2018 Ram, oil drain plug damage found on 1st oil change

[amauri]

Changed the oil on my 2018 Ram 2500 CTD, first oil change on the truck that now has 5k miles since I bought is brand new last Aug.

As I unscrewed the drain plug, it was not turning very easily (yes I turned it CCW).
I slowly unscrewed it back and forth until it finally came out, looking at the threads I am guessing it was over tightened or who knows what. See photo bellow.

The threads are M18x1.50 and I just happened to have a tap that size, the threads on the oil pan cleaned up nicely.
Called the local Ram dealers and none had a drain plug in stock, the cost is $27.

Called the Cummins parts dealer and got one for $9 including tax. p/n 5301901

 

[Shiner]

Yep, skip the Ram dealer for Cummins stuff.

 

[Newsa]

Could it have been cross threaded?

It would be hard to overtighten. I tighten until i see the pan flex ever so slightly. Overtightening would bend or break that cheap oil pan

 

[TCDiesel]

amauri, M18x1.5 is rare, I'm impressed You had it. its looks cross threaded to Me.

 

[JR]

Definitely not over tightened. Probably an imperfection in the threaded boss in the pan that wiped out the threads on the plug.

 

[Jim W]

You could install a drain plug from Genos' Garage. They have several different styles and you will never need to remove the drain plug again, especially if the threads are messed up in the pan. I use the Finger Touch Oil Drain Valve on my truck Geno's also offers the No Spill Drain Valve & Tube. See page 11 of the Fall 2018 catalog No 102.

 

[Cummins12V98]

The Fumoto type of drain plug leves even more old oil in the pan.

 

[Regcabguy]

The Fumoto type of drain plug leves even more old oil in the pan.

The 3rd gens stock plugs are either open or closed. No seepage until the last few threads and it's a very slow show. Unscrew the plug and the dam breaks. All or nothing unlike my 24v plug.
My Fumoto plug allows for a mid stream oil collection if you're sending it in.
A friend maintains a fleet of Duramax's and some medium and hd class diesels. He installs the Fumoto's whenever there's an application.
His fleet of diesels go hundreds of thousand of miles. Fumoto all the way.

 

[jhenderson]

The Fumoto type of drain plug leves even more old oil in the pan.

Show me.

 

[gsbrockman]

The Fumoto type of drain plug leves even more old oil in the pan.

Is this perhaps the reason you only refill with 11 5/8ths quart of oil on your oil changes?

 

[mpaulson]

I noticed on my last truck that the threads on the Fumoto valves are too long and do protrude up into the pan too much and prevents I think about an 1/8 to 3/16” of oil from draining.
When I do the first change on this truck I’ll file the excess threads down so they are flush with the depth of the threaded pan boss.
It would be nice if they didn’t recess the plug area up into the pan like they do so that you could drain 100% of the oil out. It’s not like you’re ever going to catch the plug on anything in these trucks, it’s not like it’s the lowest hanging part in the area.

 

[jhenderson]

I noticed on my last truck that the threads on the Fumoto valves are too long and do protrude up into the pan too much and prevents I think about an 1/8 to 3/16” of oil from draining.
When I do the first change on this truck I’ll file the excess threads down so they are flush with the depth of the threaded pan boss.
It would be nice if they didn’t recess the plug area up into the pan like they do so that you could drain 100% of the oil out. It’s not like you’re ever going to catch the plug on anything in these trucks, it’s not like it’s the lowest hanging part in the area.

What was your last truck? My 4th gen pan thickness matches the length of my Fumoto. There’s plenty of photos and testimony on prev threads to support my findings.

 

[Newsa]

Is this perhaps the reason you only refill with 11 5/8ths quart of oil on your oil changes?

/\ That and the tendency of the oil to be syphoned out of the full flow oil filter probably allows more oil (than other makes of vehicles/engines I've had) to flow into the oil pan giving a reading above the safe zone on the diostick.

My solution was to add an amsoil BP 90 or BP 100 (both fit the same bypass filter mount) bypass filter that holds an extra 3/4 -1 quart of oil (in filter and feed/return hoses). I notice that the volume of oil still increases slightly on the dipstick due to volume of added soot and a bit of fuel dilution, but it gives me peace of mind because the oil doesn't measure above the safe zone as quickly.

Seems my full flow Fleetguard/Donaldson filter is always only about 1/2 full because the oil gets sucked out by pressure differences as the engine cools.

 

[Jim W]

The Fumoto type of drain plug leves even more old oil in the pan.

Really! What amount of oil I put in the engine will drain out when I change the oil except some residual oil in the filter! I recycle the oil and use the 2.5 Gallon jug from the new oil to transport the old oil to the recycling center along with one quart oil bottle. If any oil is left in the pan it does not amount enough to cause damage to the engine. There is always old oil left in an engine when you change the oil.

 

[mpaulson]

What was your last truck? My 4th gen pan thickness matches the length of my Fumoto. There’s plenty of photos and testimony on prev threads to support my findings.

It was a 2014. I guess I'll see what my 2018 is like in a month or so when I change it for the first time.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Show me.

No need to show you anything simply look at the thread height. I am repeating what others have said on THIS forum.

 

[jhenderson]

What they’ve said but not what the photographic evidence has shown. That’s what comes from repeating what you don’t know first hand.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Is this perhaps the reason you only refill with 11 5/8ths quart of oil on your oil changes?

No doubt!

I do have a Fumoto on my Boat to make life MUCH easier. I will attach a clear tube to it and run out of the drain hole into a bucket. when fully done draining I will remove Fumoto and see how much will drain out into a small pan.

Great product just NOT for my RAM.

 

[TCDiesel]

Really! What amount of oil I put in the engine will drain out when I change the oil except some residual oil in the filter! I recycle the oil and use the 2.5 Gallon jug from the new oil to transport the old oil to the recycling center along with one quart oil bottle. If any oil is left in the pan it does not amount enough to cause damage to the engine. There is always old oil left in an engine when you change the oil.

I remove My Valve once it was only a few ounces, I also auto start the engine open the Valve take My sample close the Valve, put lid on sample bottle No mess, open the valve while engine is running for 5 seconds or so shut down the engine and let it drain until it stops.

 

[Newsa]

It is true that the valve would make taking oil samples easier according to the recommended procedure of collecting mid stream.

I collect mine from the return to the oil filler cap of the bypass filter. The reason i would never install a fumoto is becauae the bottom of the oil pan is one if the places where oil circulates less vigorously. It might get stirred up a bit from the oil uptake, but i doubt it. So i expect a bunch of soot will stick together down there and muck up. Maybe even eventually sludge up?