Looks like the previous owner took it almost exclusively to the same Ford dealer for service, which is why I assume it was them who did it.
 
My sister had a new Hyundai and when she went in for an oil change the dealer said the drain plug had been over tightened and the oil pan needed to be replaced. She said OK, you guys have done all the services so it won't cost me anything. The service writer's jaw was on the floor!
 
Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch
My sister had a new Hyundai and when she went in for an oil change the dealer said the drain plug had been over tightened and the oil pan needed to be replaced. She said OK, you guys have done all the services so it won't cost me anything. The service writer's jaw was on the floor!


Wow, someone raised that girl right!
 
I'd like to be able to say "I've never done that, and would never do that." Truth is, I've gacked a drain plug or two by accident. But "the professionals" should replace the plug when it happens to them. Professionalism is defined less by 'never doing it wrong' than by 'making it right when a mistake happens.'
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
If after over 170k miles all you got was a little bit mangled up oil drain plug, then you have nothing to complain about IMO. The car was serviced OK in my book.


... I agree with this, to a point. The plug was more than just "a little bit mangled" - This plug was trashed.

The bottom line here is, if a service shop messed up a drain plug that bad, so bad that it was not removable with normal tools, and required hammering on an impact socket and using a breaker bar, they definitely did NOT do it right.

I think we can all agree that there is legitimate concern for oil pan damage by anyone who overtightens the plug that bad.

... and ultimately, it's not something I would ever do when servicing it myself, which was the point of my post. When I do it, I never have to worry that the plug (or the filter, for that matter) is going to be put on too tight.
 
There's a reason manufacturers specify a torque value for oil drain plugs. Pay a little more and have a local shop with ASE techs do the oil changes. The guy that does the oil changes may not have ASE certifications, but you can bet the owner has vetted the guy who does the work.
 
This is the reason I'm not using my 2 years of free maintenance from Chevy on my Cruze. I don't trust anyone but myself, and as cheap as it is to do an oil change I'm just wasting extra time sitting in the boring waiting room at the dealer.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I'd like to be able to say "I've never done that, and would never do that." Truth is, I've gacked a drain plug or two by accident. But "the professionals" should replace the plug when it happens to them. Professionalism is defined less by 'never doing it wrong' than by 'making it right when a mistake happens.'





I agree even the most careful, most knowledgeable, and professional techs can have an off moment. It is human nature. If you foul up own it and make it right.
 
Fomotos were said to leak when they first came out. Do they leak NOW or not?

I can't have one with the configuration of my oil pan. I can't have anything hanging down....not even 1/8".
With my luck the rocky drive my friend has a stone with my Fomoto's name on it.
 
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