Archived Oil Drain Plug Fell Out

[BWooldridge]

7/10/02

Believe it or not my oil drain plug worked it's way out of my oil pan. I bought the plug 2 weeks ago and drove it about 1500 miles and suddenly, "Check all Gages" came on and the oil pressure dropped to nothing. By the time I pulled over and got out to see what the %*^# happend, I had oil everywhere but where it belongs.

When a fella has no oil in his Cummins what goes first? The turbo, the cylinders?



Help.

 

[Whitmore]

HOLY CRIPES WOOD

I think the #1 problem would be the turbo



how much oil do you think came out before you got the Cummins shut down???



what kind of drainplug did you buy and did you torque it in???

 

[BWooldridge]

I lost about 2 gallons. When I saw the plug, it was hanging on the pan by the magnetic tip.

I torque it between 35 and 40 lb 2 weeks ago. The only thing I can think of is that the washer supplied with the plug is made of a hard nylon and lost its compression between heatups and cool downs. I think the noise I hear is the turbo.



Wish me luck

 

[Extreme1]

I wood (sorry) think you're OK, sounds like you got it shut down quick enough.



Does anyone you know have a strong dislike for you? Smoke out any tre huggers lately? If it was at 40 ft-lbs, it woldn't come out without some help. I almost hate to ask but, you're sure it's not inch pounds, right?

 

[nickleinonen]

do these engines not have a low oil level/pressure shut down? the drof psd's have a feature like that, and the dmax too i think. .



i have never once used a torque wrench on my oil plug. i just go hand tight with a 15mm that the plug on my tahoe takes. usually is tighter taking off than going on though...



hope you don't have any engine damage though. .

 

[jwilliams3]

Dont worry, you had it shutdown in plenty enough time.

Your engine is ok.

 

[emarsh]

Well I must disagree somewhat, since I nearly had the same thing happen to me. I am the only one that tightens the darn thing and when I went to change my oil it was very LOOSE! Now I check the darn thing a week or so after, and it seems to loosen just a bit. I might add that I never had a drip spot in the concrete driveway. I also have the geno's heavy duty drain plug! ED

 

[Fireman Dave]

Weird - mine seems to get tighter as I drive it. Stock plug in mine still.

 

[RThompson]

Good chance you got it stopped in time. Monitor oil pressure gauge for awhile to see if there is any difference in pressure.

I had a lubeman in the shop that got into a memory lapse thing on refilling L-10 Cummins after a drain. Did one truck twice over a summer. Often wondered if he was checking oil filters after the oil change. Anyhow the operators would find their trucks on the line the next morning with no oil. He left a short while later and the truck motors survived!

 

[Pit Bull]

Well I bought the Geno's heavy duty oil plug because of reading about the factory plugs cracking. I was going to install it the next oil change but now I am concerned?? Mine also came with a nylon bushing. Should I be concerned about using this new oil plug that I just paid $15 for? Anybody else have a problem?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

It really wouldn't be much of a trick for those paranoid enough, to drill the plug head for a safety wire...

 

[bavrit]

Geno's oil plug?

I also just purchased a heavy duty oil plug from Geno's and WAS planning on installing it the next oil change. Has anyone else experienced the plug getting loose? Perhaps a metal washer would be better?

 

[tazzen]

I have the heavy duty plug. and its been on for two oil changes ( change oil every 5000) and no problems coming loose. but i would have to say mine was a little snug going in the first time.





ed

 

[BWooldridge]

The plug I bought was through Genos "Super Plug" and I used a 1-1/8" open end wrench which is plenty long for good leverage. It was on much tighter than the factory plug and still managed to come of. I think it was the nylon gasket that came with the plug. After talking with the manufacturer they are willing to pay for damage. Its going to the dealer on Thursday. Thanks for the replys. Its nice to have access to this source of info.



Thanks TDR

 

[sberrio]

Super Plug

Is anyone else using Geno's Super Plug? I have 1 sitting here waitng for my next oil change. Now I'm having second thoughts. I like the magnet, but I don't need to have a freakish accident like wwoodshoppe.

by the way it's the magnetic plug # SP-264

Thanks for any info,

simon

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by wwoodshoppe

I lost about 2 gallons. When I saw the plug, it was hanging on the pan by the magnetic tip.

I torque it between 35 and 40 lb 2 weeks ago. The only thing I can think of is that the washer supplied with the plug is made of a hard nylon and lost its compression between heatups and cool downs. I think the noise I hear is the turbo.



Wish me luck

Since your post I have done some research on my HD plug that I got from Geno's. I have not installed mine yet, but after checking it came with the OEM rubber/metal oil seal. I have since learned that the rubber side goes on the oil pan side and the rubber/metal side goes on the HD plug side. Everyone that I have PMed that has used this plug and had the OEM rubber/metal seal installed correctly and torqued to the 40lb setting has not had a problem. After I install mine I will check it every couple of days for the first week and then once a week until I determine that their is not a problem. Wood thanks for the heads up. Alway better to be safe than sorry Good luck and I hope that you end up with no damage to your CTD.