Found a stripped oil drain plug that was fixed with a helicoil kit from a parts store.

A customer brought in their truck with a slow leak, and the last shop had put in a helicoil but didn't use any thread sealant. It started weeping after about 500 miles. What's your go-to method for a permanent fix on these?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_patricia2mo ago

Two Timeserts out of three I've seen on oil pans held fine past 50k miles, but the third one leaked because the installer drilled crooked. The real trick is you have to tap the hole absolutely straight and clean the chips out with brake cleaner and compressed air before you set the insert. A helicoil is just a spring, it can walk out over time if the oil is hot and thin, especially without sealant. A solid insert like a Timesert actually locks into the aluminum and gives you a steel thread that won't strip again. Red Loctite on the outside of the insert helps seal it too, but don't use it on the inside threads or you'll glue the drain plug in place. That's a permanent fix if you do it right, not a bandaid like that helicoil was.

anderson.david2mo ago

Man, that's a classic half-fix right there. Seen it a dozen times, a helicoil without sealant on an oil pan just buys you a little time. For something permanent, I'd probably step up to a solid insert like a Timesert.

thomas.parker2mo ago

So you've seen that helicoil trick fail a lot? What makes a Timesert hold up better in the long run?