Plastic/Nylon Oil Drain Plug Gasket??

Huh? Oil plug gaskets typically last for the life of the vehicle, failure is not expected. You didn't put some kind of oil flush chemical in that ate up the original gasket did you?

Regardless, yes it should be fairly reliable, but don't over-torque and crush it.
 
^ No. I have never had to change one and most of my repairs were on 10+ year old vehicles. Wherever you're getting this misinformation, you should avoid that source.

It is not, at, all, expected. Just no... unless as I already wrote, someone dumped some chemical cleaner in that ate it up.
 
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Not saying I doubt you but, ive owned the car the whole time never had anything else but oil in it. The drain plug has been leaking for a while now and it is torqued to the correct spec. Not sure what else to say.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Oil drain plug gaskets should be changed every time.

Copper, aluminum, plastic, nylon - buy a bag of them for your and you don't have to worry about it.


+1

Never heard of someone re-using it for life of vehicle. They arent expensive.
 
I understand they arent expensive, but my concern is should I get a metal gasket for next change or will nylon be fine?
 
Originally Posted By: Kevinmcc2
I understand they arent expensive, but my concern is should I get a metal gasket for next change or will nylon be fine?

You're fine for this change.

You should get a new washer for the next change. And the next change. Metal or nylon, doesn't matter if you change it every time.
 
Back in the 1070's, I used a plastic/nylon/poly for many oil changes. Don't know the material, but lasted for many oil changes over the years I owned the car. AMC Javelin.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Oil drain plug gaskets should be changed every time.

Copper, aluminum, plastic, nylon - buy a bag of them for your and you don't have to worry about it.


+1

Never heard of someone re-using it for life of vehicle. They arent expensive.
the cost isnt a factor usually-its just having one around when the oil change happens that sucks! Most people don't plan as far as the gasket when they pick up their favorite oil and ecore at Walmart
 
Originally Posted By: Dave9
Huh? Oil plug gaskets typically last for the life of the vehicle, failure is not expected. You didn't put some kind of oil flush chemical in that ate up the original gasket did you?


Not exactly. We've had several vehicles that used a drain plug with a rubber gasket built in, after a while they loose their thickness and leak. Recently changed the plug on the Liberty because it was seeping, and it wasn't cause it was loose (fact that thing was tight!), the rubber was just shot. It was the first change for us anyway and that's a mandatory item for me. Also had a vehicle with the nylon, no issues with them as I changed them out every couple oil changes.

Now the GTI on the other hand has a goofy plastic plug and rubber o-ring. I replace those every time contrary to people saying they can be reused.
 
Drain plug gasket is one part where I always go OEM. Cheap and certain to work. Changing the gasket every time is a waste. Change it when they start to leak - the leaks always start small so you're not going to lose much by waiting until the next OCI.
 
I can't remember the last time I have replaced a drain plug washer, though I can see it being necessary if a previous owner over-tightened the plug. I don't understand these people who replace it every time they change the oil! My FSM actually says to inspect it and replace if damaged.
 
Toyota and Honda use a one time use only crush washer. I like doing things the correct way, so I always have a stock of these in my garage. Continuing to reuse a one time use only crush washer is pretty retarded. The oil pans are aluminum, and they are designed to crush at the correct torque level. If you reuse a crush washer, you have to tighten them more and more each time, which could strip out your threads, as you have to tighten them more than they are designed typically to prevent leaks.

My GM has a rubber gasket built into the drain plug that can be reused over and over again until the rubber breaks down.

I have also found that the Toyota crush washers work perfect on my motorcycles, so I use them for that application as well.

What car is the OP talking about?

To the OP, I wouldnt use those junk universal gaskets from AA. I would buy an OEM drain plug, and OEM gaskets, for the next oil change.
 
Originally Posted By: Dave9
Huh? Oil plug gaskets typically last for the life of the vehicle, failure is not expected. You didn't put some kind of oil flush chemical in that ate up the original gasket did you?

Regardless, yes it should be fairly reliable, but don't over-torque and crush it.

They sometimes fail, and I've seen them be problematic on one example of a vehicle and not on another, like with the taxis. Sometimes, the surface seems to get a little roughed up or pitted, and they leak. The next one won't leak a drop when the vehicle's at the junkyard.
 
Originally Posted By: Delta
Originally Posted By: Dave9
Huh? Oil plug gaskets typically last for the life of the vehicle, failure is not expected. You didn't put some kind of oil flush chemical in that ate up the original gasket did you?


Not exactly. We've had several vehicles that used a drain plug with a rubber gasket built in, after a while they loose their thickness and leak.


Must have been over-torqued, especially when it's several vehicles. I've had none need a new one, just another example of why I never let anyone else touch a vehicle if I can help it. Don't even get me started about lug nuts, lol. I suppose too tight is better than too loose.
 
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I replace every time on my Toyota's and my Hyundai.

Usually the Fel-Pro brand from rockauto. Is 20 cents really too much money to spend?

I have used the Fel-Pro nylon ones, they never leaked but they deformed when I took the plug off at the next time, and were hard to separate from the drain plug.

For that reason alone I choose the metal ones with the rubber coating.
 
I change the aluminum gasket on the Hyundai every oil change as bought a bulk bag of them on discount. I can easily see the difference new and used. The aluminum gasket is like a crush washer.
On the other vehicle it seems to be a nylon and has not leaked from several oil changes.
Then the other it seems to be a Delrin gasket, still holding.
 
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