I took my Alfa 156 (1.8 TS) for an oil change about a month ago at a well-known fast-fit outlet. Since then I have to return twice for them to stop a very slight leak. The last time, a fortnight ago, appeared to have been successful, but this weekend I found spots of oil on the garage floor. My difficulty is that I have lost confidence in the 'perpetrator's' ability to sort out the problem. The last time I took it back the fitter said that the plug had 'backed out' or some term to imply that it had loosened by itself. I am worried that they have damaged the thread and that it might need a new sump. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions, please?
Mr T.
Subject line altered slightly - PU
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they probably used the old washer to save themselves 10 p
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Do you know if the sump plug washer was replaced at the same time? This can cause slight weepage if not renewed. In addition, over-tightening the filter can also cause leaks, as can incorrect torquing of the sump plug itself.
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If the plug is like a fiat one it is an alloy cap with a 8mm allen hex head it needs to be handled gentlly ie, by hand and requires only 28nm of torque to do up. last time i replaced one on a fiat it was about £0.84p plus VAT !!
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Thanks for your comments. At the second remedial visit the fitter said he had replaced the washer on the sump plug. The plug is a cap with an Allen hex head (I have changed the oil on this car myself, without mishap, but as it was time consuming and the large undertray was awkward to re-fit afterwards I decided to take it to the professionals). If a new plug is only 84p, I think I will renew it myself (if you want thejob doing properly...etc.). Does anyone know how to remove the plug without drainig the sump - apart from holding your thumb over the drain hole? The car has never leaked in the 2 and a half years I've owned it, that's what is so irritating.
Mr T.
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>>Does anyone know how to remove the plug without drainig the sump - apart from holding
>>your thumb over the drain hole?
Short of tipping the car upside-down I don't think there is much option. If it was me then I would have the new plug and washer ready and do a quick swap. Ie spin the old one out quickly and then put the new one in rapido. It may be a little bit of a messy way of doing it but the oil loss should be minimal and you can just top up the bit that you lose with fresh oil, rather than having to drain it out and then refill it with the same oil (presumably).
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Oh and if I was you and the new plug cures the problem, I would be going to the fast-fit place and asking for my money back. Or at least settling for some form of compensation - I would say the price of the new plug but if it is less than a quid it doesn't seem enough to ask for.
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I have an Alfa with the 1.6 TS engine and so am presuming that it is similarto the 1.8.
The sump plug can take a fair bit of torque. I have no idea of how much torque I am applying, but after four oil changes nothing has deformed and no oil leaks out of the sump. The sump washer is copper and can be reused several times by turning over.
Filter and sump plug are far enough apart not to drip oil in the same place.
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'The sump washer is copper and can be reused several times by turning over.'
I was taught in 'O' level metalwork that copper is annealed by heating to cherry red and dunking in cold water.
I re-use copper sealing washers endlessly.
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Are you sure it is engine oil that is leaking?
What about gearbox or clutch slave cylinder?
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Don't know what the ALFA washer is like, but a lot of sump washers nowadays are 'crush washers' in that they have a 'concertina' profile and actually collapse to about 1/3 their original thickness when you tighten them up. You definitely cannot re-use them - not reliably anyway.
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The leak began immediately after the oil change and it certainly looked like the green Duckhams used by the garage. I have taken it back twice and there was no suggestion that the leak was not from the sump plug.
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The best way I found was to invest in a Pela extractor which will remove most of the oil and then open the drain if required ie mesure how much oil is in the extractor if for instance it is 4 lts then the rest is in the filter and so the plug isn't required howerver I do prefer to drain at the bottom via the sump every other oil service. (call me old fashioned)
The figure I quoted was in 2003 but a new plug shouldn't be that dear even from an Alfa counter rather than a Fiat one. However the key thing is not to damage it with an air gun which is the favoured tool in many fast fit places I think 28 nm is the recommended which is hand tight.
Paul
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Just an update. At the weekend I bit the bullet and replaced the sump plug. It cost £9.86 for a new plug and gasket, I managed the changeover with the loss of about a pint of oil. This morning there was no oil in the drip-tray. I haven't quite relaxed yet - after the second visit to 'bash & fixit' the leak didint show itself for a couple of days. The sealing wsher used by B&B was not like the gasket from Alfa, so I am cautiously optimistic. A feel a rude letter coming on.....
Mr T.
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No leak last night either - we might be OK.
Mr T.
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A feel a rude letter coming on.....
Don't throw good money after bad.
--
L\'escargot.
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I know the washer should do its job but I always put a bit of ptfe tape around the plug thread.
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L'escagot, are you advising me against writing to 'B&F', or is that a cryptic reference to my typing error? I should have said 'I' feel a rude letter coming on. I didn't intend a genuinely rude letter, just a a few lines to register my disapproval. Car still leak-free.
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Local garage changed oil on my yaris and used a plastic washer insted of the std fibre washer. Didn't leak but when I changed the oil 6 months later the washer was badly split.
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