The only advice that I have to offer, is that an oil drain tap will end up
being the low point on the car and will probably get torn off the first time
you go over a speedbump or roadkill, or pothole. I'd say either put a
helacoil in the sump, or find the next larger size plug at an autoparts
store and tap the sump to fit it. I think the stock bolt is 1/2-20 so you
will probably have to go to 9/16-18 but I'm not positive. Loctite makes
some thread replacement adhesives but I doubt you would be able to get the
sump degreased enough without removing it from the car.
I have also seen some self tapping bolts that have a smaller drain plug
inside of them. If you can find one that the self tapping portion is 9/16
you will probably end up with a 5/16 or 3/8 fitting inside of it. It won't
be the fastest way to drain oil, but it might be the easiest method of
fixing your predicament.
Depending on where in the country you live your local Sears Hardware may
still have them. They carry a line of hardware from a company called
Serv-o-lite; it is the stuff in the little plastic bins spread throughout
the store. This isn't the stuff sold by Hillman (in the isle marked
hardware) but the employees should be able to point you to it if you don't
already know. If the Sears in your area is converting to carry appliances
then they will have already stopped carrying this line, but if they aren't
doing the conversion then they will still have it.
There will be a row or two of these bins that have oil drain plugs in them;
the one I am speaking of will be with them.
Best of Luck,
James Nazarian
71 MGBGTV8
71 MGB Tourer
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Harwood" <james.harwood@sbcglobal.net>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 2:44 AM
Subject: Oil drain plug trouble
> Hi,
> I recently acquired a nice 74 MGB. Among the various
> problems I am facing is perhaps the most troubling
> one:
> the oil drain plug will not tighten, it slips a thread
> with only a few ft/lbs of torque. The plug looks to be
> in good shape, so i can only assume that the threads
> in
> the hole in the sump are ****ed.
>
> I have purchased an oil drain valve from Vic Brit and
> am thinking of using two-ton epoxy adhesive to secure
> this permanently into the sump. I would greatly
> appreciate any advice from the list regarding this
> kind of solution to the problem, perhaps there's a
> better way?
>
> Cheers,
> James
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